Just last week, in reference to the soaring costs associated with the G8/G20 summit, Public Security Minister Vic Toews admitted “the costs are quite simply very expensive” and said “the question then becomes are these types of meetings necessary?” (May 27, 2010, Canwest News)
This week, Prime Minister Harper sounds quite content to be spending more than $1 billion of Canadians’ money on a 72-hour meeting. Yesterday in Question Period, the Prime Minister made apples-to-oranges comparisons to justify the runaway spending:
“As for the costs associated with the G8 and G20 summits, of course everyone would like those costs to be lower, but we will be hosting more delegates at those summits than we did athletes at the Olympic Games. That is the reality. The risks associated with security are higher, and we are determined to protect our guests.” (Hansard, June 1, 2010)
Upon closer scrutiny, the Prime Minister’s attempt to mask his government’s incompetence doesn’t hold water.
The Vancouver Olympics and Paralympic Games did, indeed, have fewer athletes (3,100) than the expected 10,000 G8/G20 delegates (a number that includes their entourages). A more honest comparison would recognize that Olympic organizers spent $930 million on security to keep some 1.6 million people – including heads of state, coaches, officials, tourists, and spectators – safe and secure over 17 days for the Olympic Games and 9 days for the Paralympic Games at nine venues, compared to three days of G8/G20 meetings.
A close look at the attendance figures and Treasury board estimate costs for other comparable summits organized by Liberal governments shows just how out of whack $1 billion for security is:
• The 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City drew more delegates (16,000) and heads of state (34) than are expected at the G8/G20, but security cost only $35 million.
• The 1997 APEC Summit in Vancouver attracted roughly half the number of delegates as expected at the G8/G20, but the total security tab was only $26 million.
• Finally, security for the 2002 G8 summit in Kananaskis cost $190 million.
