Canada: A billion on summit security well worth it

Canada: A billion on summit security well worth it

news.yahoo.com

TORONTO – Canada's Conservative government says the nearly $1 billion it plans to spend on security at the G-8 and G-20 summits next month is worth it.

Canada has budgeted up to $930 Canadian (US$885 million) for the summits. By comparison, the stated amount spent by Pittsburgh on security for last September's G-20 summit was US$12.4 million. London's stated amount for the G-20 last year was US$10.9 million.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Come on now. The US, land of graft and pork and over reaction to everything spends $12.4M on one of these summits and the Canadians are going to spend $1bn? You would not need $1bn to secure a couple of meetings in Kabul, let alone Ontario.

This is either one of the most outrageous spiff campaigns in recent decades with defense and security contractors making bank on this foolishness or the Canadians know something about a potential security threat that is monsterous.

It is obviously the former and a bunch of dudes are going to get rich standing around keeping a bunch of blowhards safe while they eat endive sandwiches.

I think its about time that they got rid of these things anyway. Use encrypted video conferences and lose the massive photo-op and bogus news. Nothing has EVER come out of one of these things other than meaningless statements about "solidarity" or plans that never come to fruition in the first place.

The folks in Canada should be raising hell over this waste of their money.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Good! We hardly have enough debt as it is, I'm sure we can shoulder some more. The Feds announced today that taxpayers who have their property damaged as a result of protests/crack downs will be on the hook for the damages. It sure is nice of Mr. Harper to be so concerned about the safety of his fellow politico's; I'm sure he's got my back too though, so I don't mind paying to protect his.

Oh, and the Toronto Police have used this money to buy four of those new-fangled truck mounted sonic cannons, which of course they will get to keep after the summit is over; they'll be useful for public service announcements, I'm sure. And I do get to have some fun providing the cops with personal info so I have the priveledge of passing through security checkpoints on my way to work. How exciting! I'm not worried though, they promised they would delete it after the summit...

[edit on 27-5-2010 by Orwells Ghost]

It's insane! It's a classic case study of government spending, out of control; and (at this level) is a pretty obvious sign, of government corruption.

I mean its hardly like Hitler is attending (even if many of the 3rd Reich are on the guest list!!).

reply to post by dolphinfan


over the past few years the way things have gotten out of hand in the world, im glad they are spending this much o our safety, that money is put into a lot of infostructure in the town the g8 is in remember that too!, i dont want canada being hit like the states with terrorist bombs, if these people bring all this non-sence here with their money problems and cause a mass attack or happening, i will be pissed, but if nothing happens i will be happy the money went to a good place! keeping out canadian streets safe!

[*SNIP*] the government anyway!



Mod Edit: Profanity/Circumvention Of Censors – Please Review This Link.

[edit on 5/27/2010 by AshleyD]

Originally posted by dolphinfan
The folks in Canada should be raising hell over this waste of their money.

Nah, we take this sort of thing in stride. The Gun Registry(I know, don't ask) was supposed to be in the Millions of dollars range. It went over a billion. What did we do? Voted out that gov't BUT not overwhelmingly. There's many more examples. We're used to the gov't doing this sort of thing.

My thoughts? It's going to be money going to the RCMP, much maligned recently but they are the #1 security force in Canada. Nice way to sneak funds to them.

At this point they are now up to 1.1 billion will no end in sight.

I try to keep positive, but it is getting harder and harder. There have been protests at these summits every time they are held; with all the press about how expensive this meeting is going to be you can guarentee there will be even more show up this time.

Makes me think of a self-fulfilling prophecy...they have spent so much on security measures that they have comprimised the security they were trying to ensure.

Kinda curious that this story happens to break at the same time that the Auditor General requests access to MP records to track funds.

Originally posted by intrepid
My thoughts? It's going to be money going to the RCMP, much maligned recently but they are the #1 security force in Canada. Nice way to sneak funds to them.

I was watching the news about this lastnight...the RCMP bill is 550 million (so far)... that works out to $10 000 for every member of the RCMP

What really irritates me is that we just bought a bunch of this stuff for the Olympics, sonic cannons included. Why the heck can't they just use those ones?

Looks like I'm gonna have a radical time filming the protests! lol

reply to post by intrepid


Canada isn't even my country and I feel complete outrage. I'd be considering dragging whoever proposed this out in the street by their hair to be hung for corruption.

1 billion dollars. I can't even begin to explain how much of this money can be used to help people who need it.

How about this, the rich pigs can pay for their own security.

reply to post by grimreaper797


I feel ya man but Canadians are a complacent lot. Hell, a few years ago Ontario's new Premier(Governor) was asked if a certain action was a "money grab". He plainly said, "Yes."(He was later reelected) You know that something's wrong when your politicians aren't even concerned with lying to you any more.

reply to post by intrepid


I just... I...I could never live there. Id snap. You guys baffle me.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
You guys baffle me.

Yup, as you guys are to us at times. We are SOOOOOOO similar but SOOOOOOO different. I wonder if that's a PHD thesis. "The difference between Americans and Canadians. A screwed up theory."

Btw, my Niners are going deep into the NFL playoffs this year.

This is absolutely, positively the most insane thing that this government has done to date. Hands down.

A BILLION DOLLARS. To protect a bunch of thieving, lying worthless POS.

They have to be kidding? They must be. Harper has got to be out of his mind. Seriously. There is no other explanation. We can't actually be paying a BILLION dollars to protect these clowns.

We just spent a bloody fortune on gear for the Olympics for security.

Somebody stop this ride, I want to get off. This circus isn't amusing anymore.

It is going to be a # storm, I am very curious as to what is going to happen in terms of riots.

These money grubbing slime will spend us into the poor house without a backward glance.
The police state needs some more weapons and gear so lets hold a conference hey?
Pity they couldnt even come up with a decent armoured vehicle for the troops to keep them safe from IEDs, but a billion or more to keep the bloodsuckers safe from the people who they are ripping off andf killing off for fun and profit.....thats not too much......blah!

I live a couple cities over, 45 mins drive from the CN tower.

930 million? That's a little...insane. What do they expect to happen?

What is the extra 910 million for? A nuke?

[edit on 28-5-2010 by gandhi]

The corruption is in our faces now. "Yeah, we are stealing your wealth, so what are you going to do about it?"

The best thing that could happen is a massive protest that overwhelms the security and destroys the summit completely.

[edit on 28-5-2010 by Grumble]

Originally posted by Liberal1984
It's insane! It's a classic case study of government spending, out of control; and (at this level) is a pretty obvious sign, of government corruption.

I mean its hardly like Hitler is attending (even if many of the 3rd Reich are on the guest list!!).

People worse than Hitler are attending, look at what they did to the world..

I guess people are still sleeping.