Lake Ontario will also be drained in case of squirt gun attack.
June 16, 2010 1:01 PM Subscribe
In preparation for the upcoming G8/G20 summit in Toronto, security forces (who have already removed mailboxes, bus shelters and garbage bins, as well as shutting down cell-phone towers) are removing saplings from the streets on the theory that they can be uprooted and used as weapons by protesters.
RCMP Constable Wendy Drummond explains that it is "like child-proofing your home."
Mark Calzavara of the Council of Canadians is critical, saying "I would challenge the police to get a couple of burly officers and try to pull one of these trees out of the ground. You'd need an axe to cut the thing down. And if you've already got an axe, you wouldn't need a tree."
Mark Calzavara of the Council of Canadians is critical, saying "I would challenge the police to get a couple of burly officers and try to pull one of these trees out of the ground. You'd need an axe to cut the thing down. And if you've already got an axe, you wouldn't need a tree."
That billion dollars would have bought us another subway line through the downtown core.
posted by mhoye at 1:04 PM on June 16, 2010 [16 favorites]
posted by mhoye at 1:04 PM on June 16, 2010 [16 favorites]
The trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw.
posted by stinkycheese at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [8 favorites]
posted by stinkycheese at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [8 favorites]
You don't bring a sapling to a gun fight.
posted by QIbHom at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by QIbHom at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [7 favorites]
For fucks sake build a subway already.
posted by chunking express at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by chunking express at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
They better truck away all that asphalt and concrete too. And what about all those bricks? There are entire buildings just full of them, there for the taking.
I'm beginning to see how that billion dollars is being spent.
posted by Flashman at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
I'm beginning to see how that billion dollars is being spent.
posted by Flashman at 1:06 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
Can't the G8 just meet in a big hollowed out Volcano skull fortress like we all secretly suspect they own?
posted by The Whelk at 1:08 PM on June 16, 2010 [44 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:08 PM on June 16, 2010 [44 favorites]
Isn't this the official G20 Toronto page? I'm not sure what you linked to.
posted by demiurge at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by demiurge at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
Holy diver, a BILLION dollars? How is it costing Toronto more than 30x what London paid? What exactly is the appeal of hosting the summit when it's so expensive?
posted by mullingitover at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by mullingitover at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
Also, isn't this a double? I'm cool with bitching about the G8 in two threads though, just so we're all clear.
posted by chunking express at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by chunking express at 1:09 PM on June 16, 2010
The decline and fall of civilization, part n+1. Even the kindly and gentle Canadians are in on it.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 1:10 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by Jimmy Havok at 1:10 PM on June 16, 2010
Another Onion article pre-empted by real life.
posted by Xoebe at 1:12 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Xoebe at 1:12 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Whoa. They don't even do that in DC. (Although it took them 2 months to replace the mailbox outside my office after the last inauguration.)
posted by JoanArkham at 1:15 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by JoanArkham at 1:15 PM on June 16, 2010
Yeah, why on earth are they paying so much on security? Is it just that they think Canada has a lot of punks/anarchist who are going to want to protest? Seems insane.
The number is so high I suspect a lot of it is corruption, frankly. Sweet deals to politically connected security companies, or something.
posted by delmoi at 1:15 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
The number is so high I suspect a lot of it is corruption, frankly. Sweet deals to politically connected security companies, or something.
posted by delmoi at 1:15 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
For a mere $600,000 I will personally ensure that no Ligers attack the summit.
posted by Babblesort at 1:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
posted by Babblesort at 1:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
It took a spade and several minutes of work to pull one small, dilapidated shrub out from my front yard last week, but security forces are fantasizing that some trustafarian can just stretch out the hand not currently holding a free trade coffee and pluck a sapling out from the desiccated downtown ground?
They obviously have a few things to learn about gardening. They should come over to my place and help me dig out the back yard. And Harper can turn my compost heap. With his tongue.
posted by maudlin at 1:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [10 favorites]
They obviously have a few things to learn about gardening. They should come over to my place and help me dig out the back yard. And Harper can turn my compost heap. With his tongue.
posted by maudlin at 1:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [10 favorites]
The most expensive combination of vanity and paranoia ever seen in Canada.
posted by anthill at 1:18 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by anthill at 1:18 PM on June 16, 2010
Pathetic. The Northwest Mounted kept the lawless West in line with nothing more than strongly worded admonishments and occasionally a dirty look. This level of paranoia is just sad.
posted by GuyZero at 1:23 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 1:23 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Two G20 threads. Ugh, thinking about this is making me nearly weep with anger.
A billion dollars... could have gone to subways, streetcars, even goddamn pothole fixing. A billion dollars. Could have gone to tax cuts, FFS.
My plan of spending the G20 weekend sinking a two-four of beer on on the dock at a friend's cottage (far, far out of town) is seeming more and more sensible by the day.
posted by generichuman at 1:24 PM on June 16, 2010
A billion dollars... could have gone to subways, streetcars, even goddamn pothole fixing. A billion dollars. Could have gone to tax cuts, FFS.
My plan of spending the G20 weekend sinking a two-four of beer on on the dock at a friend's cottage (far, far out of town) is seeming more and more sensible by the day.
posted by generichuman at 1:24 PM on June 16, 2010
Really because left-wing hippie protesters are clearly the first to... uproot trees??
posted by artificialard at 1:27 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
posted by artificialard at 1:27 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
I was at the 2004 anti-war demonstrations in DC, and I got to meet some charming anarchists at the concert on the mall that followed (highlight: Jello Biafra calling the Washington Monument a giant blinking Klansman). One of them carried a black flag on a 4"x4" "flagpole." When I complemented her on both her flag and her upper-body strength, she pulled down her bandanna and shouted to me over the Bouncing Souls, "IT'S FOR SMASHING WINDOWS." Anarchists: subtle to the last drop.
posted by The White Hat at 1:27 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by The White Hat at 1:27 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
All of this scare talk is also scaring off the non-violent protestors. I was originally going to bring my children but now I will be going alone because I don't trust the crowd to be mostly peaceful with the ongoing escalation by security forces
posted by saucysault at 1:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by saucysault at 1:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I know it couldn't have possibly been as awkward an exchange as I'm imagining, White Hat, but for some reason all I can picture is a dude shouting over punk music: "NICE FLAG AND UPPER BODY STRENGTH YA GOT THERE"
posted by Kirk Grim at 1:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Kirk Grim at 1:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
Sous les pavés la plage.
posted by exogenous at 1:41 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by exogenous at 1:41 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
Pathetic. They get rid of the trees, but completely ignore the possibility of protesters spending decades in isolated mountain monasteries learning to shape the very air into deadly shockwaves using their qi.
Also, they appear to have no countermeasures in place to defend against ghosts and other specters appearing at the summit and saying "Behold, the true fruit of your life's work!" and driving the attendees either (a) into the charity sector, or (b) mad, by showing them scenes of grinding shoe-boiling poverty, kids living on trash heaps and so forth.
posted by No-sword at 1:43 PM on June 16, 2010 [13 favorites]
Also, they appear to have no countermeasures in place to defend against ghosts and other specters appearing at the summit and saying "Behold, the true fruit of your life's work!" and driving the attendees either (a) into the charity sector, or (b) mad, by showing them scenes of grinding shoe-boiling poverty, kids living on trash heaps and so forth.
posted by No-sword at 1:43 PM on June 16, 2010 [13 favorites]
> My plan of spending the G20 weekend sinking a two-four of beer on on the dock at a friend's cottage (far, far out of town) is seeming more and more sensible by the day.
Great idea, but make sure and leave early.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:44 PM on June 16, 2010
Great idea, but make sure and leave early.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:44 PM on June 16, 2010
A billion dollars... could have gone to subways, streetcars, even goddamn pothole fixing. A billion dollars. Could have gone to tax cuts, FFS.
Funny. I could make a list of my top 100 things $1B in federal money could pay for, and none of those would be on it.
posted by rocket88 at 1:45 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Funny. I could make a list of my top 100 things $1B in federal money could pay for, and none of those would be on it.
posted by rocket88 at 1:45 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was at the 2004 anti-war demonstrations in DC
I thought I recognized you from somewhere, The White Hat.
This is an excellent idea, all around, but what will they do at the Canadian Arbor Day protests?
posted by joe lisboa at 1:46 PM on June 16, 2010
I thought I recognized you from somewhere, The White Hat.
This is an excellent idea, all around, but what will they do at the Canadian Arbor Day protests?
posted by joe lisboa at 1:46 PM on June 16, 2010
Vuvuzelas: how to import 5,000 by next Wednesday?
posted by HLD at 1:47 PM on June 16, 2010 [23 favorites]
posted by HLD at 1:47 PM on June 16, 2010 [23 favorites]
I' m not seeing any protection against various hexes, curses, and other forms of dark magic
posted by The Whelk at 1:48 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by The Whelk at 1:48 PM on June 16, 2010
I suppose it would be really unfashionable or naive of me to suggest that perhaps dissent is not too great a price to pay for the benefits of life in a free country.....
posted by lodurr at 1:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by lodurr at 1:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
At this point I feel like the best protest would be absolutely no protests. Not a single soul. All those concrete and wire barriers serving no purpose. Thousands of cops standing around, sound cannons at the ready, with nothing to do. All the streets emptied of trees, mailboxes, garbage cans and bus shelters...completely deserted. How would one billion pissed away on "security" look then?
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:53 PM on June 16, 2010 [67 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:53 PM on June 16, 2010 [67 favorites]
I' m not seeing any protection against various hexes, curses, and other forms of dark magic
They're still trucking in sage from Manitoba and once the smudging begins you won't be able to see the fences for all the smoke.
posted by GuyZero at 1:54 PM on June 16, 2010
They're still trucking in sage from Manitoba and once the smudging begins you won't be able to see the fences for all the smoke.
posted by GuyZero at 1:54 PM on June 16, 2010
How would one billion pissed away on "security" look then?
From NDP headquarters, it would look AWESOME.
posted by GuyZero at 1:55 PM on June 16, 2010 [3 favorites]
From NDP headquarters, it would look AWESOME.
posted by GuyZero at 1:55 PM on June 16, 2010 [3 favorites]
For a $1,000,000 I will provide access to my pride of attack ligers and tigons for anyone who wants to make a statement against The Man.
posted by quin at 1:59 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by quin at 1:59 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
A billion dollars... could have gone to subways, streetcars, even goddamn pothole fixing. A billion dollars. Could have gone to tax cuts, FFS.
Hush you! We're too busy right now talking about how to make the world a better place to listen to your noise!
Sincerely,
Governments of the world
posted by Avelwood at 1:59 PM on June 16, 2010
Hush you! We're too busy right now talking about how to make the world a better place to listen to your noise!
Sincerely,
Governments of the world
posted by Avelwood at 1:59 PM on June 16, 2010
Whenever I'm downtown the cops working the $65 an hour overtime scam where they lean on construction sites and event organizers to hire them to direct traffic seem to outnumber the cops I see working any kind of actual duty. This is that blown up real huge, a big fat check for every one of them, that will pay for lots of new backyard decks up in Barrie.
posted by TimTypeZed at 2:02 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by TimTypeZed at 2:02 PM on June 16, 2010
This just feels like they're spoiling for a fight. And comparing protesters to children? Seriously? How utterly patronizing.
I love The Card Cheat's solution. As for myself, I will be avoiding Toronto during the upcoming G8/20. Not that they will notice, but I will not subject myself to that insanity.
posted by sandraregina at 2:02 PM on June 16, 2010
I love The Card Cheat's solution. As for myself, I will be avoiding Toronto during the upcoming G8/20. Not that they will notice, but I will not subject myself to that insanity.
posted by sandraregina at 2:02 PM on June 16, 2010
Not to mention they're uprooting trees. That provide shade and oxygen and something other than concrete to rest the eyes on. Build a fake lake and take out the real trees. Something is very, very wrong there.
posted by sandraregina at 2:04 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by sandraregina at 2:04 PM on June 16, 2010
Even better than abstaining from protest, why not boycott the city? A boycott would do more to make a point than a bunch of people shouting slogans. Look at Arizona right now. They're not really upset about big protests, but they're livid at the boycotts.
posted by mullingitover at 2:08 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mullingitover at 2:08 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Why the hell can't the G20 foot these outrageous bills? They have the money, if anyone does. I mean, it's not like hosting a G20 meeting is a big feather in the cap for a city, is it? I'm not hearing this conversation happening..."Oh, honey! Instead of Hawaii, let's go to Toronto this year! They hosted a G20!!!"
posted by Thorzdad at 2:10 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by Thorzdad at 2:10 PM on June 16, 2010
Uprooting trees that would need an axe to cut down anyway. Removing bike racks, but not street signs, which bikes could also be locked to. No garbage cans. For some, ID required to GO HOME.
A media centre in downtown Toronto that not only has a fake lake, but fake, smaller versions of landmarks that are also in downtown Toronto.
The RCMP hired a private security company that wasn't actually licensed to operate in Ontario. That licensing process usually takes 4 to 6 months, but it's been done in two WEEKS. Yep, must have been a real intensive screening.
Is it just me, or does this just make the city and everyone living in it look like a bunch of ninnies?
Yes, I live in Toronto. All this shit makes me feel kind of like a ninny.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 2:11 PM on June 16, 2010
A media centre in downtown Toronto that not only has a fake lake, but fake, smaller versions of landmarks that are also in downtown Toronto.
The RCMP hired a private security company that wasn't actually licensed to operate in Ontario. That licensing process usually takes 4 to 6 months, but it's been done in two WEEKS. Yep, must have been a real intensive screening.
Is it just me, or does this just make the city and everyone living in it look like a bunch of ninnies?
Yes, I live in Toronto. All this shit makes me feel kind of like a ninny.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 2:11 PM on June 16, 2010
Anyone in Toronto who votes Conservative in the next fifty years is a goddamn fool. Too bad there's no longer a useful Liberal party worth voting for in protest.
I'm a little upset right now.
posted by spoobnooble at 2:11 PM on June 16, 2010
I'm a little upset right now.
posted by spoobnooble at 2:11 PM on June 16, 2010
"like child-proofing your home."
Maybe the meeting of children could happen in a different city instead?
posted by Artw at 2:14 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
Maybe the meeting of children could happen in a different city instead?
posted by Artw at 2:14 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
"Even better than abstaining from protest, why not boycott the city? A boycott would do more to make a point than a bunch of people shouting slogans. Look at Arizona right now. They're not really upset about big protests, but they're livid at the boycotts."
Who would you be boycotting, exactly? A lot of downtown businesses are already being screwed by all of the security measures and lost customers -- right now they're probably hoping they won't have to spend too much on repairing windows and replacing furniture and other equipment after everything's done.
This G20 thing was all supposed to go down up in Huntsville, until their mayor convinced the local Conservative reps to change their mind. Nobody in Toronto asked for this summit, believe me, and in any case a boycott is pretty much going to be beside the point.
posted by spoobnooble at 2:19 PM on June 16, 2010
Who would you be boycotting, exactly? A lot of downtown businesses are already being screwed by all of the security measures and lost customers -- right now they're probably hoping they won't have to spend too much on repairing windows and replacing furniture and other equipment after everything's done.
This G20 thing was all supposed to go down up in Huntsville, until their mayor convinced the local Conservative reps to change their mind. Nobody in Toronto asked for this summit, believe me, and in any case a boycott is pretty much going to be beside the point.
posted by spoobnooble at 2:19 PM on June 16, 2010
I' m not seeing any protection against various hexes, curses, and other forms of dark magic
The
posted by doctor_negative at 2:23 PM on June 16, 2010
At this point I feel like the best protest would be absolutely no protests. Not a single soul. All those concrete and wire barriers serving no purpose. Thousands of cops standing around, sound cannons at the ready, with nothing to do. All the streets emptied of trees, mailboxes, garbage cans and bus shelters...completely deserted. How would one billion pissed away on "security" look then?
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS DISTRIBUTION
Office of the Prime Minister
Ottawa
The Prime Minister wishes to thank all security agencies involved in the recent G20 Summit in Toronto for their hard work and dedication in keeping the streets clear and safe.
~ FIN ~
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:35 PM on June 16, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS DISTRIBUTION
Office of the Prime Minister
Ottawa
The Prime Minister wishes to thank all security agencies involved in the recent G20 Summit in Toronto for their hard work and dedication in keeping the streets clear and safe.
~ FIN ~
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:35 PM on June 16, 2010
artificialard: "Really because left-wing hippie protesters are clearly the first to... uproot trees??"
Hey now. Environmentalists will do anything required to support their long term communistic goals!
They blew up the goddamned oil rig in the Gulf fer chrissakes. At least, that's what I heard Rush say. I also heard (was it on mefi?) that Canada will get its own version of FOX News (not by Murdoch; just a right-wing smut channel like FNC)...
Welcome to the paranoid idiot club, Canada.
Sorry Canada, I'm so so sorry.
posted by symbioid at 2:37 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hey now. Environmentalists will do anything required to support their long term communistic goals!
They blew up the goddamned oil rig in the Gulf fer chrissakes. At least, that's what I heard Rush say. I also heard (was it on mefi?) that Canada will get its own version of FOX News (not by Murdoch; just a right-wing smut channel like FNC)...
Welcome to the paranoid idiot club, Canada.
Sorry Canada, I'm so so sorry.
posted by symbioid at 2:37 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I also heard (was it on mefi?) that Canada will get its own version of FOX News (not by Murdoch; just a right-wing smut channel like FNC)...
Indeed we are. In their own words: "Other news stations in Canada are too impartial."
Buhbuhb huhoiehfoq43209tc-536t89cm5[0,6ti[42-0yc-42[5ycp6jyhj46polyj4cop5yjkcpok2p['4509y-50
+++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:42 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
Indeed we are. In their own words: "Other news stations in Canada are too impartial."
Buhbuhb huhoiehfoq43209tc-536t89cm5[0,6ti[42-0yc-42[5ycp6jyhj46polyj4cop5yjkcpok2p['4509y-50
+++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:42 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
spoobnoble -- if you checked the election returns by riding, you'd see that damn few people in TO or indeed any urban area in SW Ontario voted Conservative. It's not us that's doing it. It's the westerners plus the farmers. Kind of a little red state blue state action.
Yeah, I'm totally in the "you motherfuckers want to have a party in Canada? Fine, you go have your party in some serene vastness away from scary people with their scary protests. This is Canada, BITCH, we got ROCKS and TREES and WATER AND SKY and when you put it all together it adds up to the Canadian Shield, and not only is it a unique planetary ecosystem, it's a billion years old and completely unaffected by any natural disaster or terrorist threat save black flies. And the black flies will keep the anarchists away because, really, ... blackflies. Go build a giant aisrtrip and a geodesic dome the size of Mt. Rushmore or something. And maybe a few robot monsters. That'd be cool" camp. Spend that money on someone who needs it, not the Canadian equivalent of Halliburton.
FUCK why doesn't someone just SLAP these people?
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm totally in the "you motherfuckers want to have a party in Canada? Fine, you go have your party in some serene vastness away from scary people with their scary protests. This is Canada, BITCH, we got ROCKS and TREES and WATER AND SKY and when you put it all together it adds up to the Canadian Shield, and not only is it a unique planetary ecosystem, it's a billion years old and completely unaffected by any natural disaster or terrorist threat save black flies. And the black flies will keep the anarchists away because, really, ... blackflies. Go build a giant aisrtrip and a geodesic dome the size of Mt. Rushmore or something. And maybe a few robot monsters. That'd be cool" camp. Spend that money on someone who needs it, not the Canadian equivalent of Halliburton.
FUCK why doesn't someone just SLAP these people?
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
At this point I feel like the best protest would be absolutely no protests. Not a single soul. All those concrete and wire barriers serving no purpose. Thousands of cops standing around, sound cannons at the ready, with nothing to do. All the streets emptied of trees, mailboxes, garbage cans and bus shelters...completely deserted. How would one billion pissed away on "security" look then?
Brilliant idea! Although I'm sure front page of The Sun would say something like, "Lazy protesters walk off the job".
posted by Crane Shot at 2:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Brilliant idea! Although I'm sure front page of The Sun would say something like, "Lazy protesters walk off the job".
posted by Crane Shot at 2:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
MeFi meetup at the Canadian Labour Congress march? C'mon c'mon c'mon!
posted by avocet at 3:00 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by avocet at 3:00 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Here's a dumb question: Why can't the G20 videoconference and save everyone the headache and expense?
posted by Bromius at 3:02 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Bromius at 3:02 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
What's the point of owning a private jet if you don't fly wastefully around the world in it, Bromius? Geez.
posted by No-sword at 3:07 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by No-sword at 3:07 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
Just who are the "private security firms" and other contractors that profit from this kind of hysteria? Do they have their booking agents masquerade as anarchists ahead of time?
I'd seriously like to know because we are supposedly 'celebrating' getting another ADB - Asian Development Bank - meeting here next year. They came in 2001 and the security cost $4 million (and, gee, no anarchists even showed up!).
We should expect uprooting trees this time??!!
posted by Surfurrus at 3:16 PM on June 16, 2010
I'd seriously like to know because we are supposedly 'celebrating' getting another ADB - Asian Development Bank - meeting here next year. They came in 2001 and the security cost $4 million (and, gee, no anarchists even showed up!).
We should expect uprooting trees this time??!!
posted by Surfurrus at 3:16 PM on June 16, 2010
I didn't see where the billion dollar price tag was mentioned until I re-scanned that first link.
Besides the "How corrupt are the fucks funneling that money into their pockets?", I have to ask "Where the hell did the money come from?!?!" Using wiki as a guide, the Seattle metro area is a bit more than half that of Toronto's. While Seattle may have some NIMBY-an gridlock issues, a billion dollars is the kind of cost overrun discrepancy that can kill the entire monorail system, or eat up years debating viaduct replacements. Even if the political will is stacked, it still took the local and state legislature being very publicly greased six ways till Sunday AND a special election to eventually build the Seahawks stadium for half that cost.
How on earth did this security get funded?! This boggles my mind that Toronto either approved this in-budget or had the slush money to do this. Can a Toronto native explain, please?
posted by hincandenza at 3:18 PM on June 16, 2010
Besides the "How corrupt are the fucks funneling that money into their pockets?", I have to ask "Where the hell did the money come from?!?!" Using wiki as a guide, the Seattle metro area is a bit more than half that of Toronto's. While Seattle may have some NIMBY-an gridlock issues, a billion dollars is the kind of cost overrun discrepancy that can kill the entire monorail system, or eat up years debating viaduct replacements. Even if the political will is stacked, it still took the local and state legislature being very publicly greased six ways till Sunday AND a special election to eventually build the Seahawks stadium for half that cost.
How on earth did this security get funded?! This boggles my mind that Toronto either approved this in-budget or had the slush money to do this. Can a Toronto native explain, please?
posted by hincandenza at 3:18 PM on June 16, 2010
Oops- I guess it was funded at the national level. Still, for a country half the size of California was this security bill even a political football debated publicly?
posted by hincandenza at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by hincandenza at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010
I'm assuming it's Federal money - TOronto doesn't have the money and would rather do without the whole thing if they had to pay for it.
posted by GuyZero at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by GuyZero at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010
It is indeed federal money. And pretty much none of it is remaining within Toronto, near as I can tell.
I've already issued a profanity-laden rant about the G2- clusterfuck, but this thing with the trees is inspiring me to another. I mean for fuck's sake, one of the hallmarks of Toronto is how green it is when viewed from above!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 3:27 PM on June 16, 2010
I've already issued a profanity-laden rant about the G2- clusterfuck, but this thing with the trees is inspiring me to another. I mean for fuck's sake, one of the hallmarks of Toronto is how green it is when viewed from above!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 3:27 PM on June 16, 2010
It would be absolutely awesome if not a single protester appeared anywhere over the course of the G20. Goddamn would the Harper gov't look like fucking idiots.
posted by dobbs at 3:34 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dobbs at 3:34 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Security is such wonderfully soft expense. kickbacks<cough)
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:34 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:34 PM on June 16, 2010
No, silly! Only the Fiberals take kickbacks! This is the CONSERVATIVES. They're responsible.
posted by Kirk Grim at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by Kirk Grim at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010
Sadly this investment means that there will be violence so they can justify the spending.
posted by avocet at 3:40 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by avocet at 3:40 PM on June 16, 2010
Why protest in the same city the meeting is held in at all? They have way too much time to get ready. Pick a different city in the same host country and only announce it a couple days in advance and march there. Make them split their forces.
posted by empath at 3:59 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by empath at 3:59 PM on June 16, 2010
Constable Wendy Drummond must have experienced children weened on steroids and uranium if she likens this armoring of the city to childproofing a house. Or maybe she was talking about childproofing a mosh pit, in which case I would simply suggest she get a baby-sitter and mosh without the little guy.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:04 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by filthy light thief at 4:04 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
For a gardener this is stupefying. I have to be ever vigilant about yanking out tree seedlings around my place because if they get any higher than 6 inches or so, then yes, they have to be dug out. What kind of ground do you have up there? What kind of trees? Who first raised the idea and why weren't they laughed out of the building? I find it hard to believe that someone said, "You know what, we need to get rid of all the tree saplings because those crazy protesters will just pull them out of the ground and use them as weapons." ...and then everyone just nodded their heads in agreement. Was there not one person who said, "Show me"? Has anyone, anywhere pulled saplings out of the ground with their bare hands and used them as weapons-- outside of a cartoon?
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:10 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:10 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Vuvuzelas: how to import 5,000 by next Wednesday?
posted by HLD
No need to import. Drive to Quebec city, go into any souvenir shop and ask for a "trompette du carnaval", it's basically the same thing. And yes, they can be really annoying (or awesome, and it's harder than it looks to get some sound out of em)
... and about the G20, this is insane! And I'd really like to know out of which budget they're taking this money.
posted by coust at 4:13 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by HLD
No need to import. Drive to Quebec city, go into any souvenir shop and ask for a "trompette du carnaval", it's basically the same thing. And yes, they can be really annoying (or awesome, and it's harder than it looks to get some sound out of em)
... and about the G20, this is insane! And I'd really like to know out of which budget they're taking this money.
posted by coust at 4:13 PM on June 16, 2010
Constable Drummond is a spokeswoman for Metro Police. She says what she is told to say.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:19 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:19 PM on June 16, 2010
spoobnooble: "Nobody in Toronto asked for this summit, believe me, and in any case a boycott is pretty much going to be beside the point."
If the city really doesn't want the summit, what's stopping them from passing a city ordinance stating, "No city funds shall be distributed for the purpose of the 2010 G8/G20 summit" ? Even if Ottowa was intent on forcing them to host the summit, they could make it very unpleasant to the point that it would be less trouble to host it elsewhere.
posted by mullingitover at 5:02 PM on June 16, 2010
If the city really doesn't want the summit, what's stopping them from passing a city ordinance stating, "No city funds shall be distributed for the purpose of the 2010 G8/G20 summit" ? Even if Ottowa was intent on forcing them to host the summit, they could make it very unpleasant to the point that it would be less trouble to host it elsewhere.
posted by mullingitover at 5:02 PM on June 16, 2010
they could make it very unpleasant to the point that it would be less trouble to host it elsewhere.
This is, of course, a major reason why anarchists show up and break windows. Also, this is the second time in six months that Canada has hosted an event with a billion-dollar security budget.
children weened on steroids and uranium
Must ... not ... make ... Metafilter ... tagline ... joke ...
posted by twirlip at 5:41 PM on June 16, 2010
This is, of course, a major reason why anarchists show up and break windows. Also, this is the second time in six months that Canada has hosted an event with a billion-dollar security budget.
children weened on steroids and uranium
Must ... not ... make ... Metafilter ... tagline ... joke ...
posted by twirlip at 5:41 PM on June 16, 2010
twirlip: "This is, of course, a major reason why anarchists show up and break windows. "
Well yeah, but I'm talking about the city government and businesses. If the summit is bad for the city and for business, or generally something that's being forced on them against their wishes, they have the means at their disposal to make it difficult to hold the summit there.
As it stands, yeah, the insane security budget (or naked corruption and embezzlement, as the case may be) shows that the anarchists and protesters are achieving epic victory. It seems monumentally stupid to even hold the conference in meatspace when it could be so conveniently, safely, and cheaply be done via teleconference. I suppose it tells us exactly how screwed we are, that our leadership is so horribly irresponsible with money that they're willing to blow over a billion dollars just to hold a meeting.
posted by mullingitover at 5:49 PM on June 16, 2010
Well yeah, but I'm talking about the city government and businesses. If the summit is bad for the city and for business, or generally something that's being forced on them against their wishes, they have the means at their disposal to make it difficult to hold the summit there.
As it stands, yeah, the insane security budget (or naked corruption and embezzlement, as the case may be) shows that the anarchists and protesters are achieving epic victory. It seems monumentally stupid to even hold the conference in meatspace when it could be so conveniently, safely, and cheaply be done via teleconference. I suppose it tells us exactly how screwed we are, that our leadership is so horribly irresponsible with money that they're willing to blow over a billion dollars just to hold a meeting.
posted by mullingitover at 5:49 PM on June 16, 2010
Yeah. This is insane. It sounds like what they'd spend on the green zone in Iraq every year, and this is just for a weekend. There must be some serious corruption going on here.
posted by delmoi at 5:52 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by delmoi at 5:52 PM on June 16, 2010
The Whelk: "Can't the G8 just meet in a big hollowed out Volcano skull fortress like we all secretly suspect they own?"
but how would they decide who is hosting?
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:15 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
but how would they decide who is hosting?
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:15 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
If the city really doesn't want the summit, what's stopping them from passing a city ordinance stating, "No city funds shall be distributed for the purpose of the 2010 G8/G20 summit" ? Even if Ottowa was intent on forcing them to host the summit, they could make it very unpleasant to the point that it would be less trouble to host it elsewhere.
The problem is that the city government relies on provincial and federal financing for any number of things. Want better public transit? There'll probably be federal funding for it. Or, say, the federal government could find some problem with the downtown airport and hurt it. Or they could threaten the province's health/education transfers. Or...
posted by Lemurrhea at 6:40 PM on June 16, 2010
The problem is that the city government relies on provincial and federal financing for any number of things. Want better public transit? There'll probably be federal funding for it. Or, say, the federal government could find some problem with the downtown airport and hurt it. Or they could threaten the province's health/education transfers. Or...
posted by Lemurrhea at 6:40 PM on June 16, 2010
Maybe they're worried about a repeat of the Isengard Incident.
posted by homunculus at 6:40 PM on June 16, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by homunculus at 6:40 PM on June 16, 2010 [3 favorites]
This, to borrow a term I heard on "The Drew Carey Show" a long time ago, can only be described as "patheti-sad".
Seriously, why not have it at a fortified military base? Maybe they could have a permanent meeting place - a kind of permanent capital, walled off and bristling with weapons. It's almost as if the leaders of all these international organizations are trying very hard to tell the world that that yes, in fact, they are trying to abolish democracy and establish some kind of Randian utopia. Is this what they have in mind for the world's future - a locked down police state?
And about the protesters... I was a resident of Seattle in November and December of 1999, and I can tell you that there were no riots during the WTO meeting. There were large protests, and there was a hell of a lot of police brutality, but there was nothing resembling a "riot". Yet here we are, 11 years later, and the consensus memory of N30 is of raging anarchists utterly destroying downtown Seattle.
That consensus memory is the basis for the kinds of measures we're seeing in Toronto.
posted by jhandey at 6:41 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
Seriously, why not have it at a fortified military base? Maybe they could have a permanent meeting place - a kind of permanent capital, walled off and bristling with weapons. It's almost as if the leaders of all these international organizations are trying very hard to tell the world that that yes, in fact, they are trying to abolish democracy and establish some kind of Randian utopia. Is this what they have in mind for the world's future - a locked down police state?
And about the protesters... I was a resident of Seattle in November and December of 1999, and I can tell you that there were no riots during the WTO meeting. There were large protests, and there was a hell of a lot of police brutality, but there was nothing resembling a "riot". Yet here we are, 11 years later, and the consensus memory of N30 is of raging anarchists utterly destroying downtown Seattle.
That consensus memory is the basis for the kinds of measures we're seeing in Toronto.
posted by jhandey at 6:41 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]
Even if Ottowa was intent on forcing them to host the summit, they could make it very unpleasant to the point that it would be less trouble to host it elsewhere.
Ottawa's ability to make life unpleasant for Toronto rather trumps the opposite.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ottawa's ability to make life unpleasant for Toronto rather trumps the opposite.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:49 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
It seems monumentally stupid to even hold the conference in meatspace when it could be so conveniently, safely, and cheaply be done via teleconference.
While teleconferencing does have its time and place, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Same as the UN, where everything actually happens in the hallways and backrooms, the actual meeting of 20 people won't accomplish much. It's theatre. The real stuff is going to get done in hotel rooms and conference centre hallways.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:51 PM on June 16, 2010
While teleconferencing does have its time and place, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Same as the UN, where everything actually happens in the hallways and backrooms, the actual meeting of 20 people won't accomplish much. It's theatre. The real stuff is going to get done in hotel rooms and conference centre hallways.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:51 PM on June 16, 2010
The real stuff is going to get done in hotel rooms and conference centre hallways.
Capitalists Do It Ruthlessly
posted by The Whelk at 6:56 PM on June 16, 2010
Capitalists Do It Ruthlessly
posted by The Whelk at 6:56 PM on June 16, 2010
That billion dollars would have bought us another subway line through the downtown core.
Though I'm with you in spirit, that's pretty doubtful - the Sheppard stubway cost just under a billion. But what it could have done is put Toronto (or the region) a long way toward a truly amazing light rail network.
Or it could have repaired the entirety of Toronto Community Housing's stock. Three times.
posted by regicide is good for you at 7:20 PM on June 16, 2010
Though I'm with you in spirit, that's pretty doubtful - the Sheppard stubway cost just under a billion. But what it could have done is put Toronto (or the region) a long way toward a truly amazing light rail network.
Or it could have repaired the entirety of Toronto Community Housing's stock. Three times.
posted by regicide is good for you at 7:20 PM on June 16, 2010
ow's the old noggin today, mollusc?
Blond! Well like strawberry. I looke like I should have YES MY FATHER IS FROM WEST VIRGINIA stamped on my face.
posted by The Whelk at 7:22 PM on June 16, 2010
Blond! Well like strawberry. I looke like I should have YES MY FATHER IS FROM WEST VIRGINIA stamped on my face.
posted by The Whelk at 7:22 PM on June 16, 2010
All of this scare talk is also scaring off the non-violent protestors.
posted by saucysault at 3:39 PM on June 16
I think that's part of the point. If only crazed loonies show up, then anybody who disagrees with the G20 must be a crazed loony, see?
posted by joannemerriam at 7:31 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by saucysault at 3:39 PM on June 16
I think that's part of the point. If only crazed loonies show up, then anybody who disagrees with the G20 must be a crazed loony, see?
posted by joannemerriam at 7:31 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Mere hatred of the City of Toronto. The rest of Canada cheers our humiliation, to them the humiliation of Toronto is tax dollars well spent. The PM is satisfied with his win/win scenario, everything is unfolding purrfectly according to plan...
posted by ovvl at 8:13 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by ovvl at 8:13 PM on June 16, 2010
Where's Sgt. Renfrew and his dog Cuddles when you need them?
posted by warbaby at 8:28 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by warbaby at 8:28 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
MeFi meetup at the Canadian Labour Congress march? C'mon c'mon c'mon! - avocet
Done and done.
SEE YOU ON THE STREETS!! =D
posted by dustyasymptotes at 9:09 PM on June 16, 2010
Done and done.
SEE YOU ON THE STREETS!! =D
posted by dustyasymptotes at 9:09 PM on June 16, 2010
Where's Sgt. Renfrew and his dog Cuddles when you need them?
When I regained consciousness...
posted by GuyZero at 9:16 PM on June 16, 2010
When I regained consciousness...
posted by GuyZero at 9:16 PM on June 16, 2010
This is madness. This is insanity.
This event lasts for two days. The population of Toronto is 2.5 million. This billion dollars would employ every single man, woman and child in Toronto for those two days at $200 a day.
See our new aristocracy. They haven't even bothered to hide it for decades now.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:01 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
This event lasts for two days. The population of Toronto is 2.5 million. This billion dollars would employ every single man, woman and child in Toronto for those two days at $200 a day.
See our new aristocracy. They haven't even bothered to hide it for decades now.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:01 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
This event lasts for two days. The population of Toronto is 2.5 million. This billion dollars would employ every single man, woman and child in Toronto for those two days at $200 a day.
No sense in dreaming up what a billion dollars would have bought. The only time Toronto would ever get money out of a Conservative federal government is if it's Fuck You money like this.
posted by emeiji at 10:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
No sense in dreaming up what a billion dollars would have bought. The only time Toronto would ever get money out of a Conservative federal government is if it's Fuck You money like this.
posted by emeiji at 10:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
very single man, woman and child in Toronto for those two days at $200 a day.
For that kind of money They could have just bought everyone tickets to Disney world/vegas/wherever and got them out of town for the weekend.
posted by delmoi at 3:55 AM on June 17, 2010 [2 favorites]
For that kind of money They could have just bought everyone tickets to Disney world/vegas/wherever and got them out of town for the weekend.
posted by delmoi at 3:55 AM on June 17, 2010 [2 favorites]
Can't the G8 just meet in a big hollowed out Volcano skull fortress like we all secretly suspect they own?
I'd recommend Spider-Skull Island.
posted by juiceCake at 7:47 AM on June 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd recommend Spider-Skull Island.
posted by juiceCake at 7:47 AM on June 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
And now the U.S. State Dept has issued a Travel Alert for Toronto. That'll be a nice boost for tourism.
posted by Paid In Full at 2:00 PM on June 17, 2010
posted by Paid In Full at 2:00 PM on June 17, 2010
Seriously, what the hell? Travel alert?
These people need to find sources for new other than one another's memos about the severe terrorist through posed by Canadian anarchists.
posted by lodurr at 11:54 AM on June 18, 2010
These people need to find sources for new other than one another's memos about the severe terrorist through posed by Canadian anarchists.
posted by lodurr at 11:54 AM on June 18, 2010
I hate that they got rid of the trees too, but I have to say that I frequently see saplings snapped in two by what I can only presume are drunk assholes on their way home from clubbing. I suspect they were more worried about that than people pulling them out roots and all.
Sadly I live directly between the G20 and the official protest zone and I can't get out of town.
posted by heatherann at 5:45 PM on June 21, 2010
Sadly I live directly between the G20 and the official protest zone and I can't get out of town.
posted by heatherann at 5:45 PM on June 21, 2010
I hate that they got rid of the trees too, but I have to say that I frequently see saplings snapped in two by what I can only presume are drunk assholes on their way home from clubbing. I suspect they were more worried about that than people pulling them out roots and all.
The trees are by the Skydome and thus well inside the secured zone. Anarchists will overrun a billion dollars worth of security and then, er, knock over saplings?
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:24 PM on June 21, 2010
The trees are by the Skydome and thus well inside the secured zone. Anarchists will overrun a billion dollars worth of security and then, er, knock over saplings?
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:24 PM on June 21, 2010
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posted by antgly at 1:02 PM on June 16, 2010 [9 favorites]