From November 21 to 23, 2025, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, hosted the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario. The event brought together heads of delegation from G7 countries, along with global partners and allies, to address shared challenges to national safety and security. Discussions emphasized the collective responsibility of nations to prevent and counter threats while enhancing the resilience of sovereign states.
Building on commitments from the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, ministers focused on key security priorities. These included combating transnational and organized crime, disrupting the production and distribution of illegal synthetic drugs, preventing migrant smuggling, countering cybercrime and malicious online activity, addressing terrorist and violent extremist content—including youth radicalization—and developing coordinated responses to transnational repression. Protecting children from sexual exploitation, particularly online, was also a major focus.
The meeting produced several concrete outcomes. Ministers issued a G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Communiqué and introduced a G7 Resilience and Response Framework to Counter Transnational Repression, complete with a compendium of tools. A Call to Action was made to combat migrant smuggling via social media platforms and advance the G7 Action Plan to Prevent and Counter the Smuggling of Migrants. Additionally, a Joint Statement on Securing Maritime Ports Against Drug and Precursor Chemical Trafficking reaffirmed G7 countries’ commitment to safeguarding ports from organized crime. Bilateral meetings allowed Minister Anandasangaree to discuss priorities and strengthen relationships with key allies.
The meeting underscored Canada’s commitment to working collaboratively with international partners to ensure citizen safety and security. Minister Anandasangaree highlighted that collective action against organized crime, transnational repression, terrorism, and violent extremism enhances Canada’s strength and safety.
The G7, composed of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, meets annually to discuss economic, geopolitical, and security issues. In 2025, Canada, serving as G7 President, is hosting a series of ministerial meetings and celebrating 50 years of partnership, reinforcing the G7’s role in promoting international peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.
