2010-05-26
Security costs for the G8 and G20 summits, which are being billed as the biggest security events in Canadian history, are expected to increase fivefold over original estimates and reach almost $1 billion.
A spokeswoman for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews acknowledged Tuesday that the federal government has budgeted up to $930 million — a dramatic increase over the $179 million set aside in the March budget.
Christine Csversko said the costs are based on a “medium-level threat assessment,” and she cautioned that the final bill will not be known until the summits are over.
“The scope and magnitude of the security operations associated with hosting two major summits back to back is unprecedented — representing the largest deployment of security personnel for a major event in Canadian history,” Csversko wrote in an e-mail.
“As hosts of the G-8 and G-20 summits we will be prepared to respond to any possible situation or threat. And we will take all measures necessary to ensure Canadians, delegates and international visitors remain safe.”
Her comments followed revelations, in spending estimates tabled Tuesday in Parliament, that the federal government had revised its spending estimates to $833 million, with the majority of the money going to the RCMP.
Since then, the federal government has budgeted $100 million more for security.
The G20 will be held June 26 and 27 in Toronto, and the community of Huntsville, Ont., will host the G8 on June 25 and 26. U.S. President Barack Obama, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be among the world leaders to attend.
The security detail will include more than 10,000 police officers, private guards and soldiers, intelligence analysts, aerial surveillance, motorcades of up to 50 vehicles, expansive three-metre-high security fences erected around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville and airport-style security checks within wide security perimeters.
Canada was originally supposed to host only the G8 in Huntsville, but the federal government opted to expand the summit to include G20 leaders after it became clear that the larger organization was the dominant one for dealing with the world financial crisis and other economic priorities.
The anticipated security cost is expected to rival the amount estimated to have been spent on security for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, a two-week event that included thousands of participants from around the globe.
The budgeted summit security bill is more than triple the approximately $300 million spent on the two-day G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., in 2002.
Kevin Gaudet, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says that spending on the 2010 summits is money down the drain at a time when Canada is struggling with a major deficit.
“It’s a gabfest for politicians to flap their gums at one another and feel good about it, and it’s a huge waste of cash,” he said, calculating the security bill for three days at about $3,600 per second.
Gaudet said “there is no shortage” of other opportunities for leaders to get together because “there just seems to be a junket a week.”
The government should spend the $1 billion on paying down the deficit and hold a video conference for world leaders and bankers instead, he said.
The federal spending estimates show that the RCMP will command the greatest amount. In addition to the $179 million provided in the federal budget, the Mounties seek an additional $321.5 million, Public Safety will get another $262.6 million and National Defence will receive an extra $63.1 million.
The estimates said the extra funding will be used to “design, plan, coordinate and implement security operations,” provide accommodations for the RCMP and its security partners, ensure the safety of all “Internationally Protected Persons” and procure information technology and portable communications.