Bread and circus was the main event for journalists at this year’s Kananaskis summit in Alberta, hosted by Canada and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

World leaders took to the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, nestled within the mountains of western Alberta. The summit was focused on building stronger economies through energy security, trade, and global peace, while addressing issues like AI, critical minerals, conflicts in the Middle East, and Ukraine tensions.

Media from around the world were invited to the town of Banff, Alberta, known around the globe for its beauty. This is where the international media centre was stationed, an hour's drive from the actual summit, and an hour-and-a-half away from the designated demonstration zones in Calgary.

Protesters were sparce this time around, with some attending the RCMP’s “designated demonstration zone” in Banff, and a few more at the “designated” demonstration zones in downtown Calgary.

For media attempting to report on the event and associated protests, multiple challenges were presented.

Only news organizations with special permission from the Prime Minister’s Office or international delegations were permitted to access the summit. They would go through extra security at the Banff media centre and board a bus together into Kananaskis.

For outlets not so beloved by the governments they report on, notably for videographers and photographers alike, not having access meant not being able to work. Imagine being told, as a photographer that you should take pictures of the live feed of an event, as opposed to being able to take photos of it yourself. That’s exactly what happened. Simply being a fly on the wall, a neutral observer to this summit, was prohibited.

Because accredited media were invited to reside in Banff during the summit, quick access to protest events in Calgary were also heavily restricted. Smaller outlets often don’t have large crews, and costs to cover events like this add up, sometimes preventing more robust coverage.

The summit organizers also fell short in keeping media properly informed, suggesting potential open media availability would be present if we just waited around, causing some to not risk leaving to cover protests or other relevant matters outside the media centre.

They kept us busy though, with a beautiful mountain view, animals within feeding distance (don’t feed wild animals), luxurious hotels for those coming from a distance, and free quality meals throughout the event. Bread and Circus is nice, but not when provided at the cost of honest reporting, and fair access.

Please donate to support our independent coverage of the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Help fund our independent coverage of the G7 Summit. We’re sleeping in tents in the mountain cold, uploading reports by Starlink, and driving hundreds of kilometers each day just to stay on top of the story. Your donation will go directly to supporting our legal battle for access, fuel and travel costs, camping gear, and the Starlink equipment we need to broadcast our reports. If you believe in fearless journalism that holds the global elite accountable — chip in now.

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