Why Hold a Summit in Downtown Toronto?

(Aired on June 30, 2010)

The so-called anarchists that attacked Toronto this past weekend during the G-20 summit cannot rightly be called protesters.  They were just idiots who caused a lot of damage and spread a lot of fear.  The anarchists did not prove any point, nor will they deter world leaders from working together in the future.

What this past weekend did prove is that there was no good reason to hold this summit in a major metropolitan centre.  Instead of downtown Toronto, it should have been held at a more remote retreat, for a couple of reasons.  First, a venue more out of the way would surely have been easier for police to secure.  Think of Sun Peaks, for example, where there's only one road in.  Police would have had a far easier time of things.

Second, there would have been far fewer slack-jawed yokels getting in the way.  If you watched any of the live coverage last weekend, you saw that most of the people described as protesters weren't protesters at all.  They were curious locals holding cameras, looking around, not holding signs, not chanting.  Really, they were people who just wanted to be a part of the spectacle.  I'm sure security forces would have just as soon these people stay at home than be a part of the problem.  A summit at a more remote location would not get the same amount of people clogging up the streets.

In retrospect, Toronto Mayor David Miller is justified in being as livid as he is with what happened.  While police and security did a very effective job of protecting the world leaders and the actual summit venue, little was done - especially Saturday - to protect Toronto.  It's understandable that Miller wants Ottawa to pick up the bill for repairs.  But that, of course, is thousands of tax dollars more to be paid out by you and me.  Maybe they should have just held the whole thing on Skype after all.