'A pretty amazing opportunity': G7 delegates to get gift bags full of Alberta products
When Adam Walker co-founded MTNPK Glassware with his wife, Kim, in 2020, he never dreamed that one day, their products would be in the possession of the world's most prominent political leaders.
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But that's now a realistic possibility, after one of the Edmonton-based company's signature glasses was selected to be included in a goody bag gifted to delegates at the G7 Leaders' Summit, which runs in Kananaskis Country from Sunday to Tuesday.
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'Not in a million years,' Walker said with a laugh, when asked if he ever thought U.S. President Donald Trump or French President Emmanuel Macron would one day drink from a MTNPK tumbler.
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Next week's G7 summit will bring some of the world's most powerful politicians to the Calgary area for three days of geopolitical discussion, including heads of government from Canada, the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Italy and the European Union.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney has also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as leaders from Mexico, Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and South Africa.
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The G7 goody bags, an initiative led by the City of Calgary, will be gifted to dignitaries and their entourages.
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The gift bags are in lieu of the city's traditional white hat ceremony, when prominent visitors receive a white Smithbilt cowboy hat upon arriving at the YYC International Airport. That ceremonial tradition was scrapped for this summit over heightened security protocol, though delegates will still receive the iconic hats in their tote bag.
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While the city hasn't confirmed how many of the tote bags will be handed out, the G7 is expected to welcome approximately 2,000 international delegates.
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Walker said the opportunity to have the Three Sisters lowball glass — which depicts the iconic trio of mountain peaks just outside Canmore at the bottom of the glass — included in the G7 goody bag came after the city reached out to the company.
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'For me, that was like, holy crap,' he said, adding the city ultimately ordered 45 units. 'It's an amazing opportunity and we were (happy) to be able to help fill their needs.'
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