Carney Pitches Canada as Haven for Investors Amid Trade War

Stephen Harper will close Prime Minister Mark Carney's Canada Investment Summit in Toronto on Tuesday. A senior government source confirmed the former Conservative prime minister's participation.

• Over 160 projects seeking investments from $25 million to hundreds of millions are on offer.
• $1 trillion in investment over five years is the summit's stated target.
• 250 invited guests from more than 25 nations are expected to attend.
• Harper chairs AIMCo, Alberta's pension manager overseeing more than $200 billion.

Why it matters: The summit is Carney's flagship effort to shift Canada's economic dependency away from the U.S. by attracting foreign and domestic capital.

• Harper's role is intended to frame foreign investment as a cross-partisan cause, according to a government source.
• Protest organizers say the summit puts Canada's economic future in the hands of CEOs, threatening public services and climate goals.

How 20 sources split on this story

Where they split: Whether the summit represents a sound national economic strategy or a handover of public priorities to corporate interests.

What’s next: Carney opens the summit Sunday evening with brief remarks at the welcome reception.

• Demonstrators plan direct intervention with attendees on Monday under the banner 'The Many vs. The Money.'
• How much investment will the summit actually secure, and on what timeline?
• Will Harper's appearance translate into concrete conservative political support for Carney's economic agenda?