Great to be on Summit watch again, this time, for the G7 in Biarritz, France. Thanks to my media work and inclusion in the Informed Opinions Expert Women Database, I have been on hand to provide media commentary to discuss this important global summit.
It was my pleasure to join CTV News Channel TV on a sunny Saturday morning to chat about G7 expectations and priorities for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Although some have indicated that they view summits such as the G7 to not be of particular importance, our increasingly fragmented world needs these opportunities to connect on key issues, find common ground, and identify areas of collaboration. Here’s just a few areas where strategies and action are needed:
- The global economy, amid slowdown and recession concerns
- Trade and related partnerships, including addressing tariffs and disputes
- Relations and issues between the US, China, and others
- Climate change and environmental issues, amid the Amazon fires and continued sea ice melting
- Areas of conflict, including tensions with (and within) Hong Kong, China, Russia, North Korea, the Middle East, and Venezuela
- Gender parity and diversity, an issue that impacts at least half of the world’s population
There are many more areas of concern to our world, requiring leadership with a range of skills and disciplines. Summits like the G7 are really what a leader makes of it, recognizing that it is their responsibility to be stewards of not only of their role and country, but also of our planet. I believe that addressing issues of global importance is something that citizens of the world have the right to reasonably expect from the leaders of their countries, remembering that people have the power to choose who holds these roles in many cases.
Closer to home, key issues of concern for Prime Minister Trudeau include trade considerations (with the US, China, and the UK, in particular), strategies to resolve China-specific conflicts, and demonstrating progress in advance of the Federal election; these are not easily achieved in what has become a world where resolution is difficult. Regardless, a steady and rational path could set the stage for cooperation and strength in numbers for those who are willing to listen. Remember also that 2020 will be an important year for the US; could the G7 be setting its sights on the likelihood of a more receptive participant being in the Oval Office in January, 2021?
Looking forward to my next Media Watch; it might be just around the corner, stay tuned!
