The G20 summit is costing tax payers a lot of money. Police have to be trained to fight against the protesters, and prepare to protect the world leaders against protesters. The summit is costing way too much money because the police have had to buy weapons just for the two days of the summit, and most likely they will not be using the weapons that they have bought after the summit in the near future. Also the budget they have set does not cover business that have to work around the summit for security and safety reasons. Business has to set up high security procedures for the two days hoping that their employees get to work safely. Store owners who are near the summit have had to make certain accommodations for their outdoors patio furniture. They were told that need to have their furniture put away for the summit because protesters may use it as weapons. The summit is costing local business a lot of money because they will be losing business on the summit days.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Eight city schools shut down for G20
Students at a handful of Toronto schools will get a taste of summer vacation as classes shut down for two days because of the G20 summit.
The schools — six public, two Catholic — are near the G20 security zone and protest areas so the two Toronto boards decided to close them Thursday and Friday as world leaders arrive.
“We decided that it would be in the students’ best interest to cancel school for those two days, since they are right up against the security perimeter” and wider traffic zones where congestion and delays are expected, said Chris Broadbent, the Toronto District School Board’s manager of occupational health and safety.
The affected public schools are: ALPHA Alternative, Beverley, Ogden, Orde Street, Waterfront School, Island Public/Natural Science School.
The Island school is included because most staff live in the city and there is no guarantee ferries will be running as scheduled, Broadbent added.
Daycares in the affected schools have been notified, and most are shutting down at the end of the week, he also said.
Corrado Maltese, safety manager for the Toronto Catholic District School Board, said the two schools affected are near areas that will likely see protests. St. Joseph’s College, an all-girls’ school, is near Queen’s Park, and St. Michael’s Choir, an all-boys, just steps from Dundas Square.
“We thought closing them was the prudent thing to do,” Maltese said.
Meanwhile, Councillor Adam Vaughan (Ward 20-Trinity Spadina) said three city-run centres will offer free child care for families impacted by the school closings with programming for school-age children.
The centres are: Alexandra Park, Scadding Court and University Settlement House. More information is available at the Ward 20Canada set to announce new sanctions against Iran
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waves to the crowd, at a public gathering during his provincial tour in the city of Shahr-e-Kord, 543 kilometres south of the capital Tehran, Iran, as a boy stands next to him, wearing traditional dress, on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. (AP Photo/IIPA, Sajjad Safari)
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Monday Jun. 21, 2010 10:04 PM ET
Canada will join the United States and European countries Tuesday in imposing more sanctions against Iran, in an effort to stop its nuclear weapons program, CTV News has learned.
The new economic sanctions will target any company that helps Iran's energy sector, including oil companies, banks, shipping firms, and insurance companies.
The United Nations has heavily criticized Iran for failing to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Two weeks ago, the UN Security Council approved a resolution that called on members to expand sanctions on Iranian individuals and organizations, and the European Union quickly took action.
The EU measures were aimed at Iran's energy, transportation and banking sectors.
On Monday night, U.S. lawmakers also reached an agreement on sanctions. It still must be approved by both the House and Senate, but has widespread support among both Democrats and Republicans.
Watchdog says feds will spend $1.8B on prisons
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Tuesday Jun. 22, 2010 2:04 PM ET
Canada's budget watchdog says the Conservative government will end up spending $1.8 billion to provide the number of jail cells it will need as a result of newly introduced tough-on-crime legislation.
In a new report, Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page says the government's recent legislation to restrict pre-sentence jail credit will extend the average prisoner's sentence by about 159 days -- leaving Canada with a need for thousands more jail cells then it currently has.
As the so-called Truth in Sentencing Act comes into effect, Page predicts there will be some 17,058 inmates in the federal system at any given time. That's a major increase over the estimated 13,304 prisoners at present.
According to the estimates put together by Page's office, Canada will need to build 4,189 federal jail cells at a cost of $1.8 billion over the next five years-- and that doesn't include the needs at the provincial level.
"If you look at average head counts, they are twice as big in the provincial system -- 26,000 every year versus 13,000 at the federal level," Page told reporters Tuesday.
"The provinces and the territories carry the weight of the correctional services system in Canada so the impact is going to be enormous on the provinces and territories."
Page tabled his most recent report in response to a request from Liberal MP Mark Holland, who serves as the public safety critic for his party.
Holland warns that the cost of building extra prison cells is only one of 13 crime-related bills that the Conservative government is pushing forward.
"This figure for one (crime) bill is enormous, and we have to remember this is one bill," Holland said. "When you start thinking about all of the other (crime) bills -- 13 -- this can crush Canada's budget, it can destroy and cannibalize the other departments.
"How are we going to afford our health care? How are we afford education? How are we going to afford our military if we have these failed Republican policies eating away at all the other departments?"
Page questioned the impact the prison-spending would have on Ottawa's bottom line over the next five years, when prison costs will average $363 million a year.
"It's a lot of money in a period of time we're generating deficits," Page said.
With files from The Canadian Press
Concrete Chunks Reportedly Found Hidden Downtown, Police Get Water Cannons For G8, G20 Summits
2010/06/22 | CityNews.ca Staff
Trees have been removed, some statues temporarily relocated and now downtown restaurants are taking away their patio furniture before thousands of protesters converge on the area around the G20 summit venue this weekend.
With just days to go until international leaders arrive in Toronto there are signs across the downtown core various businesses are battening down the hatches.
Police have stepped up their presence significantly and searches of the security zones recently turned up apparent weapons caches, containing chunks of concrete that were hidden under bushes. The locations haven't been released.
Officers will use water cannons to control unruly crowds if necessary. The devices are mounted on trucks and apparently result in fewer injuries than other crowd control techniques.
Last month, Toronto Police purchased four long-range acoustic devices, or L-RADs, for the summit.
The statues outside the Hockey Hall of Fame have been covered with plywood, apparently to protect them from possible vandalism. Three large elephant statues were also removed from Commerce Court at King and Bay for the same reason.
Last week, young trees were removed from the area around the Rogers Centre to ensure they couldn’t be uprooted and used as weapons during summit demonstrations.
Authorities have cleared the security zone of trash cans, bike posts and street furniture for safety reasons.
And downtown eateries are keeping their patio furnishings locked up.
Michaelle Jean Named UN Special Envoy To Haiti
2010/06/22 | The Canadian Press
Jean's appointment as special envoy for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, known as UNESCO, is "a tribute to Canada's leadership role in rebuilding Haiti," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday.
Jean will "draw upon her unique experience and dedication to Haiti, as well as her commitment to educational and cultural initiatives," Harper said in a statement.
"She will be in a position to further advance the international community's response to the urgent needs in Haiti as it recovers from January's devastating earthquake."
Jean, whose term officially ends on Sept. 27, is expected to spend time in the earthquake-devastated country as well as travel around the world to raise funds.
Harper reportedly helped get her the high-profile UNESCO job.
He said she will continue her educational and cultural initiatives in Canada through the Michaelle Jean Foundation, which uses art and creativity to "encourage and promote citizen engagement, particularly youth from underprivileged, rural and northern communities."
"The Governor General is a symbol of continuity, history and unity," said Harper. "Michaelle Jean continues to fulfil this role with enthusiasm and grace, qualities I am certain she will bring to her upcoming position."
UNESCO was founded in 1945 and Canada became a member in 1946.
Its mission is to contribute to building peace, eradicating poverty, and promoting education, culture, science and communication. The organization currently has three designated special envoys: for water, for education and for literacy and development.
There is speculation the prime minister wants to install a new vice-regal in time for the Queen's visit to Canada next month.
Largely regarded as a ceremonial post, Jean's circumstance of being in office during an extended period of minority governments has made her one of the more consequential people to fill the job.
In December 2008, she allowed Harper to prorogue Parliament and buy time to thwart an attempt by the Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois opposition to form a coalition government.
Jean also gained international notoriety thanks to a video showing her eating raw seal meat at Rankin Inlet in what some interpreted as a sign of support for the controversial seal hunt.
The most lasting image of Jean, however, may be her tearful appeal in support of Haiti relief following the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed some 230,000 people and left another million homeless.