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HANGZHOU, China — Buzzwords like “openness” and “inclusiveness” are in the air at the outset of a G20 summit where many leaders are preoccupied by domestic concerns, their major economic policy initiatives caught up in the uncertainty over the political future of the United States.

That puts Canada, with its positive messages about globalization and trade, in a rare position of leadership, observers say.

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Canada has a stable government that’s popular at home and its policies have reflected openness to international trade and investment, said Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, who was at the B20, a gathering of business associations from G20 economies.

“There’s a real concern on the part of many in the business community that we’re seeing a rise in protectionism and wall-building around the world,” he said. “Canada stands in marked contrast to that,” with behaviour that “demonstrates a commitment to internationalism.”