Whose decision was it to hold the G20 summit in Toronto?

[Moonlight Graham]

I don't want to hear speculation, like "it was Harper's fault!", without some concrete info to back up the claim.

I am wondering who exactly was responsible for organizing this summit and choosing to hold it in downtown core of the largest city in the freaking country. IMO, the protests and violence were unsuprising given the location, and obviously the security costs would be massive to secure such a densely populated urban area.

Did Harper sit down and decide it? Or did some other person (in Cabinet?) or group choose the G20 location, with Harper acting as merely a rubber stamp?

[msdogfood]

I don't want to hear speculation, like "it was Harper's fault!", without some concrete info to back up the claim.

I am wondering who exactly was responsible for organizing this summit and choosing to hold it in downtown core of the largest city in the freaking country. IMO, the protests and violence were unsuprising given the location, and obviously the security costs would be massive to secure such a densely populated urban area.

Did Harper sit down and decide it? Or did some other person (in Cabinet?) or group choose the G20 location, with Harper acting as merely a rubber stamp?

The Government of Canada/ PMO made the decision!

Thay told TO 10 minutes before it want public!!!!.

!!!!!!.

[Topaz]

Cannon comfirm that yesterday. He said they need Toronto because of the number of people that were coming BUT Toronto, wanted it in a different location that would have been easier to monitor and less expensive, Harper said no, and they only gave Toronot 6 months notice, compared to the 2 year notice for the G8. No matter how you spin it its still Harper and the Tories fault and maybe the Tory party should be the one to financially pay the money to those store owners.

[Army Guy]

No matter how you spin it its still Harper and the Tories fault and maybe the Tory party should be the one to financially pay the money to those store owners.

Thats BS and you know it, TO had all the ifra structure that was required to hold this event, But nobody can take responsibilty for those punks actions excet themselfs....Harper did not pay them to damage the city.....that was a choice they made....and they should pay the cash to those store owners....

[Shakeyhands]

Cannon comfirm that yesterday. He said they need Toronto because of the number of people that were coming BUT Toronto, wanted it in a different location that would have been easier to monitor and less expensive, Harper said no, and they only gave Toronot 6 months notice, compared to the 2 year notice for the G8. No matter how you spin it its still Harper and the Tories fault and maybe the Tory party should be the one to financially pay the money to those store owners.

Biggest f you that Harper has ever accomplished, well... besides prorouging to sidestep the defeat of his minority.

[Smallc]

Cannon comfirm that yesterday. He said they need Toronto because of the number of people that were coming BUT Toronto, wanted it in a different location that would have been easier to monitor and less expensive,

So how would the leaders have gotten from the downtown hotels to this easier to monitor location?

[Molly]

So how would the leaders have gotten from the downtown hotels to this easier to monitor location?

For pity sake... have you ever been to the GTA to count the hotels? There are hotel rooms strewn from Hamilton to Kingston, and from Lake Ontario all the way to Huntsville.

(LOL Half of them were already set up in Deerhurst anyway.)

Edited June 29, 2010 by Molly

[eyeball]

Thats BS and you know it, TO had all the ifra structure that was required to hold this event, But nobody can take responsibilty for those punks actions excet themselfs....Harper did not pay them to damage the city.....that was a choice they made....and they should pay the cash to those store owners....

Hosting this summit in Toronto reminds me of leaving garbage or food laying around outside. Where I live doing so is guaranteed to attract bears and create real trouble. There is just no excuse for this sort of negligent ignorance.

Hosting this thing in TO was at best an act of inexcusable stupidity. I don't have any proof that it was willful stupidity on the part of Harper's crew, that they were hoping for some sort of galvanizing event, but I wouldn't put it past them.

[Open Government]

Here's an article from the Toronto Star back in November 2009, just before Toronto was designated as the G20 summit city:

"Toronto would be ready to host the G20 summit of world leaders if Ottawa chooses to move the meeting here, says Mayor David Miller. Speculation has grown this week that the event will be moved here from Huntsville, because the rural Ontario town cannot handle the security and hotel needs of the delegations. Even though such a gathering would bring heightened security, road closings and possibly large groups of protesters, Miller said Toronto would be able to handle it. "We're not going to turn into an armed fortress," he said Friday. Toronto is a major conference-hosting city that has just opened the new Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place meant to hold meetings of this scale, he said. "If the G20 is here, we will be known all around the world. We are a place that can host the world because we have the world here," he added."

It certainly sounds like it was a package deal - Ottawa and the city were both behind it.

Thank God for cached pages on the internet.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/

[Oleg Bach]

The decision was made by senior banking lawyers. This arrogant and proud bunch seem to run the show - but the summit was an utter failure - Just because some orgainzation said that Canadian bankers are the best in the world --does not mean they are the smartest human beings - just the most frugal. Translated - cheap...but not at spending OUR money - they waste a billion or so soiling the reputation of law enforcers - and cut the cost of food for the disabled..real nice Mr..McGinty...who is not a liberal but a lackey for old conservative bankers..what a weasil - but he always did have those weasil eyes..did he not?

[madmax]

Thats BS and you know it, TO had all the ifra structure that was required to hold this event, But nobody can take responsibilty for those punks actions excet themselfs....Harper did not pay them to damage the city.....that was a choice they made....and they should pay the cash to those store owners....

Regardless of the Damage, the choice to have it in Downtown Toronto was Harpers. He over rode the Mayor of Torontos choice of venue to have it in the Exhibition.

This whole thing has been a disaster from start to finish.

So little accomplished. SO much money wasted.

You try and Get $1Billion for the military and see how long it takes and over what timeline it is to be dispersed.

Then compare $1 Billion and counting..... for 3days of snafu and fubar.

This has been a dogs breakfast and its would be great it this circus act never came back in the form we just witnessed.

A joke and a complete waste of money and resources.

[madmax]

Here's an article from the Toronto Star back in November 2009, just before Toronto was designated as the G20 summit city:

"We're not going to turn into an armed fortress," he said Friday. Toronto is a major conference-hosting city that has just opened the new Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place meant to hold meetings of this scale, he said. "If the G20 is here, we will be known all around the world. We are a place that can host the world because we have the world here," he added."

It certainly sounds like it was a package deal - Ottawa and the city were both behind it.

Thank God for cached pages on the internet.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/

Nice find.

Seems the Mayor was wrong. TO was turned into a fortress and people stayed away in droves and left for green pastures before the circus came to town.

And the Exhibition Place never happened, which defeats the whole rational behind having it in Toronto.

The Mayor drew the short end of the stick and TO and the people of TO got the shaft.

The Mayor is leaving.... Harper could return the favour.

[fellowtraveller]

What The Centre of the Universe wants, The Centre of the Universe gets. see above. How much was spent on hotels and catering and wages and booze in central Toronna last week?

Maybe this was Harpers payback for all those Toronto Liberal seats?

[DFCaper]

Cannon comfirm that yesterday. He said they need Toronto because of the number of people that were coming BUT Toronto, wanted it in a different location that would have been easier to monitor and less expensive, Harper said no, and they only gave Toronot 6 months notice, compared to the 2 year notice for the G8. No matter how you spin it its still Harper and the Tories fault and maybe the Tory party should be the one to financially pay the money to those store owners.

Should the federal government have the ability to charge an additional tax to the businesses that seen a huge windfall from this event. I rarely see any news reports on the huge money spent and the cash that was brought in to many of the businesses in TO. Maybe we should make sure that the people who were charging thousands of dollars t rent there place out for a month and make sure they pay taxes on that income.

They barely were any protesting or violence for this type of event, yet TO think is it was the worst ever. WHINERS!!!

Really, where did a majority of the 1.2 Billion end up being spent?? How much money does it take to shut TO up?

[madmax]

Should the federal government have the ability to charge an additional tax to the businesses that seen a huge windfall from this event. I rarely see any news reports on the huge money spent and the cash that was brought in to many of the businesses in TO. Maybe we should make sure that the people who were charging thousands of dollars t rent there place out for a month and make sure they pay taxes on that income.

They barely were any protesting or violence for this type of event, yet TO think is it was the worst ever. WHINERS!!!

Really, where did a majority of the 1.2 Billion end up being spent?? How much money does it take to shut TO up?

Funny, alot of the monies went to security firms with ties to the Conservative Party.

[Army Guy]

Hosting this summit in Toronto reminds me of leaving garbage or food laying around outside. Where I live doing so is guaranteed to attract bears and create real trouble. There is just no excuse for this sort of negligent ignorance.

Hosting this thing in TO was at best an act of inexcusable stupidity. I don't have any proof that it was willful stupidity on the part of Harper's crew, that they were hoping for some sort of galvanizing event, but I wouldn't put it past them.

So this would not of happen in any other city, that those protestor would not have made arrangements to be in say any other Canadian city....So your right it would not of mattered in it was TO, ottawa, edmonton victoria, or fredricton NB....the same bears would have come to the party....

Besides there could have been a million reasons to have it in TO, after all the heads of states from dozens of countries where there, each with their own security issues, and solutions....plus a million other problems that could arise....But here we can only speculate on who, what where,and how come...TO....

[dre]

So how would the leaders have gotten from the downtown hotels to this easier to monitor location?

The same way millions of other people get around every day...

[Molly]

So this would not of happen in any other city, that those protestor would not have made arrangements to be in say any other Canadian city....So your right it would not of mattered in it was TO, ottawa, edmonton victoria, or fredricton NB....the same bears would have come to the party....

Besides there could have been a million reasons to have it in TO, after all the heads of states from dozens of countries where there, each with their own security issues, and solutions....plus a million other problems that could arise....But here we can only speculate on who, what where,and how come...TO....

You say 'it' as though the format was/is immutable.

Any given doubtful decision seems to becompelled only by the other questionable decisions.

[Smallc]

For pity sake... have you ever been to the GTA to count the hotels?

I have...and there are none near where Toronto wanted the event to be held.

[Topaz]

Here's an article from the Toronto Star back in November 2009, just before Toronto was designated as the G20 summit city:

"Toronto would be ready to host the G20 summit of world leaders if Ottawa chooses to move the meeting here, says Mayor David Miller. Speculation has grown this week that the event will be moved here from Huntsville, because the rural Ontario town cannot handle the security and hotel needs of the delegations. Even though such a gathering would bring heightened security, road closings and possibly large groups of protesters, Miller said Toronto would be able to handle it. "We're not going to turn into an armed fortress," he said Friday. Toronto is a major conference-hosting city that has just opened the new Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place meant to hold meetings of this scale, he said. "If the G20 is here, we will be known all around the world. We are a place that can host the world because we have the world here," he added."

It certainly sounds like it was a package deal - Ottawa and the city were both behind it.

Thank God for cached pages on the internet.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/

True, the mayor was behind it but NOT the location and that is what he has said along.

[Smallc]

The same way millions of other people get around every day...

In other words, you haven't thought it through.

[Topaz]

Again, IF these meetings are so IMPORTANT, then have them at the UN.

[Jack Weber]

Again, IF these meetings are so IMPORTANT, then have them at the UN.

The reason that they are not at the UN is that th G-8(and now the G-20) were designed to get around UN regulations,as it relates to binding economic issues...

[dre]

In other words, you haven't thought it through.

Actually I didnt have to. We have a national transportion system the entire purpose of which is to move large volumes of goods and people from point A to point B.

How do 20000 people get to the leafs games? Magic?

Edited June 29, 2010 by dre

[Jack Weber]

Actually I didnt have to. We have a national transportion system the entire purpose of which is to move large volumes of goods and people from point A to point B.

Erm...well...The first problem is that I don't think there any really great hotels on the Exhibition Grounds...So,the next plan would be to have the likes of David Cameron use the TTC?

Edited June 29, 2010 by Jack Weber