Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Evian-les-Bains, France, to attend the G7 summit, a day after US President Donald Trump announced an agreement had been reached to end the conflict in Iran.
Trump announced the deal on Sunday, adding that he had allowed the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to end, but later said the strait would not open until Friday when the deal is officially signed.
On the tarmac Monday morning, Carney said he would have an opportunity at the G7 summit to see what Canada and other countries can do to help promote progress.
The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement that they welcomed the announcement of the agreement between the United States and Iran.
“This is a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilize the global economy,” the statement issued on Monday said.
The statement says it is “vital” that detailed negotiations are concluded and that the agreement is implemented quickly and comprehensively.
Leaders said they would support the effort.
They also said that an urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is essential, and that they are committed to doing their part to make it happen, including through a “rigorous, independent defense mission to reassure commercial shipping and conduct mine clearance operations.”
“Iran must never possess a nuclear weapon,” the statement read. He added, “We are ready to work with the United States, Iran, and the International Atomic Energy Agency to achieve this goal. We are ready to lift the relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran regarding its nuclear program.”
The leaders said they would work with the United States, Iran and regional partners “to seize this moment, maintain momentum, and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement.”
They added: “We also reaffirm our full support for Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity and the importance of a strong ceasefire.”
In his own statement on social media, Carney said Canada was clear that a permanent ceasefire must ensure safe and unimpeded transit through the Strait of Hormuz and address the “proliferating threat” of Iran’s nuclear program.
Get breaking national news
Get Canada breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you never miss a trending story.
“As negotiations continue, we urge all parties to maintain dialogue in good faith and refrain from escalation,” Carney said.
Related videos
While in Ireland over the weekend, Carney told Irish news channel RTE that the war in Iran was the “number one topic” at the G7, adding that the war in Ukraine was also a major issue.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to attend the summit.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet on Monday with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Later, he will attend a working dinner on geopolitical and economic issues.
Trump is expected to attend this year’s summit, as are other G7 leaders, and the presidents of Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea are scheduled to participate.
While it is not known whether Carney will meet with Trump at Evian, Canadian-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are scheduled to communicate on the sidelines of the summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the summit – his last as head of state – under the title Economic Imbalances.
AI standards, regulations and accountability will also be part of the discussions, Carney told reporters in Ireland.
France said there would be no comprehensive joint statement – a document that has been issued at every summit but has been difficult to produce amid growing geopolitical differences. France says it will instead issue a series of statements over the course of the summit.
Ahead of the summit, Carney said on Sunday that the United States would play a role in a new world order in which no single institution or country will be able to have all the answers.
“What one cannot do at this stage in a rapidly transforming global system is to rely on one set of institutions, one grouping, one country to provide the answers,” he said during a visit to Ireland.
“You have to know what you want, what you need, how to serve your citizens, and then go out and get it.”
The Prime Minister said the previous day that the “threads” of a new world order could be woven at that next summit.
Asked what role the United States could play in this new order, Carney said some countries would be on the same page on issues such as taking action on artificial intelligence and children’s safety.
“Canada, which is very much at the forefront, will take child safety seriously and feel that laissez-faire is not the answer to child safety. So we will take steps. Not everyone around this table will do that,” he said.
“In some of these circumstances, the United States will be significantly behind…but not all.”
Earlier this month, the Liberal government introduced an online harms bill that includes a plan to force social media companies to ban children under 16 from their platforms. Bill C-34 would also regulate AI-powered chatbots.
International support for age restrictions on social media has been growing since Australia became the first country to impose a ban, with countries such as Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea introducing or considering similar measures.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that his government is also working to ban social media access for children under 16.
“These days, children have to find their feet in a world where technology is interfering in every area of their lives,” Starmer said on social media. “I can’t let this go on anymore. So we’re giving the kids their childhood back.”
The Liberal government is also set to introduce a new privacy bill this week that it says will include protections for children’s data. It is also expected to include measures to ensure Canadians’ data is not used to price surveillance.
The G7 includes Canada, France, the United States, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy. The European Union is also participating in the talks, although the bloc is not counted in the group’s name.
