G8-G20

This is the weekend of the G8/G20 meetings here in Ontario. The G8 is meeting to-day at Deerhurst Inn in Huntsville a couple of hours drive north of Toronto in the Muskokas and to-morrow the G20 meets in "Fortress Toronto" where security is unbelievable. Both my daughters work in downtown TO and both have spent a week of going through security checks just to get to work. It's not to bad for Paula but Shannon works in the Financial District where the meeting is taking place. The security is so tight that most people are staying home to-day and working from there. There are 20,000 Police and R.C.M.P. from all over Canada in Toronto alone and a couple thousand Military also.
This debacle is costing the Canadian Tax Payer $1.3bn which includes the infamous "FAKE LAKE" located just 50 feet from the real one, Lake Ontario. The security is tighter than it was at the Olympics and tighter than it will be when Her Majesty comes here next week. All this just so the world leaders and the corporations can get to-gether to plan better ways of squeezing more money out of the common man. It is all B.S.

Camac

My opinions on this ordeal are so political, I'm sure any comment I make will either close the thread or have it moved. I'll keep it to myself.

I'll just say this. In two years they are going to close our Elementary School and send the kids over to the High School, which will have zero renovations to separate the students. Primary to Twelve (Kindergarten to Senior) in one small rural school, with one already too small Gymnasium, one Cafeteria, and ONE LOCKER ROOM per gender! The Elementary was already a consolidation of four or five other small rural schools when I was sent there for Grade Six, in 1990. It was thoroughly renovated at the time, with a brand new state of the art Gym and a new Cafeteria. We were told then 'this will never happen again'.

Aren't we lucky to have $1.3B spent on a handful of people who already make way too much money on our dime? We're serfs, and not only do we all know this, but we all accept it.

oldraven;

I know how you feel. I kept my political thoughts to myself also.


Camac

PS; The so called Fake Lake ended up being about the size and depth of a wading pool

Both of you are right on the mark! A lot of money will be expended on something that could be done in a tele-conference or on line.

All will leave, each determined to follow their own path, and nothing will be gained.

I read where a man was stopped and detained in Toronto because he had 4 cans of gasoline, a cross bow, a chain saw and a canoe paddle in his car. I applaud your tight security as we had riots and looting when it was held in Pa. but I am still waiting to hear more about that man's plan!

Slàinte,    

Patch     

The police have been given extraordinary powers over the duration of the meetings. If you approach within 5 metres or 15 feet of the security fence you will be stopped and asked to produce ID. if you refuse (which you can do) you will be asked to move on if you do not move or cause a disturbance you will be arrested.
There has also been two people arrested for possession of explosives and weapons. The civil liberty people are screaming blue bloody murder over this suspension of civil liberties but as the police say they have been informed that a least 700 protesters will be there to cause trouble and confront the police. They are taking no chances.


Camac

I did not hear whether the guy with the items I mentioned was arrested or not. The AP article did not say. Since liquid gasoline is not explosive but is a rapid accelerant I wondered if he was going to cut firewood for a hunting cabin. He didn't exhibit the best intelligence if he went into a restricted area though.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

They said on the news that he was detained for questioning and his car was towed to the forensic lab for testing. They found a container with some unidentified chemical along with the gas. Even if it is all innocent the guy was an idiot to drive into the security zone with all that plus a weapon in plain view that a bicycle cop spotted him and pulled him over. They also pulled over a shredder van and checked it out then let it go on it's way. The police are fooling around.


Camac

I agree that he was not the brightest bulb on the shelf! If he was goiung to cut wood, he had to have oil for the saw's bar too or he would quickly ruin it.

I hope the meeting goes off without a hitch and you do not have the problems we had.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

If there is going to be trouble it will happen to-day. There were a few minor altercations yesterday and one arrest. To-day is when thousands of protesters are to show up including the anarchist.

I'm all for peaceful orderly protesting but if you cross the line and break the law I'm all for the police knocking the crap out of you and carting you away. You deserve what you get.


Camac

I saw the "fake lake" on TV today and believe that someone made a record profit building it!

Slàinte,    

Patch    

That wadding pool cost $58,000 and it also has a free bar for all the media people.

To-day I watched the protesters and I am disgusted with what I witnessed. These thugs who call themselves anarchist set fire to at least 3 police cars and broke windows along Queen Street and at the Eaton's Centre where the also threw human feces in the stores. Why in the name of any logic do they hold these meetings in the core of major cities is beyond me. In the old days the military would be despatched to take care of thes bastards and they would have orders to shoot to kill. Some times I wish we could bring those days back.



Camac

In Pa, they rioted as appears to be happening there and looted the stores where they broke windows.

There would not be the entertainment and 5 star hotels/restaurants but a military base would eliminate these problems.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

From an AP release:

It appears that 412 have been arrested in the rioting which is a copy of what happened in PA. You appear to have rounded up more and maybe the group was larger.

I do not know why they continue to do this as the G8 and G20 have yet to accomplish any real financial progress and the same could be said for the rioters.

Slàinte,    

Patch    

As of now 11:20am local time over 580 have been arrested and more to come. The police are using video footage of the riot and are monitoring Twitter and YouTube to identify the perpetrators. They raided a house on the UofT campus this morning and arrested about 70 people none of which seem to be students.

These meetings if needed should be held at a secure place like your Camp David of some isolater hard to reach military base. Personally I agree they are just a big waste of time as they have no clout.




Camac

A military base would be great. Let protesters try to access a base and see what happens. I am sure your would be as tough on them as here. I hope Canada gives them harsher sentences than they got here. To my knowledge in Pa. we fined them and turned them loose.

Also like your police are finding the rioting is done by "professional" protesters, not students. I suspect the peaceful demonstrators are the students and ordinary citizens.

It would be interesting to find where those arrested came from.

Slàinte,    

Patch