Canada’s government came under heavy criticism from opposition leaders on Wednesday after announcing the country will spend nearly C$1 billion (US$939 million) on security for the G8 and G20 summits next month.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Ottawa has budgeted up to C$930 million. He also said hosting the two summits back-to-back is unprecedented.
Canada is hosting the G20 economic summit on June 26 and June 27 in Toronto.
The G8 summit will be held in Huntsville, Ontario on June 25.
Opposition parties in Canada decried the cost.
“Canada is on the world stage. Let’s have a good show, but for heaven’s sake let’s get your budget under control,” opposition Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said. “The numbers are off the scales.”
Public Safety spokesman Christopher McCluskey said it will represent the largest deployment of security personnel for a major event in Canadian history.
He said Ignatieff’s comments betrayed a lack of understanding as to the reality of providing security for world leaders.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police sergeant Leo Monbourquette declined to say how many officers will be deployed, but thousands are expected.
A massive temporary facility is being built in Huntsville and officers will be housed in hotels in Toronto.
Canada’s Conservative government had planned to host both summits in Huntsville, but the G20 venue was changed to Toronto, Canada’s largest city, after concerns surfaced that the smaller town and surrounding area could not provide all the resources needed for such a major event.
The costs of providing security in two locations is much greater.
It is expected to be higher than the C$900 million the government estimates it spent on security during the 17-day Vancouver Winter Olympics.
“I wonder if the minister would accept there’s a degree of incompetence, a degree of a happen hazard approach to the planning for these summits that explains why you have such a high cost and cost overrun,” opposition Liberal lawmaker Bob Rae said in parliament.
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