Prime Minister Mark Carney pulled off a successful, focused performance as host of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., according to some world leaders and foreign policy experts.
Fen Osler Hampson, international affairs professor at Carleton University, said Carney guided the G7 "through the diplomatic Rockies," navigating "shifting weather" on the global front and avoiding "avalanches and treacherous cliffs."
This year's summit took place against the backdrop of a new war between Israel and Iran, which pushed U.S. President Donald Trump to leave Alberta a day early. On Monday, G7 leaders published a statement affirming that Israel "has a right to defend itself" and that Iran "can never have a nuclear weapon."
Hampson described Carney as pragmatic and said he was "quite deft" in handling the G7 statement on the Middle East.
"He was able to keep Trump on board on that statement," Hampson said.
Hampson also said that productive sessions continued on G7 priorities, like global security, after Trump's departure.
Carney held bilateral meetings with Trump and other world leaders during the two-day summit. Carney's office said Monday that the U.S. president agreed to negotiate a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S. by mid-July.
Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Trump said the G7 meeting was "really terrific. Good people."
When asked how Carney received him, Trump said, "Very good. He couldn't have been nicer."
"He's a good man … a good representative of Canada," he added.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford told a press conference Tuesday that he supports how Carney is handling Trump.
"He's dealing with a different type of cat with Trump. You don't know which way this guy's going to bounce from morning to morning," Ford said. "He wakes up, eats his Wheaties and all of a sudden everything's changing. So I'm going to back the prime minister 100 per cent and I know all the premiers will. We need to get a deal."
Ford said it was "good news" that Carney and Trump agreed to put a deal together over the next month.
"At least they had an opportunity to meet, and I'm confident that we'll get a deal done," he said.
Carney seemed to impress several world leaders who attended this year's summit.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One after leaving the G7 summit, Trump said he had a "good time."
French President Emmanuel Macron, who will host the G7 next year, said Tuesday that Carney fulfilled his mission as G7 host by keeping the multilateral body united.
"We shouldn't ask the Canadian presidency to resolve every issue on earth today. That would be unfair," said Macron. "But he held the group together. He did it with his characteristic elegance and determination."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media that he had an "excellent" meeting with Prime Minister Carney. He said he complimented him and the Canadian government on "successfully" hosting the summit.
Canada and India agreed to name new high commissioners and restore regular diplomatic services to citizens in both countries.
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials last fall, following news that law enforcement had linked agents of the Indian government to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens.
At the G7 summit, Carney also promised $4.3 billion in new support for Ukraine's defence, including $2 billion for weapons like drones, ammunition and armoured vehicles and a $2.3-billion loan to help Ukraine rebuild its infrastructure.
Hampson said the announcement of the support package shows that Carney is positioning Canada as a leading supporter of Ukraine among G7 countries.
"He's showing diplomatic agility, a results-driven approach to this meeting," Hampson said.
Carney faced some backlash for inviting Modi to the summit. More than 100 Sikhs gathered in Calgary on Monday to condemn Modi ahead of his visit to the G7 leaders' summit.
"There never was a good time to try to turn the page with the Indians," Hampson said, adding that other countries are always invited to the summit.
"It would be odd not to have the world's fifth largest economy at that meeting, right?" he added.
Srdjan Vucetic, a professor at the University of Ottawa's graduate school of public and international affairs, said any criticisms of Carney's invitations are likely going to be "muted" and the prime minister can claim he's approaching his responsibilities "pragmatically."
Vucetic said Carney did "great" at the summit and proved he was "savvy" during his meeting with Trump — citing his decision during an introductory press conference at the G7 to interrupt Trump mid-rant in order to move on to other topics.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
