Trudeau defends $600-million price tag for G7 summit in La Malbaie, Que.
LA MALBAIE, Que. — The importance of next month’s G7 summit in Quebec can’t be underestimated, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday as he defended the event’s hefty price tag.
The event can be the perfect forum for the global leadership that is required on issues such as the environment and healthy oceans and the improvement of economic opportunities for women internationally, he told reporters.
“More than that, to have the opportunity for seven allies to gather in a less formal, more relaxed setting, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and a warm welcome, to talk about real issues — it’s extremely important,” Trudeau said at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu hotel, which will host the summit.
Aside from Trudeau, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Italy will gather June 8-9 for the 44th annual conference in La Malbaie, about 140 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.