11. Canada’s Changing Role in the G7 and G20

Canada’s role in both the G7 and G20 has changed and will change, but in different ways. In the G7, Canada’s role has grown during periods of relative US decline and growing vulnerability, especially the suspension of Russia in 2014 and by hosting the Charlevoix Summit in 2018 with gender equality mainstreamed. In the G20, Canada’s role as the visionary co-creator in 1999 and an influential leader at the first four summits through Toronto in 2010 subsequently declined but remained substantial. In the G7 and G20, Canada’s role has been driven by and has advanced its national interests led by national unity and by its distinctive national values of anti-militarism, multiculturalism, openness, environmentalism, globalism and international institutionalism, even as its specific goals and strategies adjust. Canada’s G7 and G20 leadership has been enhanced by an evolving world order, driven by increasing shock-activated vulnerability in economic, ecological and security spheres, the failure of most multilateral organizations from the 1940s in response, power shifts from the United States to other G7 partners and then to several other systemically significant emerging G20 members, the resilience and revival of democratic commonality and convergence among G7 and G20 members, their adequate domestic political cohesion, and the compactness of their cherished summit clubs with Canada’s privileged position in both. Canada’s G7 role will continue to grow under the 2019 hosting of the youthful, fellow francophone French president Emmanuel Macron and the 2020 hosting by Canada’s next-door neighbour, the United States. In the G20, Canada’s role will remain substantial as hosting passes to G7 partner Japan for its summit on June 28-29, 2019, Saudi Arabia in 2020, and then democratic Italy, India and Indonesia.