Protestors at Bush-Harper-Calderone Gabfest

by Barry ORegan | August 17, 2007 at 05:46 am

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Opinion

Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Protestors and Presidents alike will undoubtedly enjoy scenic Montebello, Quebec as Canada's Prime Minister Harper hosts what the media are calling "The Three Amigios Summit", Montebello Quebec, a scant hour and a half drive from the Nations Capital is a tiny Hamlet with 65,000 acres of Beautiful Mountains, Lakes and abundant wildlife will most likely double in population.

The Chateau Montebello which boasts the largest Log constructed Castle in the world will host the 3 amigos summit, Canada's Prime Minister Harper, The United States President Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderone will most certainly take advantage of the on site Golf Course, one of the best in the world.

Security staff searching for Camped out Protestors will be interesting, as the ajoining nature preserve in which visitors are warned to drive through with their cars windows rolled up should know it is home to more eagles, bears, wolves, buffalo, cougars, Elk than you can count, let us hope the Protestors know not to camp there as the extremely aggressive predators like the hundereds of bears and wolves and cougars are not afraid of humans as visitors contrary to park regulations would throw food out the car windows to attract the animals to photograph. The predators will most likely not be too happy with campers, though they will enjoy the chase and the coolers of food.

A 3-km fence is up and police forces are gathering as protesters bus, bike, drive and march toward a normally quiet West Quebec resort.

Inside the fence at Chateau Montebello, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will play host to U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Bracing for what is being called the "Three Amigos Summit," Ottawa and Gatineau police, the OPP, Surete du Quebec and the RCMP are all teaming up to ward off trouble in Ottawa and the meeting site, 80 km away.

Adding a truly Canadian flavour, police and government officials have designated two sanctioned sites outside the fenced compound where demonstrators can air their beefs. A closed-circuit camera and television will allow the leaders to flick on live images of the action from the comfort of their meetings.

Police officials are keeping relatively quiet about preparations and the number of officers at their disposal, but are vowing to keep a lid on protesters who compromise public safety or security at the summit.

"We are ready to face any eventualities," said RCMP Cpl. Sylvain L'Heureux. "The closer we get to the weekend, the more presence people are going to see around the chateau."

PEACEFUL PROMISE

Estimates of more than a thousand demonstrators, including peaceful family groups, anti-war activists from the U.S. and more aggressive activists, are expected to descend on the nation's capital and Montebello when events heat up Sunday.

A central organizing coalition called Stop the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership) stresses that the peaceful demonstrations will focus on public education.

But at least one "anti-capitalist" group from Montreal is vowing to disrupt the summit however it can.

Two Ottawa activists have already been arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer after a downtown demo last Saturday.

A spokesman for the People's Global Action Bloc, which organized last weekend's protest outside the Chateau Laurier, said the event was peaceful. He pointed the finger at police aggression.

'SCARE PEOPLE AWAY'

"The police are mobilizing to scare people away," said Federico Carvajal.

"People are seeing through that and organizing with more conviction."

The demonstrations largely focus on the Security and Prosperity Partnership, established in 2005 when Paul Martin was prime minister. Opponents condemn the partnership as a secretive, undemocratic way to negotiate trade, security and regulatory issues without public input.

Stoking the fires is the fact that a select group of corporate executives is advising the three leaders.

"It's like letting the fox into the henhouse," said anti-poverty activist Bill Clennett, best known for being on the end of former PM Jean Chretien's chokehold in 1996.

The first major demonstration, organized by the Outaouais Ottawa Stop the SPP Committee, will take place in Ottawa Sunday afternoon.