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G-20 Summit in Toronto

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If this turns out to be fact, fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

I honestly don't believe the authorities in Ottawa and Toronto have the expertise and experience to handle and coordinate this sort of event without making it complete chaos in the city. Once the total costs become known, there will be a public melt-down.

Be careful of what you ask for.......




Harper government plans to move G20 summit to Toronto

Ottawa seeks new host site for expanded economic council, while Huntsville, Ont., remains site of smaller G8 gathering

Colin Freeze, Steven Chase and Karen Howlett
TORONTO and OTTAWA — From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Published on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 4:00AM EST

Stephen Harper's decision to invite the world to Canada is proving to be too much for Ontario's cottage country.

The Harper government is making plans to move next year's Group of 20 summit to the Toronto area from the Muskoka region because the demands of lodging and securing the vast retinue of officials threaten to overwhelm the rural Ontario district.

At the same time, federal and provincial sources say, the Conservatives plan to keep the related but separate Group of Eight economic gathering in Muskoka's Huntsville, Ont.

Both events are still expected to take place in June 2010, with the thinking being the G20 would follow the G8.

Canada has long been preparing to play host to the G8 meeting for wealthier nations in Huntsville. But its plans were disrupted in late September when world leaders decided the G20 - which includes bigger developing countries - would supplant the G8 as the key international economic council. It's an idea Canada had long championed during Paul Martin's terms as finance minister and prime minister.

The Harper government responded to this turn of events by announcing it would also play host to a G20 summit in June of 2010. And federal Industry Minister Tony Clement, whose riding includes the G8 host site, said both meetings would take place in Muskoka.

Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and MailHuntsville Mayor Claude Doughty says that if planners can't fit the G20 meeting in the Huntsville resort, then it has to move outside Muskoka.
Organizers had been examining whether the G20 meeting could also be held at the same Deerhurst resort in Huntsville as the G8 summit.

It hasn't worked out that way, however.

A federal government source said the population of officials that travels with G20 leaders and their delegations is too big for a place like Huntsville. The summit will also draw observers from the European Union, African states and the United Nations, making the security and logistical task too steep for Muskoka.

Planning envisions the G8 summit beginning in Huntsville, with the leaders later heading south to Toronto to join up with the G20 meeting, the federal government source said. Muskoka is about a 90-minute drive from Toronto.

A spokesman for Mr. Clement, however, said no decision has been made to move the G20 meeting from Muskoka. Darren Cunningham, director of communications for Mr. Clement, said Ottawa has not given up on playing host to the summit in Ontario's cottage country.

"We are still examining the feasibility of hosting this in Muskoka," Mr. Cunningham said. "We've done the hotel room count and now it's a matter of making sure we look at things like securing off the roadways."

He said talk of shifting the G20 is speculative. "There's nothing to announce," he said. "I am not willing to talk about an alternative location because right now we're doing what we can to host in Muskoka."

But a senior Ontario government official said it is his understanding that the G20 will be held in Toronto or a neighbouring suburb. Muskoka's Deerhurst resort is simply not large enough to accommodate the G20, said the official, who asked not to be named.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, walks with local MP Tony Clement before making the G8 announcement in Huntsville, Ont., in June 2008.
Huntsville Mayor Claude Doughty said he was warned weeks ago that organizers were thinking of moving the G20.

"I know they're reconsidering that just because of the size of the event," Mr. Doughty said in an interview yesterday.

"I wouldn't be shocked if they don't have the G20 here."

He said if planners can't fit the G20 meeting in the Huntsville resort, then it has to move outside Muskoka. "Deerhurst is by far the biggest hotel in Muskoka. If it's not big enough, there's nowhere else it's going."

Mr. Doughty said he thinks Toronto is the only backup option for the G20.

Picturesque Huntsville is nevertheless an ideal venue for Canada to welcome the G8 leaders. Ever since the terrorist attacks in New York in 2001, G8 countries have looked for smaller, more secluded places to hold their annual meeting. In 2002, a year Canada also played host, it was held in Kananaskis.

Mr. Harper is expected to announce a decision on the G20 location before he visits South Korea in early December.
 
It's been done. About ten years ago (had to have been at least 2000, as Toronto Police had their new dark uniforms and red forage caps that Fantino brought back), Toronto hosted the G8 Finance Ministers meeting, and I remember walking through Yorkville on my way to school - the ministers were meeting in the Four Seasons - and the area between Avenue Road, Bloor, Yorkville, and Bay Street was in complete lockdown. No cars, no delivery traffic, buses rerouted, etc, in fact I think Bay station was closed, or at least the entrances at Cumberland and Bellair were. In front of the church at Bloor and Avenue Road there was a temporary stand set up, with Toronto ETF and other tactical officers scanning the protesters (there were contingents from pretty much every force in Ontario, including RCMP, OPP, and military police and I wouldn't be surprised if JTF2 were on rooftops). Lots of plainclothes working the crowd as well.

And this was pre-9/11, I can only imagine the kinds of security that we'll see should the G20 be brought here. Keithz can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty certain there is legislation or some other protocol that allows for, in effect, temporary security zones that create a micro-October Crisis, semi-martial law level of security in a given area. And if Obama attends with his attendent Secret Service detail, all bets are off as they are often the ones who take the lead in planning security ahead of a visit by the President. And Russia, from what I've read, often has no hesitation in sending a large armed contingent to follow their leader. So to quote the Guess Who, it'll be "guns...guns...guns"...

Let's put it this way: if you don't like cops, stay *away* from Toronto during this event unless you're looking for a fight. A flight you'll lose really, *really* quickly.
 
Let's put it this way: if you don't like cops, stay *away* from Toronto during this event unless you're looking for a fight. A flight you'll lose really, *really* quickly.
...except the opposite is usually true. The people who dislike cops the most are the most likely to seek them out, engage in said fight, lose it very quickly *and publicly* and then point the blame at the cops and/or authorities for not allowing them to be part of the discussion and using excessive force to carry off the balaclava wearing, window smashing, car flipping, projectile throwing goons.

was, rinse, repeat
 
They should hold this thing in Hamilton or Scarborough. Since they are getting the largest benefit of the Pan Am games they should get the "benefit" of hosting the G20.
 
They should hold this thing in Hamilton or Scarborough. Since they are getting the largest benefit of the Pan Am games they should get the "benefit" of hosting the G20.

meh, not too sure about that. At the end of the day it'll be Toronto (downtown Toronto) who will benefit most
 
The people who dislike cops the most are the most likely to seek them out, engage in said fight, lose it very quickly *and publicly* and then point the blame at the cops and/or authorities for not allowing them to be part of the discussion and using excessive force to carry off the balaclava wearing, window smashing, car flipping, projectile throwing goons.

...Unless it's in Montebello where the OPP attempted to incite violence in the crowd of protestors by wearing balaclavas, carrying weapons and projectiles.
 
Cool, Toronto will get into real news. Take that Pan-Am!

What are they going to do for security? I heard for Deerhurst they were planning on flying VIPs to North Bay then heli-ferrying them down to Muskoka. Are they just going to use Pearson now?

I doubt the protesters will really be that big a deal. The recent Pittsburgh G20 meeting was quite sleepy from what I saw. Sure, it drew out all the perpetual protesters, but it wasn't such a big deal.
 
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God help you if you have to drive in the downtown core. Other than that, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. It goes without saying that security would be tight, but Toronto will be on every newscast in the world for three or four days. I'd call it a plus for the city.
 
...Unless it's in Montebello where the OPP attempted to incite violence in the crowd of protestors by wearing balaclavas, carrying weapons and projectiles.

Are they?
Why yes.

This is just the obvious stuff. If you're in any sort of group that is planning any sort of demonstration at any large political gathering it is expected that police will be trying to infiltrate and gather information about the people involved. Yes even if the people haven't ever been in trouble with the law or planning anything illegal.

Then you get things like Montebello. It's unfortunate that TPTB seem to have no reservations about crossing the line.
 
If the G20 comes to Toronto, maybe the best place to have it is on a temporary site on the Toronto Islands, cut off from the rest of the city. The dignitaries fly into the Island Airport, stay on the islands for the entire meeting, and then fly off without causing much inconvenience for the rest of the city. The media and others can stay at the Westin Harbour Castle and other downtown hotels. Except for a protest or two (hopefully the non-violent variety), Toronto will be fine.
 
G-20's aren't what they used to be. I'm all for it just to put the spotlight on Toronto. You can't buy advertising like this.
 
Bus loads of university students will show up with people "making a difference" to end "globalization" but will not be able to articulate the exact changes they would want made. They will say they are peaceful demonstrators wanting to have their voice heard. They will say shallow slogans and seek out secured areas and try and breach the perimeter knowing full well the police must keep them out for the safety of those inside and complain of police brutality as if it was some sort of surprise that breaking down a barricade was going to result in force being used.
 

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