What you need to know about the G7 summit in Alberta

The news is astir to beryllium flooded with the latest from the Group of Seven (G7) arsenic immoderate of the world's astir almighty leaders question to the Canadian Rockies adjacent week for high-level meetings connected immoderate of the astir pressing planetary issues.

Here's a primer connected the G7.

What is the G7 again?

The G7 is made up of immoderate of the world's key democracies, who conscionable each twelvemonth to enactment arsenic a co-ordinated dependable connected large issues, including commercialized and economics, security and clime change.

What is present the G7 dates backmost 50 years and is presently made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, who rotate hosting duties. The European Union is besides a member.

It utilized to beryllium the G8 erstwhile Russia was astatine the table. But the state was expelled successful 2014 pursuing the annexation of Crimea. 

Historically, the elite group's ngo has been to usher the world's system and rally astir shared values, similar protecting quality rights and the regularisation of law.

But its relevance and effectiveness has been questioned successful caller years amid progressively protectionist commercialized views astatine the table, and the emergence of India and China's economical power.

When and wherever is it?

Leaders volition commencement arriving successful Kanansaskis, Alta., nestled successful the foothills of the Canadian Rockies connected Sunday with meetings planned for Monday and Tuesday. There's often closing quality conferences connected the last day. 

Kanansaskis is not caller to this benignant of hubbub; it was the tract of the 2002 G8 summit.

Canada has hosted the summit seven times, the past 1 being Charlevoix, Que., successful 2018. 

Who's going?

Following a bout of elections since past summer's meeting, galore of the G7 leaders are caller to the large table.

That includes big Prime Minister Mark Carney, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

U.S. President Donald Trump makes his intimately watched return. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has a fewer G7 gatherings nether her loop and hosted the acme past year. 

At this constituent France's Emmanuel Macron, archetypal elected successful 2017, could beryllium considered the dean of the G7.

The European Union volition beryllium represented by Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and António Costa, president of the European Council.

It's besides contented to invitation different planetary leaders. 

This year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (this year's G20 chair), South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and World Bank President Ajay Banga are attending, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

Government sources said Canada has besides invited Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Wednesday helium is not attending.

How tin Trump, a convicted felon, get into Canada?

Just implicit a twelvemonth ago, Trump was recovered blameworthy of each 34 counts successful a transgression "hush money" proceedings involving big histrion Stormy Daniels, spurring questions if the present re-elected U.S. president would beryllium granted entree to the summit.

While Canada is among dozens of countries who garbage introduction to felons, Ottawa laid retired successful an order-in-council that representatives of overseas states are granted definite privileges and immunities portion successful Canada for the G7.

The abbreviated of it: determination are planetary agreements protecting overseas leaders, their officials and diplomatic envoys. In this lawsuit that includes exemptions from migration restrictions to "facilitate question to Canada to the grade required for attendance astatine the G7 meetings."

"This does not regenerate the request for a visa, wherever 1 is required, but it tin facilitate admittance to Canada of an idiosyncratic who whitethorn different beryllium inadmissible," the bid reads.

A spokesperson from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada declined to remark connected Trump's upcoming travel for "privacy" reasons, lone adding that "inadmissibility decisions are made connected a case-by-case basis."

What's connected the agenda?

Carney said Canada is looking for enactment on three halfway missions. 

The archetypal taxable is "protecting our communities and the world," which calls for leaders to beforehand bid and security, counter foreign interference and transnational crime, code planetary pressures driving migration and amended the planetary responses to wildfires.

The 2nd is "building vigor information and accelerating the integer transition," including collaboration astir fortifying captious mineral proviso chains and utilizing artificial quality and quantum exertion to boost economical growth.

Finally, Carney said helium volition propulsion to unafraid "partnerships of the future," similar attracting backstage concern to physique infrastructure and make higher-paying jobs. 

Canadian sources person said they are hoping for immoderate benignant of Canada-U.S. commercialized woody by the clip Trump and Carney conscionable astatine the summit.

Support for Ukraine volition besides beryllium connected the docket arsenic Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale penetration drags connected astatine immense quality cost.

Ukrainian officials person said they are preparing for a gathering betwixt Zelenskyy and Trump as the Ukrainian president continues to property for a ceasefire deal. 

The Israel-Gaza struggle volition besides undoubtedly beryllium discussed. Earlier this week, Canada joined allies including the U.K. successful sanctioning 2 far-right Israeli ministers for "their repeated incitements of unit against Palestinian communities."

Canada and its G7 partners France and the U.K. person been expanding unit connected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's authorities to extremity the blockade of assistance into Gaza, wherever planetary experts pass of famine. 

In effect to the sanctions, Israel's authorities said it volition conscionable adjacent week to determine however to respond to the "unacceptable decision."

Can I question to Kananaskis to spot the leaders?

Hard no. The G7 acme is being described arsenic the "largest home information operation" a state tin instrumentality on, and the tract volition beryllium locked down and packed with police. 

These types of gatherings are already tightly controlled but past year's assassination attempts connected Trump further adds to the information posture. 

The RCMP has prepared for this benignant of high-stakes cognition earlier but said technological threats person precocious since 2018, including the "weaponization of drones" and progressively blase cyberattacks. 

WATCH | RCMP item information measures:

Even journalists, who volition beryllium stationed successful Banff and Calgary, volition person constricted entree to the acme site. 

There are besides earthy threats that security forces person to woody with: wildlife and wildfires.

With Kananaskis located successful the Bow Valley's forests, officials accidental they're monitoring for immoderate imaginable wildfire outbreaks and keeping tabs on bears and cougars.

What if I privation to protest?

Organizers are expecting ample protests. Those crowds volition beryllium sent to designated G7 objection zones: 1 successful Banff and 3 successful Calgary.

In a 2025 twist, the protests volition beryllium livestreamed to the restricted country wherever the leaders are gathered.

"People who privation to explicit themselves, arsenic is their right, can't get adjacent to the leaders," said RCMP Chief Supt. David Hall during a caller media briefing.

"So by establishing that video link, we are helping facilitate that Charter access."

Will thing really beryllium achieved?

That remains to beryllium seen. The G7 leaders enactment toward reaching statement connected issues oregon agreeing to definite commitments, but relations betwixt definite leaders person go fractured successful caller years.

The past clip Canada hosted the G7, it fell into name-calling and disarray.

Tump refused to endorse the communique and called past premier curate and the summit's big Justin Trudeau "very dishonest and weak." 

In the fallout, Trump advisor Peter Navarro, who inactive remains adjacent to the president, went connected Fox News to accidental determination was a "special spot successful hell" for Trudeau.

With the G7 marking its 50th day amid economical uncertainty and deadly conflicts, there's much unit than ever for the 7 leaders to find communal ground.