I live in Calgary, so we are seeing some of the security and protests for the G7 Summit. It seems the media wants to speak to Trump, which makes sense, I guess, as he has his thumb on world events and outcomes. Canada would like to make a deal with the US (even though we have a negotiated trade deal already in place). Our PM had to cut a news conference with the US and Canada short so that he could have some time to talk to Trump in private.
The other 5 countries being mostly ignored are:
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
United Kingdom
European Union
There are also many other Western-friendly countries invited to attend.
Yes, I saw Trump stating how upset Putin is that he was kicked out of what was the G8. That was a time when Russia seemed to be a growing and reforming economy seeking integration with the West, and not a war-mongering pariah. What in the world would be the current reason for including Russia? Speaking of head scratchers, why did we allow a convicted felon to cross our Canadian border?
Either nothing will happen or Trump will make some crazy statements.
Carney’s solution is to let the issue of G7 members trade deals be handled primarily in bilateral talks, and to make the main agenda as consensual as possible.
With the kind of tact only a former central bank governor can muster, Carney has decided to try to minimise the threat of drama by constructing a mildly Canadian, deeply earnest, even soporific, agenda. Carney’s chosen topics for the summit are critical mineral supply chains, energy security, disinformation on the internet and, if things are becoming a little too animated, the global economic outlook and reform of the World Trade Organization. A discussion on “anti-market practices by large, non-G7 economies” – code for China – was promised by the Carney team. Not even Trump would be able to stage a walk out over quantum computing.
There would be no ambitious joint communique since that would be a wildfire attractant.
My feeling is that although he’s been to G7s before, this one was particularly worrisome to him. All his tariffs on all countries who sent representatives; all of whom are either experienced politicians, economists, or negotiators (or all of the above); while Trump knows he is none of those. Oh, he puts on a show of being all of the above, but that’s all it is—a show. Deep down, I’m sure that he knows that at such a gathering these days, he’s going to be outclassed, outgunned, and outmaneuvered, by those who are perfectly capable of doing just that.
So I think he was looking for any excuse to leave early, and the recent Israel-Iran conflict provided such an excuse. I don’t know what he can do from the White House that he cannot do from Air Force One on the ground in Calgary, but he got his excuse to leave early.
In a way, I rather hope that the leaders in Kananaskis continue with their conference, and decide a few things that they’re fine with, but which may not meet with Trump’s approval.
“Mr. Trump, at the G7 conference, we decided X, Y, and Z.”
“What? Those are ridiculous! If I had been there, I would have argued against them all!”
“Yes, Mr. Trump, but you weren’t. You left early, remember?”
I like it. There are 20 or more countries represented here, including Ukraine’s Zelensky, who had expected a meeting with Trump. I think Zelensky’s worldwide credibility, or “cards”, has increased by leaps and bounds since his last meeting with Trump.
Trump did not seem to have a problem spending more than one day in the Arabic states. He pulled the same stunt of leaving early at the last Canadian G7 summit.
Other mistakes he made were to accuse the Can. PM Trudeau of being against Putin, when it was his predecessor, PM Harper. And he proclaimed a European Union deal, when it was a deal with the UK.
Also, the president of Mexico had a meeting scheduled with Trump. This is supposed to be an economic summit, and he had the largest trading partners in one place available to fix some of the economic tariff damage he created. So he ran away.
The Orange Doofus was widely mocked for apparently believing that the UK was part of the European Union. I mean, it’s on the other side of the Atlantic, right? That’s as far as his genius thinking goes.
And his idiot spokesperson Caroline Leavitt said Trump would be returning to Washington early, “right after dinner with the other Heads of State”. Many of the leaders, including the Canadian PM hosting the summit, are heads of government, not heads of state.
Anyway, one result that came out of the G7 from a Canadian POV, due to Mark Carney’s skill, was a commitment to resolve Trump;s tariff war with Canada in 30 days. Carney seems to know how to handle Trump while retaining his own dignity, and they seem to get along well.
Jesus, whining like a little bitch because his buddy Vladimir was kicked out of the Big Boys Club. And they had to invade because all the cool kids were being mean to him. Jan 20, 2029 (or the Sweet Angel of Death) can’t come fast enough.
Which in this concrete case, I am sorry to say, is not how it is. He will leave a representative, but not plenipotenciary (too many silly bulls, you know). Therefore the G7 will not be able to decide anything by unanimity, as the representative (the Vice President? some intern, preferably female and blond?) will have to call back on the big beautiful boss™ to confirm he agrees, and he will still say that even if he was consulted and agreed from afar, it wasn’t right and actually no, he did not agree. Without admitting that he did not understand, of course.
In the meantime, the best the other leaders can do is eat photogenic TACOs and hope the idiot gets the place in history he deserves.
I mean, let’s be frank: the G7 are not a governing body, the resolutions and declarations are not binding, they are not much better than the BRICS. It is nice and good when they agree and follow through, but the real damage the idiot has done and keeps on doing is not chickening out at the G7. It is all the rest he does.
I worry though because I saw a report that said Carney had to interrupt Trump at one point and I know Trump is mercurial enough to take everlasting offense to that.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Trudeau walk right up to Putin at one of these summits and tell him “you need to get out of Ukraine”? I vaguely remember that happening and I don’t think it was Harper who did that. In any case, I would feel comfortable saying Trudeau was no friend to Putin at any time.
Yes, but Carney did it in the gentlest, most diplomatic way possible, the same way he told Trump during his Washington visit that “Canada is not for sale” and later, in private, told Trump that his ruminations about Canada being “the 51st state” were “not useful”. And he did it while gently reminding everyone that he was, in fact, the host and chairman of the summit.
Trump seemed to take it well. It’s even possible that Trump respects someone who shows him deference but at the same time has his own principles and is not a total boot-licker. They clearly do get along. When the Orange Man-Child doesn’t like someone, it’s glaringly obvious.
Fine. Trump takes offense to pretty much everything, so it really doesn’t matter.
And DWMarch, mercurial, a fine word, does not describe a toddler throwing a tantrum. Sometimes the adults in the room have to either ignore the toddler, or force him into a timeout in the corner.