The vandalism that occurred during the G20 conference in Toronto was appalling. My wife and I lived in Toronto for about 10 years. It's a beautiful city. I literally wept to see the wanton destruction of stores, police vehicles, and more. Apparently some vandals came up out of the sewers to vent their rage. (Ironic, that!)
Are these idiots Canadians? If so, their criminal behaviour is even more disgraceful. We live in the greatest country on earth. If you hate it that much, leave.
The police should be commended. For the most part, they showed courage and calm determination. Assigned the task of protecting the delegates and keeping the venues safe, they did so successfully. Were they on occasion too aggressive? Or not aggressive enough? Possibly. But we all know there will be critics either way. Given their mandate, they did well.
Legitimate dissent was hindered. While I do not agree with every cause represented by the thousands there to protest, they had a perfect right to make their views known. The destructive behaviour of a few diverted attention from those who wanted to speak to a particular cause. That is most unfortunate.
We must not succumb to terrorists. Whatever conclusions are reached with regard to future events, we must not refuse to hold them simply because they attract a few violent thugs. The recent Olympics saw similar destruction, though on a smaller
Measuring the impact of the conference will take time. Important issues were discussed, and a working agreement was reached on a number of them. Will this consensus translate into practical action in the countries in attendance? Time will tell. But targets have been set. And our prime minister provided effective leadership. I realize this conclusion will depend somewhat on one's political stripe, but within the limits of what such gatherings accomplish, he did us proud.
Other arrangements may be possible. Considering our country's financial constraints, the billion dollar price tag is high. Are there less expensive ways to accomplish the same thing? Some point out present technology would enable delegates to stay home and connect from there. But there are subtle benefits to one-on-one meetings in the flesh. Friendships develop that make future negotiations easier. All in all, it seems worthwhile to do as they did.
Hindsight is easy. It is always easier to look back and say what should have been done. In time, careful analysis may reveal improvements that can be made. But planners did not have the benefit of so clear a picture. With its reported 10,000 delegates, this was an international conference of unprecedented size, and scope.
Predicting the future is more difficult. Looking ahead to future events is not as simple as looking back. The G20 conferences seem to grow exponentially. Do they need to assemble so many delegates? Will future meetings involve fewer? Or more still? The opposition parties no doubt will be carping about the details, proclaiming what they would do instead. But if their time comes, we shall see.
- Robert Cottrill is a retired Baptist minister. He and his wife life in Lashburn.
