I live in Toronto...
I am assuming the great majority of you who come by this blog know this tidbit about me, Toronto is not my favorite city in the world but it's my hometown, my pride, and well where I learnt to be me.
This weekend Toronto was the HOST to the G20! Just in case you live in a manhole and aren't sure what that means. G20= the Group of 20, 20 of the leading monetary nations of the world. These are countries who are or are becoming power houses in their own rights, leading their countries into great economic wealth.
OK so be it. Well, with this great event comes controversy, why not... there are still a ton of poor people in the world, there are countries who do not give women the right to their own physical bodies, children dying of Malaria, Small Pox, and the common cold. The Hungry, the homeless, the jobless, the education-less... and the list goes on. But Freedom to be, say, do, act, work, live is really the biggest issue at hand. All protesters, educators, politicians at hand will agree, everyone wants the same thing to do and be what they want with the freedom to do so under their own personal constraints without consequences rendered by other parties.
So, my little city (I think it's little I am aware it's not that small) was taken by the politicians and the people who felt they needed to be heard. What happened was not what anyone anticipated.., definitely not us citizens of this calm, financial, over-bearing city. Riots occurred this weekend... RIOTS! Seriously!
Other than a few ethnic clashes during soccer matches, never had police had to find their ways into stomping, pushing, arresting people as they did over this weekend. I think the presence of such magnitude of police visual presence created a fear within some that was unprecedented, some thought it was too much, some wanted to protest the fact that the police were out protecting. Well a bunch of police cars burnt down, stores destroyed, hooligans throwing, cursing, arrested. We had it all... it was shameful!
I will not politicize my blog... I just want you to know on behalf of Torontonians, it was not a proud moment any of the displays that went on. We are deeply saddened at what image was presented of our city to the rest of the world.
This is a quiet cosmopolitan city, this is actually a highly complacent hub of Canada. Banks, Fashion, Insurance and Big Business is what we do here, very quiet on the political front and very lackadaisical on the protesting. The chaos that happened was not Torontonian... it came from all over the world and clashed in our backyard.
I am assuming the great majority of you who come by this blog know this tidbit about me, Toronto is not my favorite city in the world but it's my hometown, my pride, and well where I learnt to be me.
This weekend Toronto was the HOST to the G20! Just in case you live in a manhole and aren't sure what that means. G20= the Group of 20, 20 of the leading monetary nations of the world. These are countries who are or are becoming power houses in their own rights, leading their countries into great economic wealth.
OK so be it. Well, with this great event comes controversy, why not... there are still a ton of poor people in the world, there are countries who do not give women the right to their own physical bodies, children dying of Malaria, Small Pox, and the common cold. The Hungry, the homeless, the jobless, the education-less... and the list goes on. But Freedom to be, say, do, act, work, live is really the biggest issue at hand. All protesters, educators, politicians at hand will agree, everyone wants the same thing to do and be what they want with the freedom to do so under their own personal constraints without consequences rendered by other parties.
So, my little city (I think it's little I am aware it's not that small) was taken by the politicians and the people who felt they needed to be heard. What happened was not what anyone anticipated.., definitely not us citizens of this calm, financial, over-bearing city. Riots occurred this weekend... RIOTS! Seriously!
Other than a few ethnic clashes during soccer matches, never had police had to find their ways into stomping, pushing, arresting people as they did over this weekend. I think the presence of such magnitude of police visual presence created a fear within some that was unprecedented, some thought it was too much, some wanted to protest the fact that the police were out protecting. Well a bunch of police cars burnt down, stores destroyed, hooligans throwing, cursing, arrested. We had it all... it was shameful!
I will not politicize my blog... I just want you to know on behalf of Torontonians, it was not a proud moment any of the displays that went on. We are deeply saddened at what image was presented of our city to the rest of the world.
This is a quiet cosmopolitan city, this is actually a highly complacent hub of Canada. Banks, Fashion, Insurance and Big Business is what we do here, very quiet on the political front and very lackadaisical on the protesting. The chaos that happened was not Torontonian... it came from all over the world and clashed in our backyard.
Cheers!~
*** Picture from The Toronto Star Blog, click on image to see further more images from protests****
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