Well, we finally did it. Thanks to Prime Minister Harper Canada can now take its rightful place among the despots and tyrants of the world. We can bully innocent citizens and trample on human rights with the best of them. It just costs us a little more. The G20 was a fiasco and an expensive one at that.
It’s been called political theatre of the highest order and it had everything – drama, suspense, a cast of thousands and a good measure of villains and bad guys. The reviews are out and in spite of the slick positive spin coming out of the prime minister’s office, this critic gives it an enthusiastic two thumbs down.
However, I can’t deny that it was entertaining to watch and some of the performances were worthy of note. And so, in the interest of live theatre I decided to present awards for some of the memorable moments. I call them the Harpies and they are named after the guy responsible for bringing all the excitement and tears to downtown Toronto.
The first category is most disturbing image. Thanks to the advent of all those hand-held electronic devices, thousands of pictures are already posted with many more to come. I looked at quite a few and it made me feel very sad. I never saw Canada in this light before.
This isn’t the country I thought it was.
One shot shows a young woman being arrested at the University of Toronto and shackles are being locked around her ankles before she was led away to her cage. She doesn’t look dangerous to me. She does look scared.
And who wouldn’t be impressed by those long lines of fully-armored police standing their ground like hundreds of Darth Vaders? Even the horses were wearing knee pads and shin protectors. Nothing like this has ever been seen before on the streets of our biggest city. I didn’t see any winners in this category, just heartbreak and disbelief.
There are two nominations for “most troubling precedent” and unfortunately they are equally worrisome.
One, this was the first time in history tear gas was used in the streets of Toronto. Only now they have given it a more politically correct name. It is referred to as a muzzle shot. Gas masks are still recommended.
The second bad omen set a record, of sorts. The 900 people arrested over the weekend was the biggest mass arrest in Canadian history.
However, according to one police officer some of these innocent people were merely detained.
According to that keen observer of the human condition, “there is a difference between being detained and being arrested.”
Really? Who knew that being handcuffed, shackled and detained without charge was much better than being arrested? I guess it also makes it easier on family members who don’t know where you are because you aren’t allowed to contact anybody, including a lawyer. I thought that was illegal in this country.
The award for most ignorant of civil rights is not given at every summit but this year it is time to pass the torch. This honor was previously held by George W. Bush for his detainment facility at Guantanamo Bay but this year it goes to our own Stephen “Muzzle Blast” Harper for something called the Temporary Detention Centre located at the East Avenue Film Studios. Way to go Steve.
This Guantanamo North is where Mr. Harper chose to detain all those troublemakers, tourists, photographers and innocent civilians who looked like troublemakers to him. Most were released without being arrested or charged. Many, I’m sure, were traumatized.
And lastly, here is the question most people would like answered. “Mr. Harper; if you knew then what you know now, would you still hold the G20 summit in downtown Toronto?”
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes. The fact is he knew exactly what would happen and he wasn’t surprised by the violence and destruction. After the conference he said he expected trouble at this summit and he expects trouble at the next.
Look for Mr. Harper to use this contrived event to advance his misguided law and order agenda.
What Canadians should be asking themselves is why would our prime minister knowingly and willingly subject our country, our police forces and our largest city to violence, terror and violations of our rights and freedoms?
The answer to this question will tell us what “We stand on guard for thee” means to him.
It’s been called political theatre of the highest order and it had everything – drama, suspense, a cast of thousands and a good measure of villains and bad guys. The reviews are out and in spite of the slick positive spin coming out of the prime minister’s office, this critic gives it an enthusiastic two thumbs down.
However, I can’t deny that it was entertaining to watch and some of the performances were worthy of note. And so, in the interest of live theatre I decided to present awards for some of the memorable moments. I call them the Harpies and they are named after the guy responsible for bringing all the excitement and tears to downtown Toronto.
The first category is most disturbing image. Thanks to the advent of all those hand-held electronic devices, thousands of pictures are already posted with many more to come. I looked at quite a few and it made me feel very sad. I never saw Canada in this light before.
This isn’t the country I thought it was.
One shot shows a young woman being arrested at the University of Toronto and shackles are being locked around her ankles before she was led away to her cage. She doesn’t look dangerous to me. She does look scared.
And who wouldn’t be impressed by those long lines of fully-armored police standing their ground like hundreds of Darth Vaders? Even the horses were wearing knee pads and shin protectors. Nothing like this has ever been seen before on the streets of our biggest city. I didn’t see any winners in this category, just heartbreak and disbelief.
There are two nominations for “most troubling precedent” and unfortunately they are equally worrisome.
One, this was the first time in history tear gas was used in the streets of Toronto. Only now they have given it a more politically correct name. It is referred to as a muzzle shot. Gas masks are still recommended.
The second bad omen set a record, of sorts. The 900 people arrested over the weekend was the biggest mass arrest in Canadian history.
However, according to one police officer some of these innocent people were merely detained.
According to that keen observer of the human condition, “there is a difference between being detained and being arrested.”
Really? Who knew that being handcuffed, shackled and detained without charge was much better than being arrested? I guess it also makes it easier on family members who don’t know where you are because you aren’t allowed to contact anybody, including a lawyer. I thought that was illegal in this country.
The award for most ignorant of civil rights is not given at every summit but this year it is time to pass the torch. This honor was previously held by George W. Bush for his detainment facility at Guantanamo Bay but this year it goes to our own Stephen “Muzzle Blast” Harper for something called the Temporary Detention Centre located at the East Avenue Film Studios. Way to go Steve.
This Guantanamo North is where Mr. Harper chose to detain all those troublemakers, tourists, photographers and innocent civilians who looked like troublemakers to him. Most were released without being arrested or charged. Many, I’m sure, were traumatized.
And lastly, here is the question most people would like answered. “Mr. Harper; if you knew then what you know now, would you still hold the G20 summit in downtown Toronto?”
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes. The fact is he knew exactly what would happen and he wasn’t surprised by the violence and destruction. After the conference he said he expected trouble at this summit and he expects trouble at the next.
Look for Mr. Harper to use this contrived event to advance his misguided law and order agenda.
What Canadians should be asking themselves is why would our prime minister knowingly and willingly subject our country, our police forces and our largest city to violence, terror and violations of our rights and freedoms?
The answer to this question will tell us what “We stand on guard for thee” means to him.
