Canada advances work on combatting crime and preventing threats at G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Meeting

The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, hosted the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, from November 21 to 23, 2025. The meeting brought together Heads of Delegation from G7 countries, as well as global partners and allies, to discuss the complex challenges to the safety and security of our nations, the common commitment to preventing and countering threats to our citizens, and the resilience of our sovereign states.

Building on commitments from the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, security discussions focused on:

·       strengthening collective action to combat transnational and organized crime;

·       intensifying cooperation to detect and disrupt the production and distribution of illegal synthetic drugs;

·       preventing and countering the smuggling of migrants;

·       increasing international cooperation against the growing threat and sophistication of cybercrime and other malicious cyber activities;

·        addressing terrorist and violent extremist content online, including rising youth radicalization;

·       advancing a common understanding of transnational repression and the need for agile and coordinated responses to detect and respond to threats by foreign state actors or their proxies; and,

·       driving forward global change to protect children from sexual exploitation, including in the online space.

Outcomes from the Ministers’ Meeting include:

·       Issuing a G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Communiqué.

·       G7 Resilience and Response Framework to Counter Transnational Repression, including a Compendium of Tools.  

·       A Call to Action to Counter Migrant Smuggling on Social Media Platforms and advance the G7 Action Plan to Prevent and Counter the Smuggling of Migrants to prevent the use and exploitation of online platforms to facilitate migrant smuggling operations.

·       Issuing a Joint Statement on Securing Maritime Ports Against Drug and Precursor Chemical Trafficking, which signals G7 countries’ unified commitment to taking concrete action to protect maritime ports from exploitation by organized drug crime.

In addition to these discussions, Minister Anandasangaree took the opportunity to meet bilaterally with his G7 counterparts to discuss priorities and deepen relationships with important allies.

The outcomes of the Ministers’ Meeting set the stage for further collaboration between Canada and its partners.  

Quotes

“The fundamental responsibility of every government is to keep its citizens safe and secure. Bringing together the G7 Interior and Security Ministers in Ottawa is a concrete example of how we work as international partners to fight against threats like organized crime, transnational repression, terrorism and violent extremism. Canada is stronger, and safer, when we work with our trusted partners.”

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety