Get Used to #G20 Talk, It Will Go On For Years (2015 - minimum)

I dreaded the G20 coming to Toronto. I knew it was going to be ugly and that feeling grew considerably with the announcement of increased police powers, passed secretly, right before the summit. I actually started this group on Facebook before Saturday's riot by the black bloc or Sunday's riot by police - it was partially because I had a bad feeling about how things were going to go, and partially because I felt that Toronto had to clarify the way we do things here. We welcome large events, international or otherwise but security does not get to run the show, particularly outside the venue. An army of police with powers that don't conform to the Charter simply don't fly here. If you really feel that is necessary - have your event somewhere else. I hear North Korea is looking for a tourism boost.

A recent Vancouver Sun article serves as a reminder that other events are on the horizon and that police and governments must be brought to heel. According to the article a poll found that people feel the G20 prepared Toronto for the Pan Am Games. The G20 certainly did not prepare Toronto for the Pan Am Games but it did serve as a wake up call that legal and political changes have to happen by 2015.

First there will be law suits and inquiries. There are a multitude of law suits under way by people who's rights were violated and or who were injured during the G20. The Toronto Police Services Board is also conducting an inquiry as is the Toronto Ombudsman. We will also have a impartial, judicial inquiry at the Federal level and likely at the provincial level too eventually. I cannot imagine what all the lawsuits and inquiries will cost government and police departments at various levels, and I really don't care. It will all be worth it in the end. As much truth as possible needs to be exposed in this case.

Beyond things happening in courts and hearing rooms though things must be done at the political level:

Locally David Miller is not running again, so that change is automatic. We must though unseat as many as possible of the City Councilors who voted for this. We also need local laws that would make it impossible, or at least clearly and plainly illegal, for the Toronto Police to participate in the sorts of activities we saw during the G20.

Provincially Dalton McGuinty must go. After Harris and Eaves he was good for awhile, but his cancellation of public transit funds for Toronto, approval of the HST combined with his approval of secret police powers, his complicity in deceiving the public about them and his refusal to accept any responsibility for his actions are clear indications that he has been in power too long. The provincial Liberal Party could, in theory, find a replacement for him before the next election otherwise expect a strong resurgence for the NDP - most do not want to see the Conservatives return to power but Dalton McGuinty is not longer an acceptable alternative.

Federally we have our work cut out for us. Stephen Harper has to go and many activities of his government need to be investigated, including the G20. The Liberal Party though currently has no leader, or if it does I can't remember his name - every time something happens that requires public comment he vanishes and lets other members of the party do the talking. This is presumably done so that he can echo popular statements and distance himself from unpopular ones but that is not what a leader does. A leader has a clear sense of right and wrong, a clear sense of the direction the country needs to take and doesn't shy away from articulating that vision. The Liberals don't have anyone like that at the moment. So it may take two or three elections to get to where we need to be.

To everyone whining about the fact that people are still talking about the G20 - get used to it. Yes the meeting of the G20 in Toronto is over but the response to it is just getting started. When people say G20 they are not talking only about that specific meeting, it is becoming code for something much larger, and possibly permanent.