- Harper the Master Strategist - Give them Toronto

Submitted: 7:16am, PDT, 28 Jun.'10 The Toronto Star
G20 editorial: Brutal spectacle failed a city and its people, Steve Russell, 28 June, 2010, The Star
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/829601--g20-editorial-brutal-spectacle-failed-a-city-and-its-people?bn=1#article

G20 fence coming down in Toronto, 28 Ju.'10, CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/28/g20-toronto-fence.html#socialcomments

also posted: CTV News, approax. 8:00am, PDT, 28 Jun.'10
Toronto cleaning up from G20 vandalism
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100628/g20-protests-monday-100628/

and, posted: 12:30:26 PM, Globe and Mail
Security or liberty? Toronto comes to grips with a historic crackdown
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/g8-g20/toronto/security-or-liberty-toronto-comes-to-grips-with-a-historic-crackdown/article1621020/


In an interview with CTV's Canada AM Monday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper denounced the violence that he called "pretty disturbing and pretty deplorable."

[Stephen Harper]
"That said, these leaders, we attend summits all the time and we know the unfortunate reality is that these summits attract a certain thuggish criminal element. And that's just the reality," he said.

"Unfortunately, when you have peaceful protests, there are some who use it for other purposes… So leaders understand, we've seen it in other cities, we're going to see it again in the future."

Harper has said that the protests and the ensuing police crackdown explain why the security bill at these summits reached more than $1 billion.
(Toronto cleaning up from G20 vandalism, 28 Jun.'10, CTV News
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100628/g20-protests-monday-100628/)

Harper and the Con's knew that this kind of violent protest, a G8/G20 ritual, would occur, everyone did, it always does. That was the justification of the over billion dollars spend on security. They also knew that this threat was from 'anarchists' and people out to do damage, as opposed to terrorists.

The fence set up did not stop protest it just re-located it. It did not stop the damage, it just re-located it. It was not intended to stop the protest or damage, just re-locate it.

It may have prevented the protestors from getting close to the G20 leaders but it did not stop protesting, and it was never intended to stop this protest. The protestors protest to get coverage in the International media, which an event like this guarantees. If anything the gross amount spent and the fence ensured protests since it brought world attention to security (and fake lakes of course).

If anyone was wondering the real reason Harper had the G20 moved to Toronto, we can now clearly see. Prentice would surely get the boot in the next election had this happened in his riding. Toronto doesn't vote Con anyway so what Con cares. To add injury to injury, apparently Harper and the Con's are refusing to cover the damage (which the individual owners explain this type of damage is not normally covered by insurance).

Harper, here's a suggestion, next time instead of wasting money on a fake lake, build a fake downtown Toronto to hold the G20 meeting in.

A billion dollars on security that could have been reduced to 1/10th (as the French President, Sarkozy, has vowed to demonstrate) and nothing earmarked for the damage that was the very predictable direct result of locating it in downtown Toronto.

If I were a Torontonian, and I was for many years, I would be very upset and place the blame squarely on Stephen Harper and the Con's.

Oh, and did I mention, the only thing that was achieved was that the different countries can do things their own way has been entrenched.

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html