Kickin' it in the Canadian Wild!
Indigenous Communities and Kananaskis: Host Location for the G7 Summit
The ol' G7 summit's moved its booty to Kananaskis, nestled in the Rockies, and Geezer Merz ain't even mad about that fella wearin' a feathered headdress upon his arrival! You see, this summit joint stands on indigenous ground, and our Canuck pals have made it plen-ty clear that these lands have been in the possession of 'em since WAY before the frїdge was invented!
First off, where's Kananaskis at, ya ask? Well, it's snuggled in the province of Alberta, about an hour's ride from Calgary - which is a hotspot for vacay and recreation, cept the population's almost nonexistent! The 2021 census clocked in at just 156 residents. Why, you ask? Cause this joint's as famous for its breathtakin' scenery as it is for the critters roamin' about – bears and pumas, don't forget those!
Over at Banff, about forty kilometers northwest of the summit, you can catch sight of squirrels and deer strollin' 'round the G7 Press Centre like they own the place! And let me tell ya, with landscapes this snazzy, who wouldn't wanna hang out there?
The G7 bigshots are crackin' deals in the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, a hotel that's surely a stunner itself, 'specially when you catch wind of its past. The lodge first popped up back in 1988, when it was built for the Winter Olympics in Calgary – though sometimes there was action up in Canmore, which is a bit northwest of here. You know, where the downhill skiin' and ice-skatin' competitions went down.
But now, this joint's swole up to global proportion as it's hosted summits before, one of which was in 2002! Yep, that's when the G8 was still a thing, and Putin was innocently sittin' at the table with the rest of 'em. Ah, but the times they change, and so has their status ever since.
The lodge's a mite humble, tucked away in this here rugged landscape, but when it comes to bringin' the world together, there ain't no place like it! Yet, it's important to acknowledge the region's history with the indigenous communities that've lived here since before Alexa was even a twinkle in Jeff Bezos' eye.
In today's world, hostin' such international events on indigenous lands sparks crucial discussions 'bout respect and involvement of the traditional custodians of the land. While it woulda been swell to see more formal ceremonies acknowledgin' our Native Canadian brethren, it's nice to know that their sturdy legacy endures as we revel in the beautiful wilds of Kananaskis!
The G7 summit's move to Kananaskis, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, is surrounded by policy-and-legislation discussions about indigenous rights, as the land has been under the possession of these communities since before the invention of the fridge. The hosting of international events like this on indigenous lands in modern times spark crucial conversations about respect and the involvement of traditional custodians of the land, such as the First Nations communities in Kananaskis.
