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What's A Billion?

(Saturday, June 12)

            Is a billion dollars too much to spend on a two-day summit of G8 and G20 leaders — too much to protect them and us — from the unthinkable?

            We will know in two weeks time.

            And editorial in the Toronto Sun last Saturday posed just such a question — pointing out that Toronto, in particular, is likely viewed by the world as the perfect setting for such a venue.

            It is, after all, likely the most multicultural and ethnically diverse city in the world.

            And therein lies the problem.

            No one stands out in the crowd.

            The Toronto 18 — remember them — plotted to blow up Parliament Hill, bomb the CN Tower and the Toronto Stock Exchange, and cut the head off Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

            But up until 2006, and a paid snitch sealed their fate, the Toronto 18 were able to go unnoticed in the sea of diversity that the GTA has become.

            The ringleader of that group, by the way, recently pleaded guilty to terrorism charges, meaning the plot was real and not imagined.

            So, let's ask the question again:  Is a billion dollars too much to spend on a two-day summit of G8 and G20 leaders — too much to protect them    and us — from the unthinkable?

            We will soon know, won't we?

Who would have thought that a minor issue --- the census long form --- would turn into a major issue?

The government --- aping its idols in the American Tea Party movement --- has decided to eliminate the long census which 20% of Canadians are required to fill out. And, most insulting of all, is the reason we were given by the unctuous Tony Clement. It pries into the lives of Canadian citizens.

This touching concern for civil rights is from the same merciless and secretive government that has done nothing for Mahar Arar, that trampled rights during the G20, that treats even its own MP’s with contempt.

Very touching.

The census provides a bonanza of valuable information. It’s mined by governments, businesses, academics, social agencies.  The irony is that many government agencies now will be forced to hire private market researchers at ten times the cost.

The reaction to what first seemed like a minor matter has been surprising.