G20

Next weekend Toronto descends into controlled chaos as the G20 world leaders arrive to ... well, we're not sure what they're going to do but it will likely involve a lot of talking... something I'm sure they had to do in person.... in downtown Toronto. I'm pretty sure it was the most logical place to meet.

In fact, the build-up to the meeting only proves that downtown Toronto was the most illogical choice for the meeting. Not that Harper cares one wit. The fence around downtown Toronto is up. Cell phones are ready to be jammed. Fake lakes have been built to highlight the best things about Ontario (which is clearly our fake lakes and Muskoka chairs...) While sitting around the fake lake, reporters will be wined and dined at no cost to them. Garbage cans, bus shelters, and mail boxes and anything that might hinder cops beating down protesters have been removed. Now, trees are being removed because protesters might rip them out and rush the meetings with a tree... Speaking of protesters, sound cannons have been bought and laid beside the normal tasers, tear gas and billy clubs. In light of this, businesses are shutting down. UofT has decided to close its doors and move all the students out of the area, including dorm students. Baseball games are cancelled, CN Tower closed, shows cancelled, festivals pushed out or in danger, epic gridlock, etc... etc...

I tell you, this all seems perfectly sane.

Except, it doesn't. And all at the price tag of an estimated $2 billion dollars which, for some reason, is far more than any other summit and is being called "the most expensive three days in Canada's history".

All for what? To market Canada? To show we have money to spend? To talk about economics and climate change while taking Lear jets and consuming mass amounts of just about everything possible? As some have said, G20 has never been more than "a really expensive dinner party".

I would love to get down there and check it out but to get inside the security gates I need a good reason... How does, "Because I'm paying for it" sound?