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CBC
14 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
White hats, naked protestors and sweaty leaders in the gym: Headlines from the 2002 G8 summit in Kananaskis
Social Sharing As Alberta gears up to host leaders from some of the world's most powerful nations at the upcoming G7 summit, we're looking back at the most newsworthy headlines from the last time the high-profile event was held in Kananaskis, 23 years ago. Former prime minister Jean Chrétien met with world leaders at the 2002 G8 summit, when the group still included Russia. The leaders met to discuss a variety of topics, including the central agenda item of African aid, while also squeezing in beers, golf and souvenir shopping. Despite the recent Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the U.S. looming over the event, and the recent memory of out-of-control protests at the summit in Italy a year prior, Canada managed to deliver a safe and secluded event in the mountains, said John Kirton, director of the G7 research group at the University of Toronto. The move away from metropolitan host cities marked a return to what the meeting between the leading industrial nations was originally intended to be: a "fireside chat" between world leaders. "At the worst possible times, when the United States was really at its most vulnerable… Jean Chrétien and Canada's Kananaskis summit delivered," said Kirton. "Yes for security, yes against terrorism, but [also] for Africa and the Global South, and for Canadians and its economic agenda and in advancing the Canadian concern for protecting the world's natural environment all at the same time, and [Canada] proved it could all be done in complete peace." Kirton described it as "a mark for subsequent summits to meet." Calgary white hats world leaders Upon arrival in Calgary, then-mayor Dave Bronconnier greeted the world leaders with a white Smithbilt hat, a tradition symbolizing the city's hospitality. U.S. President George W. Bush donned his cowboy hat for a quick moment and then held it to his heart. The Ottawa Citizen reported him saying to Bronconnier, "You don't look old enough to be a mayor." According to the Globe and Mail 's reporting, French President Jacques Chirac refused to put on his hat. Russian President Vladimir Putin also shied away from modelling his gift, but did show curiosity, inspecting it closer. The Globe and Mail also reported few leaders did the ceremonial "yahoo" cheer after receiving their white hat. All eyes on Canada A Calgary Herald story from April 24, 2002 teed up how the G8 summit looked to change the world's perception of Canada with a "high-tech" showcase of non-stereotypical Canadiana in the form of a CD-ROM to be given to international delegates and journalists. "Before they arrive, they'll be thinking of beavers, igloos, red-coated police on horseback and toothless hockey goons," wrote Kerry Williamson of the Herald. "When they leave, they'll be reading Mordecai Richler and Will Ferguson, admiring Robert Bateman's paintings, talking of teepees and listening to David Foster's music." Besides the nation's ambitions for recrafting its image to the world, the very presence of the U.S. president at the summit conveyed a sign of trust in Canada, said Kirton, as there were doubts about whether Bush would make the trip after the events of 9/11. At the Delta Lodge in Kananaskis, chef Jeff O'Neill served up a regional cuisine with food that was "uniquely Canadian," he told the Calgary Herald. "He says it is safest to stay true to what he's best at and he is making sure to steer clear of anything like Borscht for Russian dignitaries," wrote the paper's Maureen DePatie. Later, the Herald confirmed leaders and delegates dined on smoked Bow River trout, Yukon Gold potato and charbroiled High Plains buffalo tenderloin during their stay. Clashing agendas, busy leaders During the two-day summit, leaders stayed busy with a packed agenda tackling issues of nuclear disarmament, the Middle East, terrorism and, most centrally, African aid. With al-Qaeda and other terror threats top of mind, Bush insisted that security be a more prominent subject on the docket, while Chrétien was committed to the agenda that was set at the last summit in Italy, which centred African issues. "Mr. Chrétien said yesterday that he would not let the Middle East discussion sideline his plan for a full-day discussion on Africa tomorrow," the Globe and Mail reported at the time. Bush and Putin had some similar interests according to their profiles in the Ottawa Citizen. Russia seemed in agreement with the U.S. to push for discussions on terrorism in Kananaskis. Four African leaders – Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria — as well as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan joined the G8 heads, participating in a joint meeting on the Africa Action Plan. The leaders would eventually sign what Chrétien called a "landmark document for Africa," focused on reducing African nations' debt, helping to end regional wars, opening western markets and supporting education. The leaders' launch of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction was another major takeaway from the summit. The partnership made a $20 billion US commitment to dismantle aging nuclear weapons in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. WATCH | CBC News coverage of the 2002 G8 Summit: 2002 G8 Summit devises 'landmark document for Africa' 23 years ago Duration 8:33 "Vladimir Putin agreed to let inspectors from his old Cold War rivals – the other G7 countries – enter Russia's most secret nuclear facilities, chemical weapons, biological, radiological ones, to inspect them to see what was there and then to dismantle them so they could not be used," said Kirton. Squeezing many discussions into the two-day summit, Chrétien explained to reporters how busy the leaders were keeping. "You all watch me having a beer with [Jacques] Chirac in front of the hotel for 10 minutes," Chrétien told reporters. "And I didn't have the time to finish the beer." World leaders after hours While leaders were mostly occupied with business during their short foray into K-country, news stories show their agenda wasn't all business. The Calgary Herald reported Chrétien snuck in four holes of golf just hours before the first official G8 meeting got underway. The word was he hit a birdie on the par-4 third hole, wrote Williamson. Chirac was reportedly drawn to buying several souvenir Canada t-shirts, and "in one store purchased a child's sweater with a moose embroidered on the front – worth $23 – and a Kananaskis golf cap." Putin also left with a piece of Canada: a large $150 dreamcatcher made near Vancouver. Bush and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair "shared 20 sweaty minutes at the gym in what aides dubbed the first ever 'aerobic bilat,'" wrote Reuters. After walking in on Blair's workout, Bush remarked on his "impressive regime." Blair said Bush "looked in pretty good shape" himself. Naked protests and muddy demonstrations While world leaders received white hats on the eve of the summit, earlier that same morning, protestors were baring it all outside a Gap store on Stephen Avenue to protest the company's exploitation of workers. The 2002 G8 summit ushered in a more peaceful protesting format, said Kirton. The previous summit in Italy was marked by clashes between police and protestors that resulted in a demonstrator being shot and killed by police. Designated protest areas in Calgary contained much of the demonstrations, which included anti-globalization protests in the form of more traditional marches, as well as the more unique mud dance and knit-in demonstrations. "Defence in depth," is how Kirton remembered it. "Yes, you did have to have heavy police, right? They looked like imperial stormtroopers… with their masks and their clubs and their shields. But they were kept hidden inside nearby buildings," he said. WATCH | Protests at the 2002 G8 summit: Protesters at the Kananaskis G8 23 years ago Duration 17:14 "On the front lines, they put local Calgary police officers. They were on bikes… not in tanks or police cars." Ultimately, Kirton said, the relatively peaceful 2002 G8 in Kananaskis "certainly put Canada on the world stage, in a way – more centrally, more prominently – than it had ever done before."
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From drones to cocktails, G7 logistics taking shape with Kananaskis summit 3 weeks away
With the G7 summit now just three weeks away, Canada is entering the final stages of preparation for a massive domestic security and logistics operation. World leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, are set to gather in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17 for talks on climate change, managing rapidly evolving technology and global trade, among other issues. While the summit itself will be held in Kananaskis, thousands of delegates, journalists and security personnel will be spread out across Calgary and the surrounding region. Here's what the landscape for this year's G7 summit looks like, with three weeks to go. Summit venues in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness destination, will be locked down from June 10 to 18. The summit's main venue, at Kananaskis Village, is removed from the public by the mountainous terrain and will be protected by multiple layers of security forces. A controlled access zone will be in effect from June 10 to 18, and trails, roads and public facilities in the area will be closed or restricted. All access to the zone will require accreditation. Behind the scenes, officials are hard at work preparing the summit site, said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto. Leaders will meet around a single central table. The tendency for Canada has been to make it an iconic table out of Canadian wood, Kirton said. Though the hotel will be full of officials, photographers, translators and security officials, the goal is to draw focus away from that, he added. "The whole idea is to make it seem to the leaders, and produce the reality, of it's them alone sitting in the room," Kirton said. A spokesperson for the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge declined to speak to specifics, but did say its bar would soon unveil a cocktail program tied to the summit, with one signature cocktail for each G7 nation. The Calgary International Airport, which is preparing to welcome G7 leaders when they arrive in mid-June, has also begun to outline its security measures. From June 9 to June 20, the airport will implement restrictions tied to photography, video recording and social media. "To ensure the safety and security of all participating agencies and attending delegates, the capture, recording and sharing of military aircraft, law enforcement personnel and their operations — via photography, videography or social media — will be strictly prohibited from June 9 to June 20," the airport wrote in a statement. "This restriction also applies to all arriving and departing aircraft throughout the duration of the summit." Temporary road closures will also affect Airport Trail Tunnel and McCall Way, with no stopping or parking allowed around the perimeter of the airfield. Members of the public are instead being directed to the Edward H. LaBorde viewing area to view the airfield. The airport authority also reminded the public that drone activity is strictly prohibited around the airport in northeast Calgary and near the Springbank Airport, west of the city. "Drones can seriously impact aviation and general public safety, especially during large-scale summer events," said Patrol Sgt. Dallas Grimm of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) in a release. Violators can face fines of up to $3,000 or jail time. Designated areas for demonstrations will be set up in Calgary and Banff. Meanwhile, the Banff Centre will serve as the international media centre, hosting journalists from around the world. Kirton said this year's summit presents challenges that weren't present in 2002, including cyberattacks and additional risk of wildfires. "This time, the new thing they really have to deal with are drones, right?" he said. "Another one is cybersecurity. You've got many more deliberate cyberattacks now than you did in 2002. And they're more complex and they can be both accidental or very much targeted." Security officials recently told The Canadian Press they're taking steps to deal with new technological threats and drones. "The cyberspace is more of a concern now than it may have been in 2018 [the last G7 in Canada]," said David Hall, Alberta RCMP superintendent and event security director for the G7 Integrated Safety and Security Group. He noted the agency is aware of the "weaponization of drones" seen in international conflicts. CPS Supt. Joe Brar, the G7 event security director, told The Canadian Press that local officers will be responsible for policing demonstrations within Calgary's city limits, while demonstrations in neighbouring communities will be managed by the RCMP. Calgary police will also help the Mounties with site security at hotels and other venues where delegates are staying, and with motorcades and escorting delegates between Calgary and Kananaskis, Brar said. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says the summit is expected to generate around $190 million for the Calgary region and $240 million across the province. Just days ago, G7 finance ministers and central bankers met in Banff to lay the groundwork for the summit. They emerged out of those meetings with a joint communique that committed to strong economic relationships amid uncertainty brought on by tariffs from the United States. The summit's focus on climate change, emerging technology and global stability take on particular relevance in Alberta, said Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary chamber. "Climate connects to the energy sector," she said. "And of course, we want to make sure that we showcase the advancements that have been made within the sector itself, to decrease the emissions intensity and the carbon intensity per barrel of oil that's produced in the province, the low carbon nature of natural gas, and what it means to fuel the growth in AI." WATCH | What do G7 talks mean for Alberta? An opportunity to centre province in world discussions: Still, much of the focus of the summit will surround the impacts of policies imposed by the U.S. administration. "Who knows what the Trump administration will come with and how everybody's going to respond," Yedlin said. "We have to remember that reacting doesn't really get us anywhere, we have to respond accordingly."
CBC
25-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
From drones to cocktails, G7 logistics taking shape with Kananaskis summit 3 weeks away
With the G7 summit now just three weeks away, Canada is entering the final stages of preparation for a massive domestic security and logistics operation. World leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, are set to gather in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17 for talks on climate change, managing rapidly evolving technology and global trade, among other issues. While the summit itself will be held in Kananaskis, thousands of delegates, journalists and security personnel will be spread out across Calgary and the surrounding region. Here's what the landscape for this year's G7 summit looks like, with three weeks to go. Kananaskis locked down Summit venues in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness destination, will be locked down from June 10 to 18. The summit's main venue, at Kananaskis Village, is removed from the public by the mountainous terrain and will be protected by multiple layers of security forces. A controlled access zone will be in effect from June 10 to 18, and trails, roads and public facilities in the area will be closed or restricted. All access to the zone will require accreditation. Behind the scenes, officials are hard at work preparing the summit site, said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto. Leaders will meet around a single central table. The tendency for Canada has been to make it an iconic table out of Canadian wood, Kirton said. Though the hotel will be full of officials, photographers, translators and security officials, the goal is to draw focus away from that, he added. "The whole idea is to make it seem to the leaders, and produce the reality, of it's them alone sitting in the room," Kirton said. A spokesperson for the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge declined to speak to specifics, but did say its bar would soon unveil a cocktail program tied to the summit, with one signature cocktail for each G7 nation. Calgary airport issues notices The Calgary International Airport, which is preparing to welcome G7 leaders when they arrive in mid-June, has also begun to outline its security measures. From June 9 to June 20, the airport will implement restrictions tied to photography, video recording and social media. "To ensure the safety and security of all participating agencies and attending delegates, the capture, recording and sharing of military aircraft, law enforcement personnel and their operations — via photography, videography or social media — will be strictly prohibited from June 9 to June 20," the airport wrote in a statement. "This restriction also applies to all arriving and departing aircraft throughout the duration of the summit." Temporary road closures will also affect Airport Trail Tunnel and McCall Way, with no stopping or parking allowed around the perimeter of the airfield. Members of the public are instead being directed to the Edward H. LaBorde viewing area to view the airfield. The airport authority also reminded the public that drone activity is strictly prohibited around the airport in northeast Calgary and near the Springbank Airport, west of the city. "Drones can seriously impact aviation and general public safety, especially during large-scale summer events," said Patrol Sgt. Dallas Grimm of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) in a release. Violators can face fines of up to $3,000 or jail time. Security, media and protest zones Designated areas for demonstrations will be set up in Calgary and Banff. Meanwhile, the Banff Centre will serve as the international media centre, hosting journalists from around the world. Kirton said this year's summit presents challenges that weren't present in 2002, including cyberattacks and additional risk of wildfires. "This time, the new thing they really have to deal with are drones, right?" he said. "Another one is cybersecurity. You've got many more deliberate cyberattacks now than you did in 2002. And they're more complex and they can be both accidental or very much targeted." Security officials recently told The Canadian Press they're taking steps to deal with new technological threats and drones. "The cyberspace is more of a concern now than it may have been in 2018 [the last G7 in Canada]," said David Hall, Alberta RCMP superintendent and event security director for the G7 Integrated Safety and Security Group. He noted the agency is aware of the "weaponization of drones" seen in international conflicts. CPS Supt. Joe Brar, the G7 event security director, told The Canadian Press that local officers will be responsible for policing demonstrations within Calgary's city limits, while demonstrations in neighbouring communities will be managed by the RCMP. Calgary police will also help the Mounties with site security at hotels and other venues where delegates are staying, and with motorcades and escorting delegates between Calgary and Kananaskis, Brar said. Economic hopes and political uncertainty The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says the summit is expected to generate around $190 million for the Calgary region and $240 million across the province. Just days ago, G7 finance ministers and central bankers met in Banff to lay the groundwork for the summit. They emerged out of those meetings with a joint communique that committed to strong economic relationships amid uncertainty brought on by tariffs from the United States. The summit's focus on climate change, emerging technology and global stability take on particular relevance in Alberta, said Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary chamber. "Climate connects to the energy sector," she said. "And of course, we want to make sure that we showcase the advancements that have been made within the sector itself, to decrease the emissions intensity and the carbon intensity per barrel of oil that's produced in the province, the low carbon nature of natural gas, and what it means to fuel the growth in AI." WATCH | What do G7 talks mean for Alberta? An opportunity to centre province in world discussions: What do G7 talks mean for Alberta? An opportunity to centre province in world discussions 2 days ago Duration 1:40 The Canada West Foundation and University of Calgary School of Public Policy want world leaders to cast their eyes on Western Canada for innovation, trade and energy potential. Still, much of the focus of the summit will surround the impacts of policies imposed by the U.S. administration. "Who knows what the Trump administration will come with and how everybody's going to respond," Yedlin said. "We have to remember that reacting doesn't really get us anywhere, we have to respond accordingly."
Edmonton Journal
23-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
G7 finance ministers in Banff commit to backing beleaguered Ukraine in communique tough on Moscow
Article content 'It talks about ramping up sanctions, not reducing them, so it's a one-way street . . . it replaces' illegal' invasion with the word 'brutal,' and brutal is pretty tough,' said Prof. John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto. 'By saying 'unwavering support' for Ukraine is actually an important shift in Trump's position — Trump's instinct to give Putin the benefit of the doubt is clearly gone.' Demanding war reparations from Russia among a G7 group with potential dissent from the U.S., he said, 'is a big deal.' The group's commitment to holding onto Russian financial assets is notable, said Kirton, although it says nothing about transferring them to Ukraine. The G7 ministers said the push for Ukraine's early reconstruction would continue at a meeting in Rome in July. The communique noted there are external challenges facing the reconstruction of Ukraine while it remains under fire by its larger neighbour. That could be overcome by working with international financial institutions 'and the insurance industry toward removing the blanket ban imposed on Ukraine as soon as possible,' it said.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
G7 finance ministers in Banff commit to backing beleaguered Ukraine in communique tough on Moscow
Article content He said delegates discussed other ways of increasing pressure on Russia to end its invasion but added 'it's wise to keep those to ourselves.' Article content When asked about disunity among G7 delegates on the Ukraine issue and economic ones, Champagne said 'some of you questioned whether we'd come out with a communique.' Article content On Tuesday, Champagne spoke to reporters alongside Kyiv's Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko, the only non-G7 ministers to attend the Banff meeting. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to next month's G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis. Champagne said that's a sign of the commitment to the country that's been trying to roll back a full-scale Russian invasion since February, 2022 and pro-Moscow separatists' 2014 seizure of parts of its eastern Donbas region. Article content The G7 stance comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected committing to a ceasefire in the war in which his forces are on the attack. Article content Article content The war in Ukraine has largely settled into a stalemate on a 1,000-km front line along the country's eastern and southern regions while Kyiv's forces maintain a foothold in a slice of Russia that they invaded last summer. Article content Both sides trade daily air attacks meant to erode each others' military and economic capacity and their population's will to fight. Article content The Kremlin says no new direct peace talks are planned while the Ukrainians say the Russians are preparing for a summer offensive to seize more territory. Article content On Thursday, Germany pledged to defend Lithuania in the event of Russian aggression and has begun deploying an armoured brigade in the Baltic state, the first one since the Second World War. Article content A G7 expert said the language in the ministers' communique takes a harder line against Moscow than he'd expected, especially considering it was co-authored by a delegation from the U.S. that's recently been more sympathetic to Russia. Article content Article content 'It talks about ramping up sanctions, not reducing them so it's a one-way street…it replaces' illegal' invasion with the word 'brutal' and brutal is pretty tough,' said Prof. John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto. Article content 'By saying 'unwavering support' for Ukraine is actually an important shift in Trump's position – Trump's instinct to give Putin the benefit of the doubt is clearly gone.' Article content Demanding war reparations from Russia among a G7 group with potential dissent from the U.S., he said, 'is a big deal'. Article content The group's commitment to holding onto Russian financial assets is notable, said Kirton, although it says nothing about transferring them to Ukraine itself. Article content The G7 ministers said the push for Ukraine's early reconstruction would continue at a meeting in Rome in July. Article content The communique noted there are external challenges facing the reconstruction of Ukraine while it remains under fire by its larger neighbour. Article content
