Ontario NDP statement on G20 Summit
QUEEN’S PARK – Statement by Ontario NDP Justice Critic Peter Kormos on events surrounding this past weekend’s G20 Summit in Toronto:
“First, New Democrats want to condemn in the strongest possible manner the violence and unlawful conduct that was perpetrated by a small group of reckless hoodlums on Saturday. Their actions were uncalled for and these individuals should be prosecuted under the full extent of the law.
Those isolated acts aside, we have significant concern about how the peaceful demonstrations were handled and managed. There are serious concerns about whether fundamental rights and freedoms were respected over the weekend and in the lead-up to the summit. We need a clear and full explanation of what happened and why it happened.
More than a billion dollars of public money was spent on the G20 and G8 summits. We were told that most of this money was for security purposes. Given what transpired, it is reasonable to ask how the money was spent and whether it was indeed well spent. That’s why we’re calling for a public inquiry to examine all events from the past 72 hours and the planning leading up to the summits. The inquiry must provide a formal mechanism for individual citizens to share their stories so that what happened in Toronto never happens again anywhere in Ontario or Canada.
In closing, we urge the Federal Government to do the right thing and offer direct compensation to the downtown Toronto businesses and their workers who suffered economic loss as a result of the G20 Summit and any actions connected to it.â€
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