With such majesty soon to be the hosts of our G7 leaders’ summit, in Kananaskis, Alberta, this is surely fitting. At the same time, plane spotters in Calgary are getting ready for a rare opportunity to see Air Force 1, the aeroplane that transports U.S. President Donald Trump. The summit officially starts on Sunday and goes for three action-packed days. Prime Minister Mark Carney is chairing the event, which will be attended by the heads of states from the United States, France, UK, Germany, Japan and Italy. Perhaps most interestingly, leaders from non-member countries will be there too—most notably Ukraine and India.
In preparation for the summit, no-fly zones over Calgary International Airport and Kananaskis Village were in place starting Saturday morning. These limitations have been put in place to protect the safety and security of the very special honorees. As the world awaits the arrival of the leaders, police have already warned that protests are likely throughout the duration of the summit.
Chief Superintendent David Hall of the RCMP highlighted the need to respect peaceful assembly and protest rights. He urged the crowd not to lose sight of making sure their messages are heard by the world’s leaders. To do so, they’ve installed real-time feeds. In addition to calling for change, Hall wanted demonstrators to create a peaceful, respectful climate.
“We police behaviours and not beliefs. And so I’d just encourage everyone to look to conduct any demonstration activity over the next few days in a lawful, peaceful and safe manner.” – RCMP Chief Supt. David Hall
For Corbin Johnson, he’s excited to see the arrivals. A dedicated plane spotter, he sports the photographer’s hallmark camera necklace with pride. Johnson often posts his plane pictures on Instagram, documenting some of the amazing aircraft that fly above Calgary. He blew us all away with his enthusiasm for the upcoming summit, especially as it relates to Air Force 1.
“Air Force 1 is certainly the gold standard, but I think myself and everyone else is very excited to see all the other aircraft are coming.” – Corbin Johnson
Johnson’s joy for aviation is clear, as he quickly dives into his personal passion for plane spotting. My passion for aviation, I would say began right here, where we’re standing. He remembered how his parents would take him over here to see planes. They would track every single aircraft that came in and out of the district. He continued, “This is indeed my # 1 passion hobby. It’s something you can do as part time as you almost want to.”
That’s what Calgary police claim they have done by establishing three official demonstration zones around the city. They’ve designated another zone in Banff for peaceful protests, which will continue during the summit. Live demonstrations will be shown on TV screens installed for delegates in Kananaskis. Accordingly, both demonstrators and plane spotters are preparing for an exciting few days to come.
As things progress in Calgary and Kananaskis, the community is eager with optimism. They are committed to creating a G7 summit that is inclusive, respectful and engaging.
