Iqaluit G7 meeting will be minor disruption to residents: RCMP

The RCMP say residents ofIqaluit should expect only minor disruptions and traffic delays during next week's meeting of G7 finance ministers.

The Feb. 5-6 gathering will be the first such event to be held in the Nunavut capital, which has a population of about 6,200.

Hosted by federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, the Iqaluit meeting will bring together financial leaders from Canada, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Britain and Japan.

"There'll be minimal disruptions to the general public probably some but nothing that would be out of the ordinary," said RCMP Cpl. Bruce Collins, who is part of the G7 security operation.

No major demonstrations expected

Motorcades will have the right of way in high-traffic areas such as the Four Corners intersection while access to parts of some public buildings will be restricted at certain times, the RCMP said.

Police are not expecting large-scale demonstrations ordisruptions like the ones that have erupted during similar international summits, Collins said.

Hewould not disclose the size of the RCMP's G7 security team but said officers will beready for a variety of disruptions and challenges.

"I don't think we're expecting anything, but you never know," he said. "We'll be prepared for anything."

While the Mounties are leading the overall security at the G7 meeting, dignitaries are expected to bring their own security detail.

The heightened security around Iqaluit has already affected at least one event that was supposed to take place at the same time as the G7 meeting.

The Nunavut Press Club had planned to invite the foreign media to a gathering at the Frobisher Inn, but the hotel cancelled the journalists' event at the last minute.

Press club president Vinnie Karetak said the hotel's management sent him a letter saying, "the G7 security guys said, 'You know, we cannot allow a bunch of reporters to be within the same building as the G7 summit folks'."

Businesses gear up for visitors

But elsewhere in Iqaluit, businesses are excitedlypreparingforthe international visitors.

Lori Idlout, who owns afine arts studio, said she has already been approached by government officials whosaid her studio will get a visit from G7 representatives.

"We've worked more closely with artists from across Nunavut increasing our selection for the influx of [visitors] that we'll be expecting," she said.

Organizers with Nunavut's Alianait arts festival say they are planning to put on a show during the G7 meetings to promote their summer festival.

Nunavut government officials estimate that hotel bookings all of the city's hotels are booked solid will bring in around $63,000 a night, and those guests will likely spend a lot of money at local restaurants.

Should inclement weather, like a blizzard, prevent the G7 delegates from flying to Iqaluit, federal officials have set Ottawa as an alternate location.