Guess where this year’s G20 Summit will be?
Toronto, Ontario
Guess which city I live very close to?
Yes! Toronto, Ontario
Guess what the G20 Summit is?
Yeah, I didn’t really know either . . .
Apparently, it is a gathering of a bunch of Leaders of various countries from all over the globe. They get together every year to discuss issues amongst their members, particularly those relating to the global economy. And it’s happening this weekend.
The list of G20 attendees look strikingly similar to the list of World Cup soccer teams and will include;
- Argentina represented by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President
- Australia represented by Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister
- Brazil represented by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President
- Canada represented by Stephen Harper, Prime Minister (Host)
- China represented by Hu Jintao, President
- France represented by Nicolas Sarkozy, President
- Germany represented by Angela Merkel, Chancellor
- India represented by Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister
- Indonesia represented by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President
- Italy represented by Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister
- Japan represented by Naoto Kan, Prime Minister
- Mexico represented by Felipe Calderón, President
- South Korea represented by Lee Myung-bak, President
- Russia represented by Dmitry Medvedev, President
- Saudi Arabia represented by Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, King
- South Africa represented by Jacob Zuma, President
- Turkey represented by Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Prime Minister
- United Kingdom represented by David Cameron, Prime Minister
- United States represented by Barack Obama, President
(yes, I realize there’s only 19 countries on the list, but I just copied it from Wiki. Clearly some country’s invitation was “lost in the mail” or maybe they just brought really bad gifts to the last Summit and the rest of the countries voted them out. Not sure. Always pick your “thank you” gifts wisely.)
It’s also a way for the host country to spend a CRAP load of money. Last I heard, Canada’s bill will be over $1 billion for this event – that lasts 2 DAYS!
Why? Because apparently securing the safety of World Leaders is big business. These Summits are known to attract lots of protesters and activists. Some have even been known to turn very violent.
Some of the precautions being taken?
- Removal of mailboxes, garbage bins, benches, bus shelters, newspaper stands and even some small trees (all potential weapons don’t you know)
- manholes sealed in the “protected zone” (about a 3 block x 3 block area where most of the big-wig action is taking place)
- boarding up storefront windows
- 66 new CCTV security cameras
- miles of 6 foot high fencing around the entire “protected zone”
- A team of people that are solely responsible for ensuring the food is safe for the Leaders to consume (there will be no fatal poisonings on our watch!)
- Police presence like we’ve never seen. And military. (mmmmm . . . uniforms . . .. )
- Sound canons (that emit an ear piercing high frequency that can cause pain) and water canons have been brought in (or maybe we already had them. Not sure)
- cell phone reception will be blocked as each of the Leader’s motorcades arrive and leave the city (apparently bombs can be triggered by cell phones. Who knew?)
- Residents and workers have been warned to basically “get the heck out of Dodge” if at all possible because the core of the city will virtually be on lock-down
- Airspace restrictions
- Many businesses have closed for the week
- Tourist attractions, theatre productions and sporting events have been canceled in an attempt to keep people away from the downtown core
Pure. Craziness.
Now, as it happens, I live about a 60 minute drive from the protected zone. When I’m at work, I’m only about 30 minutes away. I could easily get myself down there to the front lines.
My BFF Elle actually works right downtown. Immediately beside the protest area. In a large hospital. Where they’ve been warned they could have a large influx of emergency room patients if things get ugly.
Which is EXACTLY why I have put her on the payroll as my eyes & ears in the downtown core. She is to report on any and all action and sightings this week leading up to the Summit.
Then I got to thinking . . . why couldn’t I just drive down there myself, park as close as some nice Mounties will let me and walk the rest of the way in? But that begged the question – what will I do once I’m down there?
So I’m going to leave it up to you my Bloggies.
Today we will have another addition of . . . WSCD! (What should Cher do)
Loading ...All responses will be considered, but not necessarily acted on. I can’t afford to have my ass land in jail for y’all. Although it could be some very needed downtime . . . (if you follow me, @Surferwife or @thisisScoMan on Twitter, you know why that word is in bold. The rest of you should all feel very left out).
Oh, and be sure to come back on Friday to find out what happened with last weeks poll. You may remember the question posed was “Should Cher get the free botox or not?”
16 Responses to “G What?”
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June 23rd, 2010 at 1:04 pm
oh God. I shouldn’t even be on y’alls y’all list. I haven’t used it until just now. How lame is that? I vow to start right now.
I was the first vote! And while I wanted to say, stay far away because politics are lame-o, of course the get your face in a picture tickled my fancy.
June 23rd, 2010 at 1:13 pm
There was craziness in Denver during the Democratic convention in 2008. It was easier to just stay the hell away.(safer too, although I get you on the down time jail would offer.)
June 23rd, 2010 at 2:35 pm
omg ya’ll, the title “G What” could have led to a very differnt cosmo-esque post.
I voted to send a gift to ScoMan…he’d probably like some butter tarts. Actually, please send some to me with Barack (or Barry)…Philly’s not that far from DC.
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:14 pm
I was feeling torn on these. On one hand, I really want you to pie-face a world leader. But then I realized that you are my friend and this would likely send you to jail forever.
Then I thought that maybe you should just stay far, far away, but that’s just not my style.
So I suggested giving Barack Obama a package of butter tarts. I know many people don’t agree with him, but he is such a nice man, and I bet he would love them.
I also vote that someone gives me a package of butter tarts because I still have no idea what they taste like.
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:25 pm
so you are thinking about going to the G-spot? brave
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Ahhhhh, protesters. Reminds of the good old days living in DC. HA!
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Wowee…Look at Toronto getting all Fancy Pants with the G20! Get your pretty face in a picture please! Then I can tell everyone “I know that lady!”. It’ll be great.
June 23rd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I have a different suggestion…give Barack a swift kick in the ass for MiMi!
Wait. Shit. My colors are showing. Never mind.
June 23rd, 2010 at 5:39 pm
That all sounds very visually pleasing and cost effective!
I agree with the comment above. Political preferences aside, Obama is starting to piss me off and could learn a thing or 2 from our neighbors to the North. But afterwords give the buttertarts, because I still like to think he’s a good person
June 23rd, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Man, I could totally be rocking twitter in the ya’ll week (I had to go look it up)… because i say that word all the time. But it’s required because I’m in TX. Duh.
I voted, but I’ll never tell what I voted for. Good luck!
June 23rd, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Well, as your “eyes & ears” here’s what I have to report so far…….policemen, lots of policemen! They’re everywhere and I mean everywhere! On horse, on foot, on bicycles – everywhere – even protecting MY hospital! I have found myself walking much slower to and from work just to admire them – I figure it’s my treat for having to put up with all this Code Orange and G20 crap. I’ll try and take some photos for you, my BFF, but if I land up in jail you better come and bail me out!
June 23rd, 2010 at 11:33 pm
When Pres. Obama comes to NYC it’s a total nightmare of snarled traffic, closed streets, stopped subways and frozen zones. The last time he was here I ended up being late for my train by about 8 seconds because his highness’s motorcade was coming and they closed the sidewalk as well as the street.
My vote is to stay far, far away. Stuff like that is a huge pain in the ass.
June 24th, 2010 at 6:45 am
You had me at uniforms, lots of uniforms, I may take a little swing by there myself, you know just to see!!!!
June 24th, 2010 at 7:25 am
The G20 is the 19 member countries plus the European Union, which kind of means we’re represented twice I suppose – probably because of our sheer brilliance, either that or we are too small to count on our own and need the backing of the EU, which in general our country disagrees with a lot.
Anyway, they should hold these things in the middle of nowhere that would be a much better idea. Although when they held the G8 in Scotland it was in Gleneagles which was a much better idea than having it in the city. Although during the 2nd day of the G8 there was the London underground bombs.
Hopefully the toronto G20 will be a quiet and uneventful. My suggestion would be stay very far away! Anyway I’m not sure Mr Rudd will be present, I think he just got replaced by a woman, although maybe she could pass it on to him…
June 24th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Ha, this is awesome although the G What had me thinking something different, hehe. Oops!
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:17 am
I saw some footage from the G20 summit. Obama talking to a packed house, and then our treasurer talking to four guys and a donkey.
I don’t know who bought the donkey or what it was doing there. Also, Kevin Rudd hasn’t been our PM for ages. Have I been off the bloggosphere for that long? Damn!