Lockdown time is drawing nigh, and the city can start looking forward to having a sizable portion of the downtown core sealed off — and to coping with the traffic restrictions and road closures that will screw over residents and businesses in the affected areas.
Suppose it’s pointless to wonder why we’re being made to endure all this ridiculousness.
All politics, pomp — and protests – aside, though, it’s really just another big meeting, a glorified schmooze-fest that generates little in the way of meaty policy.
So basically Toronto will be placed under martial law for a few days so the G-gang can slap one another on the back and churn out a few toothless memos of understanding (and enjoy a stupid $2 million fake lake).
Meanwhile, just as tourist season heats up, popular local attractions like the Royal Ontario Museum, CN Tower and the dome (Rogers Centre) will be off limits to visitors.
It’s not that big a deal, I guess, but it’s only one example of how residents and visitors to this fair city are being kicked in the gonads just so Toronto can have the honour of hosting the G20 summit.
Most grating is the fact that all this inconvenience comes at a staggering cost: over $1 billion, an obscene price tag at a time when our government can hardly spare a dime. Our federal deficit is swollen, never mind that the rest of the world is still struggling to recover from a crippling recession.
And in this age of green chic, how about all the carbon that will be puked into the atmosphere to jet these big wigs to T.O. for a bunch of “valuable discussions.”
Our ”leaders” need to get real. The G20/G8 summits are a tremendous waste of time and money. These guys should just have one big Skype conference call and be done with it.
It still won’t achieve anything, but at least it’ll be cheaper.
Merry Christmas to all — if you celebrate it, or even if you don’t; and even if you don’t, you’re still going to love Simon’s cat in ‘Santa Claws’ (unless you don’t like cats, in which case, forget you). Happy … Continue reading → […]
NOVEMBER HAS BECOME synonymous with “Movember,” the annual event during which guys around the world grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for men’s health, prostate cancer specifically. It’s a brilliant publicity campaign that has gathered a huge amount of … Continue reading → […]
HOW’S THAT FOR heeding a warning? Saw this head-shaking piece of work on the way into a Toronto-area hospital yesterday. If the genius driver responsible for the damage could read the sign, apparently he didn’t get the message. ryan@roadtostarrdom.com […]
CANADIAN NOVELIST Russell Smith had a thought-provoking column in the Globe and Mail a few weeks back examining the growing tendency these days for young creative people, writers in particular, to work for free. The spur for the discussion was … Continue reading → […]
NEGATIVE OPINIONS about news organizations have hit an all-time high in the U.S. But Americans trust their news organizations more than they do government and business. This according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center for the People … Continue reading → […]
Recent Articles
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Architect Richard Witt knew he’d designed a great condo when a community meeting for the project ended with him receiving a round of applause.
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Karma condo's charity/marketing campaign generated a great deal of interest in the project and raised over $15,000 for three local charities.
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If the rip-roaring success of condo sales at Shangri-La Toronto can serve as any indication, this city appears to have embraced the new arrival with open arms.
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Ontario schools see great value in the relationships they've formed with the Construction Sector Council.
Project owners fear loss of sector council data (September 14, 2011)
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Justin Trudeau: The world is watching Canada (October 2010)
Our abundant natural resources, educated workforce and diverse population position Canada to be a global leader, Liberal MP Justin Trudeau says.
Indeed, the Blue Jays were forced to move their series with the Philadelphia Phillies from Toronto to Philly over concerns about security measures. As such, Toronto fans have been denied the chance to see ex-Jays ace Roy Halladay in action, weeks after he pitched a perfect game.
