I guess I spent about 12 hours watching the events unfold in a city where I once lived.
A city I love to visit.
A city where I feel safe.
A city known for "live" theatre, concerts, sports, history, architecture, kindness and the Canadian National Exhibition.
The Capital City of our Province of Ontario, where I know street names and the best places to shop.
I felt many emotions rise within me watching the protesters on Saturday and Sunday. To begin with, leading up to the G8 and G20 I thought that I would just be hearing about a group of men and women who got together to ultimately do nothing at a hefty price tag of almost 2 billion. That part has come true but what I didn't expect was the violence.
The total disregard for a beautiful city.
The total lack of repect.
The wanton destruction.
The thugs.
The anti-police stance held within the minds of many of the marchers.
The bad things the police reportedly did at the detention centre on Eastern Avenue. That story is yet to unfold completely. I am sure there will be pictures of the "cages" where those arrested were detained in the former Toronto Film Studios lot.
There is much blame.
The locals who just had to see what was going on and filled the streets.
The Saturday night crowd looking for a good time and a chance to shun the law- and decency.
The Anarchists from the so called Anarchist League of Southern Onttario. Have you ever heard of them before this past weekend?
I haven't.
However, mostly I blame Stephen Harper. The Prime Minister.
As I have said before in this blog I respect the "office"- but not the man.
In fact I have little repect for most of the leaders.
They smiled and laughed and ate and laughed and mugged for the cameras.
The British PM and the German Chancellor skipped part of the meeting to watch soccer!
Whuck??
They flew here and there to come for dinner. They were extravagantly entertained by the Canadian Tenors in a world far, far away, safe inside that damned fence just outside the Metro Convention Centre.
There has to be a better way to hold these meetings. A place out of the way and far away from the "terror" of the criminals that you and I saw roam the streets of downtown Toronto. Maybe on an ice floe.
I blame Stephen Harper for even thinking about using Downtown Toronto as a backdrop to his "party"!
The cost of this one event could have built schools, paved roads, helped kids in this country on reserves, on the streets, on drugs.
Helped those who have HIV/Aids.
Assist communities that need new infrastructure.
Build more Food Banks.
Assist Housing, Education, Policing.
I could go on.
The Toronto. The Ontario. The Canada that I saw on the weekend is not my Canada.
I blame Stephen Harper and his smirk and I hope you do too.
I hope that voters like you will see fit to kick his butt so far away from poilitical office that he will never be able to rise again.
Right now we wait and see what repercussions there are from a "wild" weekend. For the immediate future, we need to focus on other events.
Canada Day Celebrations from coast to coast on Thursday. Happy Birthday Canada!
For Toronto, Pride Week and the hude Pride Parade through Downtown Toronto this Sunday.
A real Love-In.
A million people and none of the problems and violence assocaiated with this G8 and G20 traveling Road Show.
Then there's "Betty's" visit, starting in Halifax on Tuesday.
The City of Toronto, The Province and our Country will put this bad dream to rest and move forward.
Have a great Day!
