Posted on 08/17/2007 5:11:30 PM PDT by fanfan
While protesters will be barred from the grounds of the "three amigos" summit next week, the American and Mexican presidents and their host -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- can watch them on a video feed piped into the resort where they're meeting.
The audio-video protest plan by summit organizers -- not the RCMP -- is aimed at compliance with a court ruling that protesters have the right "to be seen and heard," Mr. Harper's officials said yesterday.
Officials did not respond to a request to cite a specific ruling. But a four-year inquiry by Saskatchewan Judge Ted Hughes into the RCMP's pepper-spraying, strip searches and other bad treatment of protesters at the 1997 APEC summit in Vancouver concluded RCMP must provide generous opportunity for protesters "to see and be seen."
Alan Borovoy, general counsel to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said the provision of a large space to protesters and broadcasting their activities to the summit leaders represents "significant progress" compared to some previous events involving mass protests.
"Whether it's adequate is the question," Mr. Borovoy said. "What protesters need to do is generate an atmosphere of political tension ... create the most conspicuous event possible," and that may certainly get lost in a video transmission.
Meera Karunananthan, media officer for the Council of Canadians, one of the major protest groups, said the video plan was news to her.
"This highlights part of the problem with this process," she said. "There has been no public consultation, no parliamentary debate in any of our three countries. Now leaders are going to see opposition to the SPP (security and prosperity partnership) in a video feed? Who knows how meaningful it will be and how much we're able to communicate through a video feed."
Montreal RCMP Cpl. Sylvain L'Hereux said the RCMP is not providing protest film to the summit leaders. He also said the RCMP is hoping for peaceful protests only, but "we're ready" if anything happens. The right to demonstrate is enshrined in the Charter, he said. "We need to protect that right."
One of the issues protesters have seized on is the possibility of exporting Canadian water to the U.S. A spokeswoman for the prime minister emphasized no such issue is on the table. "It's not up for discussion, it's not on the agenda, it's not happening."
Oh Canada!
That may be the silliest thing I've heard all week and I've been involved in much silliness this week
Marcus Aurelius: “The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”
Precisely!
Protesters have “a right” to be seen and heard? ROTLFMAO! That’s Commie stuff and more proof that doing recreational drugs is not good for you. WHO, may I ask, guarantees this “right?” Surely not the girlyman protesters who are too cowardly to fight for their own freedom.
Not unlike the MSM trumpeting the Moonbat gatherings of 2 or more, as if the entire country hates Bush.....
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