The BBC reports, “World leaders are to gather for (the G8 summit for) two days at Lough Erne golf resort in County Fermanagh on 17 and 18 June.”
In late-April, the Globe and Mail reported, “Prime Minister Stephen Harper will attend the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland, but it is not clear whether that trip is viewed as a potential window for the two sides to announce a deal (on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement).” But today, Postmedia News reports, “(European Union Ambassador Matthias) Brinkmann believes negotiations can be completed before the summer, meaning Prime Minister Stephen Harper could sign an agreement by the G8 summit in June in Northern Ireland.”
The Guardian UK highlights that the security at the Lough Erne hotel will be tight for the summit. “The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed that a giant fence will block off the Shore Road, the four-mile scenic road to the hotel which hugs the edge of Lough Erne, even after David Cameron, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and the other G8 leaders have left on 18 June. A no-fly ban has been imposed on flights from the tiny St Angelo airport, while tourists and fishermen will not be allowed on to the lough in their boats for 72 hours until the final helicopter has taken off from one of the Lough Erne hotel’s five helipads. Apart from the G8 leaders’ helicopters, the only things flying in the sky that week will be three spy drones the PSNI has hired…”
According to the newspaper, those drones are intended “to keep an eye from the sky on anti-globalisation demonstrators and possible attempts by terror groups – dissident republican and Islamist – to attack the venue. …(Chief Superintendent Alwin) Martin said the PSNI had been liaising with some of the protest groups who are expected to arrive in the town to demonstrate.”
BBC also reports, “PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott has said an extra 3,600 police officers are being flown into Northern Ireland for the G8 summit. …Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said it would be one of the biggest policing operations ever in Northern Ireland, with mutual aid from Great Britain and 600 private security staff from G4S and others.” Baggot also says that the military will be providing assistance to the police during the G8. “Mr Baggott said protesters would not get within sight of the world leaders and that (the G8 leaders) would have the space to get on with their ‘important work’.”
If Harper did announce the conclusion of CETA negotiations at the G8 summit (and there is no guarantee that will happen), Council of Canadians trade campaigner Stuart Trew notes, “That would presumably start the long (up to eight months) translation process (into all EU languages) before CETA could be signed.”
Trew says, “We should make a lot of noise in between those dates, to see the text and demand opportunities to change the parts of the EU deal we don’t like, since it’s impossible to make any changes to trade and investment deals once they are signed. You can start now by asking Harper to Walk Away From CETA. Feel free to steal the square image on this page to share on Facebook, Twitter or make it your profile pic.”
For more, please read:
ACTION ALERT: Harper must walk away from CETA
Harper could conclude Canada-EU negotiations at G8 Summit
NEWS: Harper government pushes to sign CETA by June 21
Five reasons Canada should NOT ratify a Canada-EU free trade agreement
