Letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the G8/G20 Summit and Protests in Toronto

Gary Morton at citizensontheweb.ca
June 1, 2010
(Why Canada Should be Tolerant of a Robust G20 Protest)

To: Prime Minister Stephen Harper  (Harper.S@parl.gc.ca)
And Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice (Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca)

 Dear Sirs,

 I hope you are doing well, and we are doing well here in Toronto now that the hot summer days of spring are turning to perhaps the last rainy days of the season.

 Certainly no one wants to feel the heat, and especially the heat that politics and protest can sometimes bring about. Currently Canada is embarking on the rather large affairs called the G8/G20 and some simple logic and a bright attitude at the start may well bring about good things.

 There has been comment of late by those that think the G20 should be the world’s key governing organization. I’m not saying that I agree with that but I do say that it means great responsibility. Simply put, world leaders have to be a positive force and do better for us all.

 The G20 is somewhat of a traveling road show. There are the leaders and the thousands of delegates and security personnel … and protesters, but let’s not forget that protesters are a large part of the summit. Delegates and the many organizations, issues and NGOs they represent want to push their ideas. A lot of the protesters are their protesters and they’ll be here to be seen as part of the summit.

 Canada has its designated summit free speech zone at Queen’s Park and there will be audio visual feed back to the world leaders, delegates and international media inside the summit area. So protest is very much part of the process. And there is another issue of paramount importance. The Canadian Government and the police (ISU) speak of our Charter and rights and freedoms on their web sites. Something Canadians should be proud of … the right to protest, as well as many other rights. We have to be sure that those visiting our nation experience the same rights we do as Canadians.

 With criticism of all the money spent on summit security … well, I would say that if the leaders and delegates get the summit they want, and protesters get the robust protest they want, and everyone goes home happy feeling certain something was accomplished and that they were heard and made progress, then something better has happened in Canada. And of course I mean real accomplishment that comes with concessions by world leaders in key areas important to perhaps the environment, the poor and other issues.

What we don’t want to have happen is something like Philadelphia or Genoa with out of control violence and a big argument about whether police or protesters instigated it. Canada and Toronto can do better than that and most Canadians expect better.

 I’m not saying that there won’t be radical protest. Perhaps those protesters gathering down at Allan Gardens will be the more radical ones, and even so that means more police responsibility in managing an affair that’s a bit more difficult. Canada is paying police to be smarter, and police aggression must be avoided because if it gets out of hand there are terrible consequences. Even today in the news Israel is deep in the mire after planning and authorizing a commando raid that turned into a complete deathly disaster. Our government should not listen to paranoid and corrupt voices in the Canadian media, especially those whose only story idea is to get a tale of masked protesters and police engaged in the final battle.

 Listen to the historical voice of Canada and International Peace.

 My request of the Canadian Government and to our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper is that Toronto and Canada be seen around the world as unrivalled in its tolerance and respect of rights and freedoms. A forgotten but now again remembered home of freedom in a cruel world.

Thanks for your time
Gary Morton
Toronto
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