6:50 PM MSTIt's a wrap folks! Carney delivered his closing remarks this evening. You can read all about it in Jen's story, linked below. .Carney closes G7, calls for global security and economic cooperation.6:30 PM MSTCarney met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, where they discussed "the importance of Mexico being at the center of international cooperation." .4:19 PM MSTLooks like the weather in Calgary has G7 officials in a bit of a tizzy.A thunderstorm warning has been issued for the area, leaving officials extremely worried about transporting leaders to YYC for the airplanes home.A Carney wrap-up press conference has been postponed. It was skeded for 4 p.m. and is now listed for a 4:45 p.m. start. But don't believe that.Looking more and more like I won't be watching the hockey game tonight.That's alright. Spares me having to look at Oiler tears. Go Panthers! .4:08 PM MSTPrime Minister Mark Carney met with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Kananaskis on Tuesday.According to a statement from the PMO, Carney emphasized the immense potential for increased co-operation. The leaders discussed opportunities for Canada to deepen trade, commerce, and investment with Brazil."Carney underscored the shared values between Canada and Brazil, including protecting the environment and building stronger economies in partnership with indigenous peoples.""The leaders discussed shared priorities, such as fortifying critical mineral supply chains, combatting wildfires, resuming trade negotiations, and building clean growth, particularly with Canada hosting the 2025 G7 Presidency and Brazil hosting COP30 later this year.".4:05 PM MSTLooks like no G7 communique on the Ukraine as they couldn't get US officials on board. Must be disappointing for Zelensky who traveled to Kananaskis to brief leaders on the war with Russia..3:13 PM MSTCarney and Indian Prime Minister Modi just finished a media statement together.Over the past year, Canada/India relations hit rock bottom when former Prime Minister Trudeau accused India of assassinating a Sikh leader in BC. Trudeau's government jet was then mysteriously stranded for several days in New Delhi after meetings there.In Kananaskis Tuesday, it was nothing but smiles and warm talk of making the world a better place together.Jen's story to come soon..2:45 PM MSTStatements from the G7 are coming fast and furious now.I will attempt to sum them up so you don't have to read the press releases.Future of Quantum Technologies — It's going to be big.Critical Minerals Action Plan — Leaders say they recognize that "critical minerals are the building blocks of digital and energy secure economies of the future." Kananaskis Wildfire Charter — Leaders agree forest fires are a bad thing. "We resolve to boost global cooperation to prevent, fight and recover from wildfires by taking integrated action to reduce the incidence and negative impacts of wildfires and ensure our readiness to help each other, and partners, when needed." Countering Migrant Smuggling — "We are determined to enhance border management and enforcement and dismantle the transnational organized crime groups profiting from both migrant smuggling and human trafficking.".2:29 PM MSTThe G7 leaders have issued some word salad on AI."We, the Leaders of the G7, recognize the potential of a human-centric approach to artificial intelligence (AI) to grow prosperity, benefit societies and address pressing global challenges. To realize this potential, we must better drive innovation and adoption of secure, responsible, and trustworthy AI that benefits people, mitigates negative externalities, and promotes our national security. We will power AI now and into the future. And we will work with emerging market and developing country partners to close digital divides, in line with the United Nations Global Digital Compact. ""We must seize the potential of AI in our public sectors to drive efficiency and better serve our publics. We also recognize that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including microenterprises, are the backbone of our economies, driving growth and creating jobs. In 2024, we committed to work together to help SMEs adopt and develop new technologies, including AI, to accelerate broad-based growth. We also committed to fully leverage the potential of AI to enable decent work while addressing challenges for our labour markets."And the statement pledges things Canada will do.To this end, Canada as G7 presidency is launching the G7 GovAI Grand Challenge and will host a series of “Rapid Solution Labs” to develop innovative and scalable solutions to the barriers we face in adopting AI in the public sector.We will leverage our existing government AI expertise to establish a G7 AI Network (GAIN) to advance the Grand Challenge; develop a roadmap to scale successful AI projects; and create a catalogue of open-source and shareable AI solutions for members. GAIN will collaborate to ensure that AI solutions in government have measurable and real benefits for our communities.We task relevant Ministers to explore strategic investments for accelerating public sector AI adoption in transformative ways, including for large language models and digital infrastructure. It goes on and on and on, but I think that's enough..1:54 PM MSTThe meeting table just got a lot bigger.Talks are now ongoing with all leaders invited to Kananaskis, not just the G7-1.Once again being chaired by Mark Carney, this meeting is focused on energy security.Carney said it's is the "most important" of all the meeting being held the last two days.Along with the head of the UN and the head of the World Bank, in attendance are the leaders of India, Brazil, Australia and South Africa..1:45 PM MSTIt's all smiles again as leaders — this time including all the non-G7 heads — take a family photograph.Everyone seems happy and at ease.Once again, Zelensky is right by Carney,.It's not all lounging around for our Jen. That her, battling the wind, as she tries to film a stand-up for broadcast..1:34 PM MSDTA bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and UN Secretary General António Guterres has been cancelled. No reason given..Hard-working Western Standard reporter Jen Hodgson takes a break and relaxes on something that passes as a chair in front of the Banff Centre..12:52 PM MSTFor those wondering, other than a lot more cops around, Banff is open for business.The sidewalks are crowded, the streets are busy and getting a cab in this small mountain town takes 30 minutes.It's only if you try to get up Tunnel Mountain you will find roadblocks manned my the RCMP.Gotta protect us media, at he top of the mountain, ya know.12:42 PM MSTAll is quiet on the Kananaskis front at we await to see if everyone agrees on a final communique.There are currently bilateral meetings going on between the headsof different countries..10:22 AM MSTEarlier in the day, Carney, met with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte.According to the PMO, Carney shared his government’s plan to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces — meeting the NATO 2% target this year and accelerating those investments in the years to come."Carney emphasized the new government’s mandate to assert Canada’s sovereignty and increase collaboration with the NATO Alliance. The leaders discussed trans-Atlantic security and helping Ukraine achieve a just and lasting peace, including through the provision of military assistance," said a PMO statement."The Prime Minister looked forward to meeting again with the Secretary General at the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, from June 24 to 25.".10:15 MSTThe break's over and it's back to the meeting table. Zelensky is also at the table, no doubt giving a status update on the war with Russia.10:10 AM MSTAll the leaders are taking a break and sitting outside enjoying the Alberta sunshine. Carney is sat next the Zelensky on a bench..9:15 AM MSTPrime Minister Mark Carney greets Zelensky with a multi-billion dollar present as he arrives in Kananaskis.Carney said Canada with provide Ukraine with $2 billion in military hardware along with the proceeds of $2 billion worth of frozen Russian assets. Jen's story to come..8:57 AM MSTA couple of incidents rocked the media area and the Banff Centre Monday — and our own Jen Hodgson was to blame.In an effort to get a photo she inadvertently walked in front of a video podcast being done by Ukrainian media.Cross words were emitted from the Ukrainian crew and Jen mumbled her apologies.(Side note — by this time, the podcast had been going on at full volume for more than two hours. There can't be that much happening here to talk about for two hours.Secondly, and much more heinous, Jen said she liked the music I was playing in the car because "it reminded me of her dad's music."The rest of the drive passed in silence..https://x.com/emmanuelmacron/status/1934787770880491753?s=618:40 AM MSTGood morning from sunny Banff and the final day of the G7 meetings.Of course, with US President Donald Trump bugging out Monday night to deal with the crisis in the Mideast, it really has become a G6 meeting.A lot of the air has likely gone out of the summit as Trump was the star attraction.Some leaders had jetted across the world — like Indian Prime Minister Modri — for some face time with Trump.This morning the first on the agenda is welcoming the President of Ukraine Zelensky.
