By Doug Draper
John Pruyn wasn’t much in the mood for celebrating Canada Day this year.
John and Susan Pruyn at home and away form the G20 summit in Thorold, Ontario. Photo by Doug Draper
How could he be after the way he was treated a few days earlier in Toronto by figures of authority most of us were brought up to respect, our publicly paid-for police forces who are supposed to be there to serve and protect peaceful, law-abiding citizens like him.
The 57-year-old Thorold, Ontario resident – an employee with Revenue Canada and a part-time farmer who lost a leg above his knee following a farming accident 17 years ago – was sitting on the grass at Queen’s Park with his daughter Sarah and two other young people this June 26, during the G20 summit, where he assumed it would be safe.
As it turned out, it was a bad assumption because in came a line of armoured police, into an area the city had promised would be safe for peaceful demonstrations during the summit. They closed right in on John and his daughter and the two others and ordered them to move. Pruyn tried getting up and he fell, and it was all too slow for the police.
As Sarah began pleading with them to give her father a little time and space to get up because he is an amputee, they began kicking and hitting him. One of the police officers used his knee to press Pruyn’s head down so hard on the ground, said Pruyn in an interview this July 4 with Niagara At Large, that his head was still hurting a week later.
Accusing him of resisting arrest, they pulled his walking sticks away from him, tied his hands behind his back and ripped off his prosthetic leg. Then they told him to get up and hop, and when he said he couldn’t, they dragged him across the pavement, tearing skin off his elbows , with his hands still tied behind his back. His glasses were knocked off as they continued to accuse him of resisting arrest and of being a “spitter,” something he said he did not do. They took him to a warehouse and locked him in a steel-mesh cage where his nightmare continued for another 27 hours.
“John’s story is one of the most shocking of the whole (G20 summit) weekend,” said the Ontario New Democratic Party’s justice critic and Niagara area representative Peter Kormos, who has called for a public inquiry into the conduct of security forces during the summit. “He is not a young man and he is an amputee. …. John is not a troublemaker. He is a peacemaker and like most of the people who were arrested, he was never charged with anything , which raises questions about why they were arrested in the first place.”
Pruyn told Niagara At Large that he never was given a reason for his arrest . When he was being kicked and hand-tied, police yelled at him that he was resisting arrest. Then a court officer approached him two hours before his release on Sunday evening, June 27, and told him he should not still be there in that steel -mesh cage. So why were Pruyn and his daughter Sarah, a University of Guelph student, who was locked up somewhere else, detained in a makeshift jails for more than 24 hours, along with many other mostly young people who, so far as he could hear and see, had nothing to do with the smashing of windows and torching of a few police cars by a few hundred so-called ‘Black Bloc’ hooligans that weekend?
Why was Pruyn slammed in a cell without his glasses and artificial limb, with no water to drink in the heat for five hours and only a cement floor to sit and sleep on before his captors finally gave him a wheelchair? Why was he never read his rights or even granted the opportunity to make one phone call to a lawyer or his family – the same rights that would be granted to a notorious criminal like Clifford Olsen or Paul Bernardo?
He never received an answer to these questions and, he said, “I was never told I was charged with anything.” Neither were many of the others who were penned up in that warehouse with him, including one person who was bound to a wheelchair because was paralyzed on one side and begging, over and over again, to go to the washroom before finally wetting his pants.
Pruyn said others in the warehouse begged for a drink of water and younger people made futile pleas to call their parents to at least let them know where they were. In the meantime, Pruyn’s wife, Susan, was frantically trying to find out from the police and others what happened to her husband and daughter. She found out nothing until they were finally released 27 hours after she was supposed to meet back with them at a subway station near Queen’s Park.
So what was this all about and why were John and Sue Pruyn arrested if they were part of the gathering of peaceful demonstrators in the Queen’s Park area? Was their crime to dare to come to Toronto in the first place and join with those who express concerns about the G20 and whether it has any concern at all for the environment, for people living in poverty, for fair access to health care and other issues important to people around the world who fall into the category of ‘have nots’?
Pruyn wonders if the idea of the crackdown was to send a message to the public at large that gatherings of opposition to government policies won’t be tolerated. “That is (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper’s attitude,” he said. “He doesn’t like dissent in his own (party) ranks.”
Kormos said some might respond to the crackdown against the G20 summit demonstrators by saying that they should have stayed home or they should not have been there, or that if they were swept up by the police, they should have nothing to worry about if they did nothing wrong. But that misses the point, he said. It misses the possibility that this was another example of the province and country sliding down a path of clamping down on citizens’ right to gather together and express views that may not be popular with the government of the day.
Kormos stressed again that a public inquiry is needed, not only for those demonstrators arrested and roughed up during the summit, but for those shop owners in Toronto that had their stores vandalized by a horde of hooligans with little apparent presence of police officers to prevent it.
Asked if there was any possibility a few hundred black-clad vandals were allowed to run wild to make the thousands of people there to demonstrate peacefully look badly, Kormos responded; “That’s why we need a public inquiry.”
Susan Pruyn agreed. “ We need a public inquiry for all of the people who went (to Toronto) with good intentions and who ended up suffering that weekend,” she said.
(Click on Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news on this and other matters of interest and concern to residents in our greater binational Niagara region.)
Niagara At Large 
Over one billion dollars of our tax dollars to oppress canadians. We officially belong to a third world country! What a disgrace to all proud canadian.
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I am CONTINUALLY astonished of the stories coming out that flagrantly display massive abuse, torture and complete DISREGARD of our constitutional rights!! PUBLIC INQUIRY!!
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How could large numbers of Canadians turn a blind eye to this terrible story and still cling to the opinion that authorities acted responsibly on that dreadful weekend – or, worse, that merely by being on the scene everyone present was “asking for it”?
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The more I read, the worse it gets. Scary.
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Please send this to Mike Williscraft,..mwilliscraft@grimsbylincolnnews.com.
Re Handwringing..collateral damage necessity editorial July 1. “Sorry but the greater good does not justify this and numerous other major mistreatments. Your Canada Day editorial was not about a Canada that many of us want”.
Richard Ring,
Grimsby,On
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What a horrible, disgusting story. This is absolutely inexcusable. Can someone submit this to the website http://www.g20justice.com so we can work on identifying the criminals who assaulted Mr. Pruyn ?
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John and I traveled to the detention centre on the same bus, and I’ve mentioned him several times when describing to various people how appalling the behaviour of the police and court services officers was on the weekend of the G20 Summit.
I have lost all respect for police and everyone associated with them. That no one within this ‘brotherhood’ speaks out against behaviour such as this is disgusting.
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As a U.S. citizen i was appalled to read what happened to this man. We heard nothing of this here in Texas. This is not the image we hold of our neighbors to the north. Quite the opposite. Stick to your guns.
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This is absolutely terrible. And to think most of the brain-dead public still think the police did a fantastic job with the billion-dollar budget!
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Don’t let this disgrace be forgotten. Good on Kormos for taking a hard stance in support of the Inquiry.
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Since the G-20 disgrace I no longer consider myself proud to be a Canadian. My Canada day was celebrated by an upturned Canadian Flag icon on my facebook profile with the statement, “Oh, Canada….”
That doesn’t mean I will stop assembling, stop rallying and stop protesting though; if anything it will push me further to do so. Canada and Harper in specific allowed an atrocious nightmare to unfold without any concern on their behalf and unfortunately for them, people finally have noticed and are not happy with it at all. His actions backfired.
One step closer to dissent within this country. An ugly event like this does not do much to promote peaceful protest, which it obviously condemned, but only armed struggle.
Go, Canada, Go.
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I am flabbergasted at what happened to Mr. Pruyn and many others too.
Please sign our petition. Yes we need an enquiry but I would like the Chief of Police fired for what his troops did to Mr. Pruyn and many others.
http://chiefblair.resignnow.ca/
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I am surprised this is not a front page headline in the national papers. This is shocking.
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@Mary:
I am not. The national media is owned by the corporations that run the government and the economy.
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Well, it seems the story just got far too big for the MSM to ignore. It even made its way to the National Post, July 6 edition:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/police+yanked+prosthetic+amputee/3243287/story.html
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Boosting the signal via Facebook. Maybe those who complain about young people more concerned with rights than with responsibilities will see someone with whom they empathize, and will think twice.
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As one of the police officers in this video notes, the G20 didn’t take place in Canada, so no rights violations occurred.
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These cops are nothing but punks….any excuse to use violence!!! Hey boys if your that tough why don’t you go defend Canada in the war…that will weed out who’s really a MAN !!!
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we can never allow this to happen again in our country.
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Absolutely horrifying! We need a citizen’s public inquiry with all religious and social advocacy groups participating.
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Thomas Jefferson ” When people fear the government that is dictatorship. When the government fears the people that is democracy” (in essence not verbatim) The people need to get out of the party system and elect independent members to fed. and prov. offices. It is then that we the people will again have control and freedom in Canada. Show your distress by flying the Ontario and Canadian flags upside down. Our ships of state are in distress.
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Just wondering what this guy’s “good intentions” were at the G-20 summit?
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Actually Mychelle, it doesn’t matter what his “intentions” were. Police brutality is against the law regardless of the victim’s prior actions.
They could have caught him in the middle of setting a police car on fire, and their actions still would have been illegal.
Why don’t people understand that?
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Disgusting. Shows how corrupt people can become when given too much authority.
Police are people too. So why do we give them misinformation and set them up for high egos. Ever officer who made an arrest should have to appear in court to substantiate it. Therefore it would hinder most false arrests. Regardless of who or what (G20) should not take away a Canadians Civil/Human Rights.
Sorry we payed a BILLION dollars for what?
So dignitaries can sit in a conference for 2 days and have the best security. Which was a HUGE oversight, as it probably created more public fear and rage then anything.
Police should have stayed in one position and left the protesters be. Unless they became physical, or violent.
The officers who had done this violent act to this Thorold man should be charged for excessive force, and probably many accounts of assault.
Even touching that man’s prosthetic should be an indictable offence. That was unacceptable, immature, immoral, and contrary to what Canada represents.
Our law enforcement should be hands free. Unless defending their safety or the safety of another. The law does physically react , so why does our police officers act in reference to it in such a physical manner.
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* The law does NOT physically react….so why does our law enforcement have to react physically.
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awful. just awful.
and those responsible will hide behind that shield of silence and never be punished.
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“gatherings of opposition to government policies won’t be tolerated.”
What did you expect?
Examine the factors…
1. A pile of dictators and thieves were in town for a powwow. They’re scared krapless by the decentralization of communications. They can no longer control the flow of info. More people are ignoring the MSM and turning to Interweb for their news.
These terrified dictators have no idea what they’re doing, because Keynes was entirely full of bran… every economist and every university teaching economics worships Keynes… and none of them have ever heard of Mises, Hayek, and the Austrian school of economics, which predicted the mess that is happening right now.
2. It takes a very insecure person to join a police gang, fly colors, carry a gun, and push people around for a living.
These police gangsters routinely ignore deadly gang members or let them go free, to justify their existence.
Instead, they go on SWAT raids of harmless, physically challenged, medical marijuana growers, whose worst crime is eating the entire bag of PC chocolate chunk cookies.
Now put ALL these insecure gangsters together.
Make them the largest, best-equipped gang in the nation.
When they become bored, write them a blank cheque behavior-wise.
3. Bring in a handful of vandals to justify this police expense.
4. Empty a couple of cruisers, roll the windows down, and let the vandals go, so the film crews have some “action” footage.
5. Vandals responded as predictably as insects to light.
Now tell me, did you truly expect the largest, best-equipped police gang in the country to abstain from precedent and NOT abuse their power, simply to alleviate their boredom?
Did you expect them to suddenly change their behavior patters and arrest and detain the very people they were brought in to control?
Of course not. Arresting harmless people is MUCH safer than arresting criminals.
Puleez think this through. There could be no other outcome… regardless of who was in charge. Even that limp-wristed Milquetoast Dolton McWimpy wouldn’t have been able to control “his” gang.
Oh, and contrary to what you see on liberal-written American television shows, a phone call after arrest is NOT a right in Canada.
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No one should ever be allowed to suspend our constitutional and charters rights …for Security reasons or any other reason. Rounding up of citizen and metal cage detention without lawyers is not part of Canada. This just shows how our democraty is fragile.
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I am pleased to hear concern over this … I was shocked at many of the comments from other Niagara sources, people thinking this was acceptable …
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What political party warned that Harper said he wanted armed soldiers on city streets? The public said the ads went too far. Really? The same ads said that Harper has a hidden agenda. Does anyone seriously doubt that now?
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The Canadian police reacted to a difficult situation the way they always do….incompetently. But trade unionists could take some responsibility for the hijacking of their demo by the Black Block. Where were the parade marshals during the acts of vandalism? All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for decent people to do nothing. Why did thousands of citizens passively watch a few dozen vandals act out? Shame covers everyone, not just our Keystone Kops.
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But what if, as many of us suspect, the so-called Black Bloc were actually police agents provocateurs (as has been proved at previous demonstrations)?
And in any case, whoever the Black Bloc were, it is no excuse whatsoever for this behavior against peaceful citizens by these police thugs.
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kerry, I am confused about why you think that ‘trade unionists could take some responsibility for the hijacking of their demo by the Black Block (sic). Where were the parade marshals (sic) suring the acts of vandalism?… Why did thousands of citizens passively watch a few dozen vandals act out?” My question to you: Wasn’t this the job of the police? Where were THEY? In fact, there are videos which show the police *watching* the black clad vandals break windows.
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@Mychelle Blackwood – what might your good intentions be in your use of quotation marks in questioning this man’s intentions? Have you reason to believe that he had something in mind that would warrant such savage treatment? If so, what is that reason and what possible intention could that have been? Where matters and consequences as important as these are at issue, Canadians deserve more than “in-quotes” innuendo.
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Can I say whatever I want and have it published as the truth? After all, what reason would I have to lie or exaggerate?
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This warrants extremely harsh punishment to be used against these officers and their superiors. This punishment should include the termination of their employment, beatings, and financial penalties.
Publish their names and addresses. Make them pay.
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I know that a huge proportion of cops are wonderful amazing people. I wonder how these good police feel about their fellow officers brutally assaulting and kidnapping innocent and peaceful citizens. Anyone else doing this would be considered a twisted and dangerous threat to society. Is it acceptable for a cop to use vague permissions to indulge their sadistic violent urges.
Not only does the system and the powerful people who manipulate it need to be adjusted, but so do the individuals… The leaders and the individual cops need to make amends to the innocent people they assaulted, and to the public at large who’s trust they damaged.
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I personally know Mr. Pruyn’s son, and I know that his father is a peaceful socially aware individual who was merely expressing his human right to speak out. This is especially appalling considering that not only was he arrested without his rights read to him or just cause, but also the fact that the man is an amputee. The more injustices I hear took place the more and more I’m ashamed to call this country my home.
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Mychelle Blackwood, I believe is the only person on this site with some common sense. I was at the G2o, unfortunate all the people on this site have little to no perception as to what goes on in the real world. The “intentions” were misplaced and the disability of persons such as this man was not being an amputee but the inability to listen to Police. Move on means move on. I have never been assaulted or treated savagely by Police. I believe this man knew the consequences of his actions and is getting the attention he desired from the few readers that have responded to his so called “savage treatment”. Give me a break, look at what goes on in the real world and open your eyes people.
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He was sitting on the ground and couldn’t move as fast as police wanted him to when he was told to move on – so they assaulted him.
Were you by any chance there as one of the security personnel, Tom?
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The area in which Mr. Pruyn and his daughter were located had been designated a free speech zone by the authorities, who advertised it as such. How is it, then, that his reported intention to support the exercise of free speech was, as you allege, misplaced when it was, in fact, placed exactly where the public were told to place it? And did you not read that he did try to “move on” when so directed? Those all seem like the actions of a compliant individual to me. As for your having “been there”, then you must have been witness to at least some of the many other incidents captured on video that, yes, do depict some violent property damage (not to be condoned, certainly), but also depict lots more in the way of peaceful demonstrations and extremely aggressive crowd control tactics. Thus, when you encourage us all to open our eyes and see what goes on in the real world, what exactly did your eyes see that day which was evidently sufficient for you to condone such violence against an older, physically impaired citizen whose apparent misapprehension was that he lives in a society that had guaranteed him a Charter right to freedom of expression
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Tom, please – you obviously know very little of civil rights or law in Canada.
As members of the service for which the public pays, the police are beholden to the people of this country, Furthermore, Queens Park is PUBLIC PROPERTY. Assembly in public property is not a crime, thus police cannot by ANY MEANS forcibly remove you for a lawful assembly.
why don’t you understand that?
what happened to you in life to make you forget that people live and die for the rights that were trampled by the police to the complacent acceptance of people like yourself.
I often research in areas of the world where our rights are a far cry, but for a few days i watched as Canada descended into a tin-pot single party dictatorship.
if you can argue that, then please buy a ticket to come with me on my next assignment and i will show you just how far Canada’s civil rights have slid.
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Perhaps much of the world does live and work like this, however these are certainly not the attitudes and practices that I want to build, nurture, nor encourage……especially for future generations. For many of us in Canada, though not all (pondering the experiences of First Nations peoples……healing we still must do), we have been able to live and speak freely; indeed, I’m sure this is why many have wished to call this country home. We only have to look at the world to see it over and over again that violence begets violence, and this includes all sorts of violence……and until we make a commitment to each other and the earth to live with compassion, indeed dare I say, see all as sacred, whole, holy, we will doom ourselves to repeat these patterns of behaviour.
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Hey, I was at the G20…on the ground as a reporter for MuskokaTODAY newspaper….and I was taken back, couldn’t believe my eyes.
My heart goes out to John.
The way the police acted was un-Canuckian way.
The olde timer, neighbour of mine, told me “they went too far.” He was a flyer in WW2 and he also said “What I fear most is a police state.”
He said this without me asking him for his views or knowing that I WAS THERE.
PS….John, you did well to go with the kids. And keep the faith!
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Government troll…
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Tom, I have concerns when somebody like you says this kind of thing … I seem to recall people going to war and dying for certain rights, such as the rights that were being exercised by the many thousands of people there that didn’t destroy anything and were nowhere near the perimeter. From what I read of this story and subsequent follow-ups is there was no intent to disobey the police or go somewhere they were not supposed to go. I recall there was some idiotic announcement about people being asked ID or get arrested if they were within five meters of the perimeter (which turned out to be a lie and only applied to the inside). These people were at Queen’s Park, the so-called “free speech” zone. I just need to know: were you one of the officers or security personnel there?
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Everytime I think I’ve encountered the most horrifying story about police brutality yet, something more disgusting is revealed. I am so sorry this happened and I am shocked and confused over the fact that so many Canadians refuse to acknowledge that this is NOT SANE! None of it. Not the stupid G20 meeting, and certainly not any of the abuses that came with it.
– Milena Placentile
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“Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law….”
this is the first line of the canadian charter of rights and freedoms.
in light of the g20 mess with it’s arbitrary arrests and no apparent due process it seems that the foundation of our country’s democratic process is now just a piece of ass wipe.
it sounds like a kinder, gentler police state is in the works.
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This is, unequivocally, a clear example of basic civil liberties being horrifically ignored. It is an unjustified act of violence against the already oppressed, period. I believe every single person deserves respect, period. That is the bottom line. It is our job as citizens to rally when this fails to happen. It is time to ensure we have local, national, and global politics and economics to ensure basic respect starts to happen. I am honoured to have John, Sue and Sarah as family members and I deeply proud of their peaceful political action in favour of democracy. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all who support this cause.
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Everyone knows protesters will show up at g8 and 20 summits. This is supposed to be democracy, so I think it would demonstrate some kind of democracy if the demonstrators were allowed to have their concerns and opinions heard out in a respectful and dignified manner. Then perhaps the atmosphere of strife would be dissipated a bit.
Also who thinks its a good idea to keep so many cops on hyper-vigilance by having them standing around for days beforehand for the most part doing nothing and getting bored? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
I was and still am hanging my head in shame and feel this is a black stain on our good name that will never go away.
Still this is not who we are, we as individuals are better and we must continue to shout and protest and never let this happen again!
For the first time in my life I am finding myself giving cops truly dirty filthy looks, but that’s all I can do for now.
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Absolutely disgusting. What’s worse is the people that I’ve told about this that just shrug their shoulders and say “he shouldn’t have been there”.
There are far too many apathetic, ignorant and selfish people in this country that just don’t care about police brutality as long as it’s not them eating the business end of a cop baton.
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@Tom Plummer – The area in which Mr. Pruyn and his daughter were located had been designated a free speech zone by the authorities, who advertised it as such. How is it, then, that his reported intention to support the exercise of free speech was, as you allege, misplaced when it was, in fact, placed exactly where the public were told to place it? And did you not read that he did try to “move on” when so directed? Those all seem like the actions of a compliant individual to me. As for your having “been there”, then you must have been witness to at least some of the many other incidents captured on video that, yes, do depict some violent property damage (not to be condoned, certainly), but also depict lots more in the way of peaceful demonstrations and extremely aggressive crowd control tactics. Thus, when you encourage us all to open our eyes and see what goes on in the real world, what exactly did your eyes see that day which was evidently sufficient for you to condone such violence against an older, physically impaired citizen whose apparent misapprehension was that he lives in a society that had guaranteed him a Charter right to freedom of expression?
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This was an appalling set of actions by police against an innocent gentleman -in a public space that was supposed to be safe.
The questions we should ask those who organized this event and managed it are , who committed these thuggish/police-state type of actions and who will make the perpetrators accountable ? And, is anyone safe in the future if they wish to protest government actions, or will we become a fearful group of Ontarians, afraid to exercise our democratic right of free speech.
The answers to these questions are particularly relevant given the assurances of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair that only if one was inside a ‘supposed’ 5 metre distance from the fences would one be at risk of search and seizure should one not identify oneself (not true). And also, prior to the G-20 we were told on CBC by a Police representative that the police had very good training ahead of time and that there would be “no excuse” for bad police behavior .
Perhaps the Toronto police force’s PR person meant Toronto police, who in the past managed a 250,000 person demonstration against Mike Harris at Queens Park with none of the bullying and extremely aggressive, unacceptable behavior exhibited in this case and others at the G-20.
He definitely didn’t mean the 7,000 person rally prior to that at Queens Park, where Provincial Police stormed down the Legislative building Halls and cracked their batons against the demonstrators who were trying to enter the building-hence knocking out 2 of Sarah Pauley’s teeth.
Meanwhile , blaming the victim/s as a few of the less thoughtful commentators in this space have done shows a complete lack of understanding of several key elements of the policing role , such as their mandate to protect not only the persons attending the G-20 event inside the barricades/fences, but also the public, who had the right of assembly to protest outside the barricades/fences; the right of people held in enclosures to communicate with family/friends of perhaps a lawyer; and the right not to be bullied , harassed, corralled , presumed guilty of other people’s crimes etc. etc.
All in all, this one event where Mr. Pruyn victimized was a horrid exhibit of policing, one for which the perpetrators should be found and punished. Otherwise all police will be unduly blamed, the bullies among them will continue this kind of behavior against innocent people at future events, and and we, the public will have lost our innocent belief that the police are there to protect us in a free and democratic society.
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@Tom Plummer
So you believe that because YOU never had alterations with the police, everyone else is just making things up? Are you really that stupid Tom?
“I have never been assaulted or treated savagely by Police” Well then Tom, you have probably never stood up for yourself either, grow a pair and come back.
To others who were treated unfairly, I’m sorry to hear that things got that bad, I have never been so disgusted by the authorities. Protect and Serve who? I keep hearing all these horrible stories, and wonder WHEN is someone going to do somthing about it?
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MPP, Peter Kormos, is a good man you want to have on your side. I hope he takes this all the way to “the top” and Mr. Pruyn is compensated for the humiliation and cruel injustice he suffered. Please let us know if his Prosthesis was damaged and if we can be of any help.
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When are you slaves going to learn not to question the actions of our Zionist masters? This is what you get and what you deserve for not behaving like good slaves. You have no rights save what the masters grant you. You do have the right to scream when the masters goons knock your teeth out. You have the right to beg when your head is smashed. Otherwise, remember you place and remember that the police are thugs, enforcers for the masters!
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This is why people are shooting cops! they are worse than the criminals anymore.
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Join the Facebook group Canadians Demanding a Public Inquiry into Toronto G20
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=135629036463012
We are currently 47,000 strong and growing hourly.
What happened that weekend in Toronto must never be allowed to happen again.
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I was not in Toronto yet I am appalled by what happened there. There is a thin line between “policemen seen as protectors” and “policemen seen as aggressors” and democracies do lose big when the switch between 1 and 2 occurs. The legitimacy of the state is at stake, not a small thing. Repairing that kind of damage may take decades (it took France a long time, if ever, to forget the slogan “CRS=SS”* after the turbulent fifties and sixties).
Because modern states do handle an almost infinite number of tasks, it is easy to forget the foundation, the raison d’être of the state. It was and still is these indissoluble pairs: internal and external security, police/justice and military forces. You might consider the rest as fringe benefits that are possible ONLY because the first two functions function. Failing either one and you have a failed state. There is no exception.
This is why the legitimacy of police operations is so important and I am alarmed by the recent events in Toronto. Until now, only Quebec had the dubious privilege to have tasted ill-designed large scale police operations. For those old enough, it was when Trudeau panicked and declared the War Measures Act in order to squash a presumed “state of insurrection” in Quebec. In fact, the so-called “state of insurrection” consisted in less than a dozen of FLQ rebels. For that handful, Trudeau sent the army and about 500 persons were arrested without lasting charges.
To give you an idea of the disproportion of this action, it is common today to have ordinary police operations that will catch 50 or 100 gang members in one strike. You can imagine that catching a dozen of rebels would have been well within the capacity of the normal police. But Trudeau wanted to be remembered as the saviour of Canadian unity and took the risk to further alienate Quebec by this incredibly brutal measure. Yet, in a sense, he succeeded: English Canada still sees him as a kind of elegant saviour. I am sorry to disagree.
I do not know what pay-off Harper and the heads of Toronto police expected by such a brutal squashing of demonstrators but I certainly hope it will backfire. Using police or army for personal political gain remains one of the most despicable practices of the political world because it is a stealthy form of corruption. Yes, using the power of the state for personal gain IS corruption, no less than using public money for same.
Michel Virard
Montréal
* CRS=”Compagnies républicaines de sécurité”, or national police)
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This gets darker and darker.
Cannot trust the cops anymore.
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I wonder — is THAT the SAME Tom Plummer who blogs that the “Jews Got What They Deserved at Auschwitz”?
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Wake up and smell the future:
Before the rise of fascism, Germany and Italy were, on paper, liberal democracies. Fascism did not swoop down on these nations as if from another planet. To the contrary, fascist dictatorship was the result of political and economic changes these nations underwent while they were still democratic. In both these countries, economic power became so utterly concentrated that the bulk of all economic activity fell under the control of a handful of men. Economic power, when sufficiently vast, becomes by its very nature political power. The political power of big business supported fascism in Italy and Germany.
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1128-24.htm
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I’m so sorry to hear that the abuse we’re all too familiar with down here has migrated.
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I have no bias whatsoever for or against police and have always found them to be remarkably polite and professional when receiving my annual speeding ticket from them.
But let’s stop for a moment and consider the consequences had, God forbid, something unfortunate happened to one of the G20 leaders whilst in Canada.
Would you all be complaining of police brutality and overkill then? Or would your argument be how could this happen – not enough security, poor police training, insufficient planning and preparation, not enough money spent on security, or government and ploice incompetence?
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That is an utterly idiotic argument.
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Well I guess you told her. And you backed up your convincing logic with sources too.
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quite possibly stupidest argument ever.
what do you do when hundreds of thousands starve daily because of the actions of these G20?
we certainly don’t suspend civil rights in the name of the poor and starving.
so why suspend civil rights for the leaders?
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Ah Ryan, it appears logical fallacies are your forte.
Your first line, like the idiotic Adam Smith above you, is an example of rgumentum ad hominem (argument directed at the person). Attacking the person who has stated an idea, rather than the idea itself. It shows you as an intellectual weakling.
Your second line is an example of the logical fallacy argumentum ad misericordiam (argument or appeal to pity).
Hundreds of thousands of Kanuks are NOT starving because of the money spent to secure the G20 puppet dictators. Typing so makes you dishonest.
And as the discussion is about, bringing in the poor and starving living elsewhere is another logical fallacy known as red herring.
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If it’s such a risk to the leaders, Cathy, then maybe they should hold the next meeting in Antarctica.
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To me, this is a moot issue as this had not occurred, but instead those officers outside the perimeter were busy picking up people who had nothing to do with the Black Bloc; yet on the Saturday when the Black Bloc did their damage and attack on the downtown of Toronto, none of the videos shown, regardless of who took them, show a single officer in sight! I am questioning why 19,000 officers were all brought to the G20, supposedly to prevent trouble and when trouble did start with the few breakaway vandals, none of the 19,000 officers came to help. I learned through media sources that police officers were told NOT to intervene against the Black Bloc and to hold back … this makes me wonder WHO made that order and whether there were political reasons behind it.
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These actions are a copy/paste of what the West demands of their puppets. The West uses puppet dictators’ to do this to the poor the countries to keep them under the thumb.
What’ goes around comes around’.
Can’t you fools see that your evil is closing in on you from all sides?
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I’m not saying this didn’t happen but just find it very very very strange with all the cameras, camcorders and cellphones this incident wasn’t recorded by anyone. Hmmm? I’d love to see the video of what really happened.
If it really happened then it certainly has been recorded.
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Check this out, then. Perhaps it might help:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/police+yanked+prosthetic+amputee/3243287/story.html
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Welcome to the New World Order …
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Unreal. I cant get over how much money went into that!!!! when there are familes starving, schools in need of money, and thats what our tax dollars are going toward!!! I have lost so much faith in our country. I know two people who were arrested in a peaceful protest and there were treated like POWs. I thought our country was above that?! this isnt 1949, when no one really knew any better. this is 2010. years and years of people fighting for civil rights. “oh well this isn’t Canada, so your rights don’t matter” GIVE ME A BREAK!! thats the biggest bunch of bullsh*t I’ve ever heard. I think every single person who was accosted and beaten, verbally and physcially, has every right to SUE THE CITY!!!! this cannot go unnoticed, unpunished, there are countless “police officers” who should be having their badges removed and thrown in jail for causing physical harm to everyone who was arrested.
I cannot believe this is the country where my son is growing up. This is supposed to be a safe and wonderful free country, and look what you’ve done to it! you should all be ashamed of yourselves! how do you sleep at night?!
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And they say that the dictator is Chavez in Venezuela.
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Just to inform everyone who has commented on this article and are appalled at the events of the G20 there are going to be rallies all across the country on the 17th of July. Niagara Region will be holding one in St. Catharines at Montebello Park at 1 pm. If their is anyone interested in volunteering or for more information please contact Mikki Caplan via MikkiZaplan@gmail.com, or phone at (905)933-6244. You could also reatch Chris Taylor via taylorcj_25@hotmail.com or call 905-341-3086
Thanks Chris Taylor
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Thanks Chris. I might be there.
What concerns me as well as the “undue” force of the police officers is the results of the G20 summit, now promising big cuts for everybody …
I guess the poor and the middle class mean nothing to these leaders, esp since we are footing the bill for this nonsense.
Our low-income members need more opportunities as well as assistance to get out of poverty, not more entrapment and desperation.
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Canadian police, like their confreres worldwide, are selected for authoritarian, aggressive and other forceful proclivities. That’s a given. Our police forces, generally, should not have the right to call themselves a ‘service.’ It is noteworthy that the seemingly disorganized and inept conduct of police in Toronto reflects their lack of practice in more brutal ways. I do know whereof I speak: In communist Yugoslavia, once, I was treated to ‘traffic’ cops carrying sub-machine guns, acting like power-tripping thugs. Let’s hope that our Canadian police forces are forced back into line – the democratic line of a free country – and that the shame of the 2010 G20 in Toronto is never repeated.
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Now you Canadians are seeing what we (so-called) “free” Americans have been putting up with for many years. When cops are called “pigs” it is really abuse of the reputation of these poor animals. Pigs have a lot more class and decency than these cops.
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Ha HAAAA arrogant Idiots!
Welcome to reality
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Be thankful that there is a representative like Peter Kormos who always has and always will stand up and fight the good fight. He’s totally Canadian, but not too polite to call it as it is. Inquiry required! You need to support Kormos in Ontario! The incidents related here are inexcusable and are not indicative of the Canadian personalty. How horrid to be seen in this light by the world.
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Having been through the experience of Quebec City in April 2001 and knowing what happened in Seattle in 1999 the abhorent actions of the police in Toronto during the G20 Summit neither shocked nor surprised me. I expected them and do not see them merely as a consequence of having Harper in power. After all the Liberals were in power during the events in Quebec City. The same Liberals, as noted by others here, were responsible for the War Measures Act in 1970.
What was on display in Toronto was the iron fist of the Canadian state. Accordingly the best argument for demanding a full public inquiry is that a full public inquiry might open the eyes of everyone to what to expect from the Canadian state when it is challenged. It might even expose the extent of police infiltration of the Black Bloc.
In the meantime we should have been demanding all along the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested.
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The churches need to condemn this action by the police as well. They are on tv speaking about every other subject.
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People should go to the GreenPeace site and see what they are doing in the Alberta Tar Sands it is rediculous. We are giving it away to other state companies will letting the privaters in here and they are the only ones making money and having any quality of life. The local communities are decimated along with the environment. And if we raise a stink about it on any sort of serious level Harper will send the Troops in that was the purpose of this demonstration on Police Power. Everything that happened in pre ww2 Germany is happening here. I say NEVER AGAIN!
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This is like writing on the bathroom walls. I wonder where this web-ste is located, check out the time on your comment.
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Good eye, Joe-based on my location in the MDT zone and the time my first comment was posted, this server is located somewhere in W. Africa-
http://www.worldtimezone.com/wtz013.php
Sure does make a person wonder…
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I wonder where all the extra “police” came from for the G20? Were their backgrounds checked as to suitability for the job? Or were they just a bunch of heavies with security experience and no real knowledge of appropriate behaviour towards other human beings? Seems to me a lot of self-important sadists crept into the mix!
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Why? did the police do nothing against the Anarchists who stood out like a sore thumb dressed in black and roving at will,many armed with bats, and could have been pulled out,they were allowed free rein, to do their thing destroy and fire bomb, but they the police go after lawful demonstrators, against poverty ,pollution, global warming , the coppers in England grab the soccer louts who look for any excuse to raise hell,and our police behave like neanderthals whats wrong with this scenario.?
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I also wonder what, if anything, happened to those anarchists who torched the police cars? The police are always happy enough to use tasers against people like the poor jetlagged guy in Vancouver airport. Could they not have tasered the black clothed anarchists and ripped off their masks? Or did they know who they were, like the guys with the rocks at Montebello?
I really think we are owed some answers when innocent people are brutalised and people who are an actual threat are not apprehended.
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This is an incredibly terrible story, though frankly I’m not surprised to hear it. This is what happens when the working class puts even a little pressure on the elites.
Doug Draper should be commended. His journalism on this issue has been the best, most thoughtful, and most accurate in the Region.
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And so we wail, grind our teeth, and bemoan the fact that they (police) abused some of us – – and do nothing! Reclaim our Common Law rights. Open a Common Law Court where the Jury is the “judge and jury”. Place the local sheriff (shire reeve) on the bench as the controller of the court decorum and bring these ‘powers’ to the court of the free people for judgment of their peers.
ghutton@3web.com
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Finally someone gets it! It’s a Harper idea! I don’t even care about the Conservatives; it’s the Dishonourable Stephen J Harper we should include in the charges and lawsuits. Yes, an inquiry is required. But look into who it was that organized that multi-city police officer regime. Who would press for security for international VIPs? Who knows what the PMO does?
Don’t let the blame fall just on cops or just on the premier. Every level of government failed us and should be held accountable. After all, somebody said they were going to provide accountability and transparency when they took power…
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Everywhere this G20 summit goes the people suffer. Look to London where Ian Tomlinson, a fella walking home was attacked by police. They killed him! Instead of having this big show why dont they be more discreet. 1 billion dollars!?!
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Who allows this kind of crap to be published?
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When I was a young idealist, just got detained
I didn’t know what G20 policing was all about
Harper wanted a humanitarian agenda, McGuinty, a 5 meter stand back perimeter, Blair, a fool like me
It didn’t take me long to learn “They went to far”
Miller told me I brought it to “Our City”
Council votes a “Thank you” to police for clubbing advocates of change
But the people voice a need for an independent review
It didn’t take me long to learn the colour of caballing politicians
Trumpeted by Harper as anti-frugal banquet for political mavens
Politicians coined us for that billion of loonies
They promised that one day we’d all feel great
Egad they banqueted well but me I’m shackled in Eastern Avenue detention cell
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on me
Thanks B B King for the original lyrics
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I am not presuming the guilt of Toronto police,
but I definitely want a public inquiry, to try
to prevent future problems. I have never
been able to find out why FBI sent Toronto
Police Service Fugitive Extradition Services to look for me regarding “a series of
murders”. I can’t find a trace of any murders.
The usual channels haven’t helped explain
my incident. I am glad John Pruyn’s case
has the attention of the media and his MP !
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As editor/publisher of Toronto Street News I have learned to expect this action from Toronto police.
I was stopped for fake R.I.D.E. exercises 11 times in 14 months with a lot of other people.
I was asked: “Where are you going?” “Where are you coming from?” and “What is your business there?”
I sent this to international website: rense.com which referred this site to his many millions of readers.
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I am slightly heartened by the numbers of outraged voices that have spoken out against the terrible injustice of multiple police actions at the G20. I have encountered much apathy and indifference to the issues that are being raised on this page. It is crucial that we understand just what has happened and how the civil rights of all Canadians were ignored when passive protesters and innocent people were taken into custody and treated as criminals without any recourse but to submit. This is not democracy, it is a police state and if we as citizens become accustomed to this type of suspension of our rights, pretty soon we will have none and the elite corporate powers will have succeeded in their agenda.
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And everyone in jail is innocent too. I am so tired of the “I didn’t do anything and then they arrested me.” They arrested a large number of people but didn’t lay charges or they would all still be in a makeshift jail awaiting trial. Can you imagine the *outrage!* at the money spent on that? The people arrested were kept in jail to keep them out of trouble. Pure and simple. The area was closed of due to looting and people went to rubber neck or cause trouble. You ended up in jail. Now you know better for next time. Every sob story has another side and I take this man’s story with a grain of salt. Oh but I forgot – everything we read on the internet is true.
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Evidently, for you personally, things have not yet deteriorated enough to generate any outrage on your part. Well and good. However, with enough other Canadians out there sharing similarly complacent attitudes, things soon will.
Welcome to a new world of incrementally increasing “austerity measures” that aren’t about to pass you, your friends and you family by. And, when those measures finally reach a point where anyone within your circle seeks to cry “unfair” or “enough”, you might re-think your support for landing the likes of them in jail to keep them out of trouble.
You won’t agree with this now, I know. Later might be a different story. Good luck until then.
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While I understand the use of this “poor, abused” man’s story as a method to pull at the heart strings, please also see it for what it is. An attempt to make us feel sorry for a person who was in the midst of breaking the law.
Breaking the law is breaking the law. There can be no grey area otherwise who will decide where to draw the line in the sand?
That area of Toronto was shut down. The news, radio, newspapers and even the internet informed THE ENTIRE WORLD not to go into that area as it was being shut down in order to try and control the rioting/looting. Even Toronto transit shut down in an effort to keep people out of the area.
But people chose to ignore the warnings and pleas because it was their “right” to assemble. Not at that time it wasn’t. The area was closed to the public in order for the police to try and bring a dangerous situation under control.
People made a choice to go to that area. They also knew that they could be held accountable for their actions. They made an irresponsible choice and were arrested for it. Consequence to choice.
Yes, 99.9% of the people arrested were in fact let go. They were let go because it would have cost us millions more in man hours AND monies to house/feed/pay for public defenders and go to trial for each and every single one of these people. By Canadian law they could have all been charged with Criminal Trespass. They got a “get out of jail free” card. Not a “We are sorry you didn’t do anything wrong have a nice day” card.
No emotions involved. They broke the law and were detained. Just as we would expect for any other criminal.
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@Jennifer Mars – You present yourself as having authoritative knowledge in some pretty demanding areas (i.e., the laws applying to the situation and individuals in this article, the charges of which you have summarily pronounced them guilty, the reasons those charges were never laid and, ultimately, why they were let go). If all that is the result of professional expertise, scholarly research and first-hand exposure to the evidence on your part, then far it be it from me to challenge you on it – depite a persistent desire to do so, anyway.
Unfortunately, there are simply too many inaccuracies/inconsistencies and too much misinformation in most of your arguments for me to take you for either an expert or an eyewitness. But I will be glad to retract some of that criticism in the event I am, in fact, mistaken on those counts.
For one thing, Queens Park is public property which offers ongoing and open access to pedestrians, cyclists and visitors. As it is a property of the citizens of Ontario, a charge of criminal trespass might be problematic to lay against someone who, by virtue of being a citizen of Ontario, could be said to have a shared ownership interest in it. But you might know better.
As for claiming that a protesting presence there was otherwise unlawful, that simply doesn’t align with the authorities’ designation of that area as a “free speech” zone, a designation that evidently had the predictable effect of attracting those intent on exercising their Charter rights of free expression (which, by the way, provides for citizens to voice their dissent with any level of government and any government policy). So, it was, in fact, by the authorities’ own design that the crowds in question came to be where Mr. Pruyn and his family were.
In fact, according to prolific video evidence and even more prolific eyewitness accounts, the initial behaviour of the police there reinforced those official assurances that Queens Park was an approved venue for protest and demonstration. Then, seemingly without warning or explanation and allegedly in response to isolated and spontaneous instances of vandalism many blocks away, the demeanour of the police did a complete about-face as they then – I repeat, only then – began to treat the area and the assembly as restricted and unlawful, respectively.
To date there has been precious little evidence brought forward of any reasonably audible announcement or explanation to the crowd of that material change, a lapse that could have only invited mass confusion and, thus, great difficulty in achieving compliance. And this despite those forces’ access to extremely expensive sound cannons that, we were told, would be used as loudspeakers for effective mass communication purposes.
So, contrary to your argument, the city was not shut down nor was the area in question officially quarantined when the Pruyns made their way or stationed themselves there. Simply claiming those to be the case will not make them so, nor will it find much in the way of empirical support – unless you have access to official sources that have yet to be cited.
I could debate your points at even greater length; and I do respect your right to an opinion. However, both time and life are a tad too short for me to belabour this exchange here and now. And I am somewhat afeared that doing otherwise might tempt me to address what I find to be a shockingly mean-spirited attitude on your part, which is a path I’d much rather leave untouched. In all likelihood, that part would prove unnecessary, anyway, since I think you have done far more to make that case against you on your own for the audience here.
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All those who go out in public to protest government actions are nothing more than uneducated scumbags who deserve to be executed. LAW AND ORDER MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL COSTS, even if it means giving up civil liberties, liberty that is used by left wing trash to cause trouble where none exists.
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Dear Bill – North Korea’s “Dear Leader” just called: he wants his brain back. Your rental of it is past due.
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Dear Bill McClure,
You read like some kind of extremist. Bad for the world at large, but good for this site. You make it more interesting. Such antediluvian views! Do please post more. I need someone, anyone, to laugh at besides myself.
The best to you,
Bill Hogg
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Tell me Mr. McClure,
If the cost of maintaining law and order were your wife and children…would you still be willing to pay it?
Pay attention to Mr. McClure children. He has been trained. He actually believes that giving up his civil liberties is a good thing.
Maybe when his liberties are completely gone he will understand.
But I doubt it.
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Bill.
I wonder if you’re familiar with a crazy little document called the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? You may want to check it out sometime….the first four fundamental rights might be a good place to start…..
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Hello Jeremy Campbell,
I tried submitting the story to the website that you posted but my computer had trouble with the email link on the site. May I submit it somewhere else?
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http://bit.ly/deh4Op 14:45 “I know some people dont like it.. it is a loss of national sovereignty. But it is a simple reality”
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I was with John Pruyn in cage A5. He may remember me, I insisted that he speak with a journalist.
get serious about the inquiry.
–Addison Comeau
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as the sister of an above the knee amputee I know how hard it is for them to get up from the ground. Especially if there is any type of incline as well. The behavior of the police in this matter is atrocious!!!! To remove His walking canes is bad enough but to take His prosthesis off is unheard of. It takes hours to put a prosthesis onto the stump with a couple of times pulling it on with a special sock for it to form to the prosthesis and pull it further into the prosthetic. These officers should be fired for what they did to this poor Man. The embarrassment and discomfort as well as the lack of mobility they caused should be paid for by the city as well. I hope He sues the pants off the city as well as the paralyzed Man that was left to wet Himself. Appalling!!!!!!!
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In the early days of trade union protest parade marshals were appointed to ensure that anarcho-syndicalists didn’t hijack the message. The black bloc doesn’t seem to have an articulated message. They most closely resemble Europe’s football hooligans. When I mentioned the lack of effective parade marshals and the passivity of the onlookers when the acts of vandalism were occurring in an earlier comment, Adam Smith brought up the possibility that the Bloc were under-cover police. Adam Smith also slapped down Cathy Sterling for suggesting that some police presence is necessary at G-20 meetings and called her idiotic. This prompts me to do some blog marshaling. Adam Smith is a delusional space cadet and if he were on the right-wing of the political continuum he would spend his time worrying about black helicopters. Moreover this blog spot desperately needs to be cross-pollinated by individuals who are not clinically paranoiac. Cathy is right to point out some cops are human and many are sincere trade union members.
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Is it surprising that the police of a country that tasers immigrants to death for not speaking English would act like this?
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The bureaucrats continue getting paid while
people in Thorold are outraged. After my
problem with Toronto police, I contacted Toronto
tourist board and told them why I won’t vacation
in Toronto. If some of you believe an injustice
occurred, perhaps you might consider similar
action. Sorry to say that, otherwise, city of
Toronto probably doesn’t care about you or
your rights.
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This is the Harper Agenda and it is happening as we speak right now, in the senate budget implementation
The Canadian Fire Sale
Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 16:00
I know many conscious Canadians often lose sight of the trees while keeping their views on the forrest as a whole… and for that reason, I wrote up a few quick summaries of recent very important Canadian developments reported in the National Post, Globe and Mail, and Fraser Institute monthly which it will do well to be aware of. I’m not yet certain what connection these huge intentions play with Harper’s stopping Parliament until May 3, but I’m sure they are not disconnected. I will be putting together a more extensive report in the coming weeks.
-Matt
THE CANADIAN FIRE SALE
The Globe and Mail has featured several major pieces this week featuring major dismantling at the remaining foundations of Canadian sovereignty. Primarily: the Pension crisis, Selling off of public works, and health care… The logic being hinged always upon the increasing deficit which rates at 24.7 billion in Ontario, and the Federal deficit is 50-60 billion (and TD report said next year would be 90 billion)-VERIFY. These reports are extra important because they destroy the mythology which most canadians have been sold by the media (Canada is in great financial shape- it’s everyone else who have problems).
The means at which emergency revenues are being proposed currently:
1-Firesale of Crown Corporations.
2-Firesale of Nuclear Reactor Technology
3-Privatization of Pensions
4-Health Care Cuts (only Fraser institute reference so far)
5-Carbon Tax
Players: Ontario PM Dalton McGuinty, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan
Revenue is being proposed by selling off the major Ontario Crown Corporations, in One of 2 ways:
1- In piecemeal form, bit by bit or
2- by lumping them all together as a super-corporation and selling that
Dwight Duncan recommends that consolidation all into a parent corporation and selling a 20% private stake, whereby the government will still have a controlling hand… which is of course bullshit. The Globe and Mail reports that the Investment bankers HE hired say that this option would be unexceptable as it is a weak stock market valuation, and that private investors will only put money in something where the government is not in the drivers’ seat (its all or nothing it seems).
McGuinty: “We’ve got a responsibility to take a look at all of our assets to make sure that we’re getting the best bang for the buck, and especially now in the context of a global recession and a significant deficit”
Ontario Crown Jewels being pushed for sale:
Ontario Power Generation- supplies electricity province wide
$6.4 billion revenue- 2008
$88 million profit- 2008
12,000 employees
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp- Runs casinos, and lotteries
$6.1 billion revenues- 2008
$1.7 billion profit
XXX employees
Hydro One-province wide power transmission
$4.6 billion revenue 2008
$498 million profit 2008
5,032 employees
Liquor Control Board- Monopoly on sale of spirits and wine
$4.3 billion revenue 2008
$1.4 billion profit 2008
3.462 employees
The two Investment banks were hired by Ontario Government to study the sales:
A: CIBC World Markets and Goldman Sachs
**Get a list and mini bio of the past crown corporations sold (ie: Air Canada, Petro Canada, Teleglobe)
Two Competing buyers:
OMERS, and OTPP
“Who knows what the process will be, but obviously OMERS will certainly look at the assets for sure,” says Paul Renaud, president and chief executive of OMERS Private Equity.
“It’s on our home soil, and our home province, and the quality of the assets, the size of the assets are unique. For an investor with a long term asset like teachers this is a good fit.”-Erol Uzumeri, head of Teachers’ Private Capital, (the private equity arm of the OTPP)
Who is against this shit (potential allies):
AGAINST: Rod Sheppard, president of the Society of Energy Professionals
ON SELLING CANDU TECHNOLOGY:
Is Harper pro-Nuclear as everyone seems to think? Well, he’s tryin hard to sell it to foreign buyers… what does that tell you?
Harper confirmed he is calling for bids on the reactor wing of Atomic Energy fo Canada Ltd. Experts fear that this will leave the country “They’re going to be selling Canadian know-how and intellectual property to a foreign bidder at bargain basement prices”- Geoff Regan, Halifax Liberal MP, “We’re concerned that this is effectifely Canada’s new Avro Arrow”.
HEALTH CARE
Globe and Mail article by Robert Carrick: Higher Taxes or Fewer Services: Something’s got to give
DBRS Ltd Health Care costs represent 30-40% of provincial budgets, and costs rise between 5-7% annually. This is accompanied by the Frasier Institute report on Health Care reform I had read recently…
“Given tax increases would certainly hinder the province’s economic recovery, Ontarians should instead begin contemplating reductions in government spending. And there’s no better place to start than health care.”
The article goes on to suggest bringing in partial-private insurance (since people wont overuse scarce medical resources when they pay for it themselves).
Then it suggests cutting funding to clinics, and setting up a ‘pay per client’ basis, which will devastate all smaller hospitals and clinics who dont get a ton of patients. They say this should allow for more “competition”… ie: the walmart logic to eat up “uncompetitive” small businesses in any area a behemoth is installed.
It ends with a final note: “But those reductions in spending need not reduce the quality of public services. Indeed, the level of misallocated and wasted resources in health care is high enought to allow the province to substantially reduce spending through sensible health care reform while actually improving access to health care.”
ON PENSIONS:
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says he’ll leave “all options” for pension reform at the Whitehorse meeting. The main object being discussed is a “supplementary private pension plan” system, over and above Canada-Quebec pension plans. BC and Alberta have apparently been blazing the path for this reform. HOW SO!
More on this soon.
-Matthew Ehret
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Want rights in Canada? Become a corporation.
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You are a corporation! It is just you do not know it. Anything that is in ‘your name’ and is in all capitals it the corporation the state has made of you. Check the drivers license.
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I am very encouraged by most of the comments on this story. I thank Joe Colangelo for drawing attention to the series of Globe and Mail articles.
What is happening to this country isn’t news. It has been going on for a long time. Those of us trying to draw attention to it (such as the Council of Canadians, of which I’m a proud member) are accused by some of being part of some sort of “conspiracy” of the left. What is the matter with you folks that you can’t see what is in front of your own noses? Who has the power? Who has the money? Who is curtailing freedom of expression? I’m sorry to disillusion you, Jennifer Mars, but the “law” that you accuse John of “breaking” was not in force in Queen’s Park. The ones “breaking the law” were the police — which is why we need a full and independent public inquiry to find out who gave them those orders, and why. It isn’t pity that John’s story ought to evoke: it’s outrage. Do you really mean to argue that it is acceptable to you that tax-payers have to foot the bill to the tune of well over $1.2 billion and counting (and just wait for the final tally from the Auditor General) while the centre of Canada’s largest city is vacated…all for the convenience of 20 self-appointed “leaders” of the world to get together so that they could give us all the news that their version of the status quo is going to continue, ad infinitum, ad nauseum? We’re all going into a period of drastic austerity, while they intend to do nothing to change the rules of the game — THEIR game, merely gave us notice that they intend to do it all over again, with the knowledge that we’ll all be such compliant sheep that we’ll bail them out again, too — with our tax dollars.
I have known the Pruyns for years, as thoughtful, intelligent, and compassionate people of real integrity. Why were they in Toronto on June 26? For the same reason that I was there, and thousands of others. Because we care about the future of this country and the planet. Because we (quite rightly) do not trust this “alternative world government” to give a damn about climate change or any of the many threats to the peoples and species that share this planet — or anything else that does not assure the continued dominance of big banks and financial institutions and multinational corporate power. Because we value our increasingly fragile democracy.
Yes, it’s always sensible idea to withhold judgement until you have evidence. Distrust John’s story if you will, but I hope you will be equally skeptical about the rhetoric of your governments. Power does NOT make right.
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I can’t believe the Ombudsman is getting involved at this stage of the game. Usually they are the persons of last resort so I guess that means the powers that be have not responded properely to even the request for an inquest by the Police Services Board and Int Affairs.
Karen Howlett
Toronto — Globe and Mail Update
Published on Friday, Jul. 09, 2010 10:45AM EDT
Last updated on Friday, Jul. 09, 2010 7:03PM EDT
.Ombudsman André Marin announced on Friday that his office is launching an investigation into sweeping new powers for police secretly approved by the McGuinty government.
The controversial rules allowed police to question and potentially arrest anyone near the security zone for the G20 summit in Toronto who refused to produce identification or be searched.
Mr. Marin said his office will probe the origin and subsequent communication of the sweeping changes to civil liberties in downtown Toronto, passed by the province prior to the June 26-27 G20 summit.
His office has received 22 complaints relating to the G20, including several alleging that a lack of transparency and public communication about the regulation led to an atmosphere of secrecy and confusion and contributed to violations of civil liberties.
“The complaints we’ve received so far raise serious concerns about this regulation and the way it was communicated, and I think there is a very strong public interest in finding out exactly what happened and how that affected the rest of the events of the G20 weekend,” Mr. Marin said in a news release.
In his first comments to the media this week about the regulation, Premier Dalton McGuinty acknowledged that his government could have done a better job to clear up confusion surrounding it.
His government has come under criticism from civil liberties experts and opposition members for failing to tell people that their rights had changed.
New Democratic Party justice critic has said: “This law was not only passed in secret, it was kept secret.”
The law was approved June 2 through an order-in-council, with no debate in the legislature. The regulatory amendment was quietly posted June 16 on the government’s e-laws website. It came to light only after a York University student was held for five hours on June 25 for refusing to show identification near the security fence.
Mr. Marin said his office expects to complete its investigation within 90 days.
He is inviting anyone who has a complaint or relevant information to call 1-800-263-1830 during business hours or complete an online complaint form at http://www.ombudsman.on.ca
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I hope the Pruyns and others who were caught in this nightmare of a civil rights violation intend to sue … BIG TIME! This is over and above the public inquiry that should be done yesterday on this massive civil rights attack on Canadians … the whole argument about we shouldn’t have been there? Well, what WERE we supposed to do? Sit at home and go on bended knees and praise the world leaders for what they are about to do to us?
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Glad this blog is still alive. Keep it on the front burner (page), right?!
Here is something that’s been rattling around in my noggin….Nothing new, just a different form.
Label me a G20 protestor, eh
That’s okay with me
Label me what you want
It ain’t going to rattle me
What me and others are doing
Is advocating change
Change for the better
At least in our eyes
Now it’s okay to lobby
Politicians think it’s the way to go
Just getting another perspective
Before legislative changes are made
But me, I get G20 clubbing
For lobbying for human rights
Others get shackled and worst
For voicing civil liberties or just being there
So Politician tell me this
What you got to be scared of
You listen politely to lobbyists
But me lobbying you protest
You talk a good line come election
Mentioning accountability and transparency
But prefer to fence yourself in with mavens
Then muddle up who’s in control of G20 policing
Jumbling up who’s on first base is a con
It’s just your way of trying to obfuscate
About what was in store for protestors
But you set the tone for a police like state
Ordinary people protesting, advocating
And yes lobbying for change
The policing you concocted to marshal fear
Won’t trump the voice of change from the street
The brute muscle put into G20 policing
Has exposed you for what you are
It’s not the Canadian way, plain and simple
People blogging are laying it bare
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Dear Bill, I think you watch too much Fox news and those people like Glen Beck, those people suffer from paranioa and bi-polar disease try another T.V news station and come back to the real world.best of luck.
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Thankfully there are few responses on this site that reflect the silent majority. Good for you Ms. Mars. For that I am glad to be Canadian. Unfortunately, sometimes we are forced to respond to the utter stupidity and lack of insight that some individuals have into the real world. Simply put for those that think they speak for the majority of Canadians, you don’t. If you don’t believe in this country and all that it holds, leave. The majority of ‘us’ get somewhat angered by the blind leading the blind, individuals that think they are educated and cultured people, yet have no experience in what happens in the real world. Some individuals can only write about the inequality and abuses that go on in the world and yet have never experienced it. Many individuals read about the inequality and abuses that occur then make uneducated comments about incidents that have not occurred. Yet many more twist these incidents to suit their own individual goals. The persons on this blog that place letters after their name are an example, are you looking for respect? Some insignificant recognition from a group of individuals that have nothing good to offer to society, except to feed your own vanity. Individuals that have found `success` in the real world would never place letters after their name in order to garner some respect from such a small group of narrow minded people.
There are some simple beliefs that represent the majority; don’t disrupt our life by pushing your beliefs on us, don’t protest beliefs that represent nobody in our neighbourhood, this so called victim does not need a cash settlement for something that he initiated but our tax dollars will most certainly go to him for no reason, the Police disrupt our lives by giving us tickets but thank God they protect our families from harm and are there when we need them, Kormos has found a platform to possibly get re-elected or moved up in the Goverment, our tax dollars were wasted due to the minority of people that cause the rest of us grief and more tax dollars will be wasted due to the continued banter from persons with no real happiness in lives. Protest HST and I might become one of the minority that gets their butt kicked for not listening to Police.
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So we are to take it that you’d object to Mr. Pruyn’s alleged treatment (for which there is some supporting photographic evidence, by the way) if he were protesting the HST instead of the G20. Interesting set of priorities.
But it’s heartening to read that, like Mr. Pruyn’s family, there could be some government actions against which you might be willing to rise up in protest. You might diverge on the “listening to police” part (the Pruyns insist they did listen and were trying to comply with them, whereas you might be in line for a butt-kicking for not doing likewise); but at least there appears to be the basis for some common ground among you.
That’s a start, at least.
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Really? You are OK with this version of Canada? A place where innocent citizens and journalists are beaten, brutalized and detained? I really do think the majority of literate Canadians are not just disappointed with the state of our nation and the actions of it’s leaders but thoroughly disgusted. Our laws and constitution were broken by the very people who are supposed to be in charge of protecting us and our rights. The actions taken by the police in Toronto cannot be justified and it is our duty as Canadians to make sure that the people responsible are held to account. Harper, McGuinty, and every club swinging, pepper spraying, illegally searching, seizing and bullying cop should be arrested and made to answer for their actions. They’d better hope they aren’t detained in the same cells they forced people into during the G20 summit.
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Am I on the right track ? :
1) Police either broke the law or they didn’t,
by their treament of Johny Pruyn.
If they did, charges should be laid.
2)John Pruyn either broke the law or he
didn’t – by protesting when he did, at
Queen’s Park. If he broke the law,
charges should be laid.
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Your on one track…consice summary. The other track is “follow the money”. But the ultimate is to track civil liberties, right?!
For John to persue his case in the courts will take money from his pocket…also emotional energy.
For the police, they will drop any charges against him.Yes, they have the money to go the distance but what will be gained. Nothing but it will stir but negative press….they just want it to ALL go away.
The big picture is to have a public inquiry and get the facts out in the open about the political intentions and police actions and the like. Then press charges, if that is John’s wish.
Taking John’s case to Court and others like it, one by one, is nickle and dime-ing the real issue…..civil liberties.
That’s the ulitimate one that needs to be tracked….because no police state is wanted in Canada or even get a foot hold!
A public inquiry will go some way to restoring the confidence in a Canada, Strong and Free.
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To Aaron Clair,
Firstly, your comment that “the majority of literate Canadians are not just disappointed with the state of our nation and the actions of it’s (sic) leaders but thoroughly disgusted” would seem to be in sharp contrast with an actual poll conducted recently by Harris-Decima (www.ctv.ca), which indicates that most Canadians ARE OK with this version of Canada. Of course, perhaps only illiterate Canadians were polled.
Speaking of literacy, I find your comments offensive, particulalry when your own writing is itself littered with numerous spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. That’s rich! I suggest you get back to school immediately, where you just might learn that simply because someone thinks differently than you doesn’t mean they’re illiterate. People in glass houses…
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I wouldn’t necessarily conclude from the poll results you’ve cited that “most Canadians ARE OK” with the version of their country Aaron described.
Having paid close attention to the mainstream media coverage before, during and after the G20 weekend, I’m comfortable in saying that what the mass audience was fed by the time of that poll was a very different version, indeed. It was chock full of exactly the same, misleadingly labeled “live”, video snippets of vandalism, some barely 5 seconds in length, looped repeatedly, while various talking heads alternated between rehashing the property damage and speculating about what might be happening inside the leaders’ fortress.
No surprise, then, that this unanimously adhered to format succeeded in persuading a majority of viewers that the streets were awash in non-stop violence which, but for the legions protecting the perimeter, would have readily imperilled the leaders. Small wonder, then, that those same viewers, with only that frame of reference to go by, would be primed for a forceful Act II – which they got in spades, hence those early and supportive poll results.
A parallel online poll conducted by the CBC also echoed those results at first; but, by the time the votes broke through the 3,000 mark, sentiments had reversed themselves handily, showing some three-quarters of respondents saying they did NOT approve of the measures taken. However, that reversal occurred over time, as a deluge of eyewitness coverage began to surface from a welter of alternative sources, such as this one, finding its way, eventually, into some of the mainstream media.
In other words, there is some evidence that, as audiences became more media-literate, a good many of their opinions were susceptible to considerable change. Therefore, if the kind of literacy Aaron intended was media literacy – whereby viewers would be more aware of, and on guard against, the kind of psychological conditioning to which the networks’ inital coverage exposed them – then he might, indeed, be onto something that the odd typo/grammatical lapse would not disprove.
However, your “glass houses” reminder remains a good one for us all to bear in mind. Thanks.
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Aaaaaarrrrhhhhh,
I am a us truckdriver and i used to go to canada and i thought canada was great. i stopped that about 2 years ago. too much government up there.
you canadians are so frickin naive. you are on the governments’ tit and think every story has a happy ending. you canadians think you are so independant up there, but where would you be without all your government programs?
ask yourself this question: In the US and Canada, Why do most Police Look Like SkinHeads??? Because they are….
Governments bring in police from other places so the police dont care, it isnt there jurisdiction. that’s what they did with katrina.
Please look at the many many inconsistencies of 9/11. Watch “Loose Change, 2nd edition” just once all the way thru.
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and i could rant on about one more thing.
I used to think the “Fema Camps” were bogus.
after reading about this that the cops did to people who obviously were no threat to the G-20 elite.
I am not so sure. maybe there is some truth that the govt has something in store.
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Tom Millar, thanks for that explanation. I
hope there will be a public inquiry because
this matter pertains to the general public,
not just one citizen.
(By the way, I apologize for my
previous typo in spelling “John Pruyn”.)
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D.Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address..” In the councils of government, we must guard against the aquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted!” This still holds true today..
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I surprised this didn’t happen earlier. Unfortunately, John is a victim of a massive autocratic coordinated effort between the government and the police department to eliminate any possibility of harassment and embarrassment caused by any potential protesters. In John’s case the police did not use common sense. These people are trained to recognize aggressive behaviour. John is a very meek individual. What in heaven’s name happened? In a totalitarian state the rights of a few even though a citizen of the state, can be vetoed at any time. So wakeup Canada, if anyone thinks we are in a democracy here, they are sadly mistaken. We have been surrounded by many of these autocratic organizations for years. We have been brainwashed since the 60’s that we are peacemakers in the eyes of other countries and we hold sacred to uphold the rights of the individual. LOL! The government will defend that image at any cost, especially at the expense of a regular citizen in this country. John is a victim in this case. This case will probably fall on deaf ears because this is an extreme embarrassment to our country. It is the people who are the peacemakers, not the law enforcement. We need a massive movement/rally orchestrated by many individuals who desire justice for this meek individual if proper justice is to be served on this autocratic organization.
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As an Englishman I have always seen Canada as being all the good, that the US judicial system is bad – This story has jolted me heavily – I pray it is a one off, obviously all law abiding people are shocked by instances of police brutality and abuse of personal and civil rights. This is a loud wake up call for the Canadian Government.
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David Chappelle.
Don’t you realize by back up the facetious argument of ‘what if a terrorist attack really did happen’ you indulge yourself to the same indecency of the police and those ignorant enough to employ fear mongering.
You try to disassemble my argument. But all you have really managed to show is that you believe waste of money in north America is isolated from greater global suffering of the poor.
Its funny how globalization is great when you can afford your computer, trade stocks online and such…but for you to be too ignorant to understand that connect with the world outside your own is absurd.
well done.
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I had Napanee Opp officer Scott Semple force his way into my home after being asked for a warrant. I broke no laws but was tasered, charged and put in jail. His statement was full of inconsistencies and bullshit(as he had to now cover his ass) and with no trial, all charges were dismissed. Although he is a disgrace to mankind, he fits in with the organization quite well. If anyone has had problems with this officer or any others, I urge you to make complaints.
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