Posted on 08/19/2007 6:02:08 AM PDT by Clive
Small town braces for protest
Montebello businesses make plans to weather storm of demonstrations
By ALAN FINDLAY, NATIONAL BUREAU
MONTEBELLO, QUE. -- This small, southwestern Quebec village of 1,110 people is bracing itself for a storm of police, protesters and television cameras for the next three days.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon will be huddling behind the fenced-in Chateau Montebello tomorrow and Tuesday for an annual summit that has drawn the ire of protesters across the continent.
Across Notre Dame St. from the meeting, merchants and residents are prepared for the worst as police and demonstrators pour into town.
Dominique Joly plans to close up his hunting and fishing shop for a few days, but he'll be sleeping inside with a gas mask and bulletproof vest nearby in case some protests turn violent.
"For a few days, the world stops when Mr. Bush is around," said Joly, with a shrug of the shoulders. "This is my life, I put my life into it."
He's already stinging from the cost of protesters slapping up anti-summit stickers along the street, including one on his new, $1,500 La Cabane a Jo sign.
Other shopkeepers are following suit by closing up shop, while several are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Boutique owner Estelle Lavoie is one of them. Truth be told, Lavoie said, she's sympathetic to the issues of the people arriving by the busload to denounce the North American Leaders' Summit as an undemocratic, closed-door meeting.
"It's not what's happening in the village that bothers me," said Lavoie. "It's what's on the other side of the fence that bothers me."
Guy St. Jean will have a front-row seat to all the action. His home's front step overlooks the Chateau Montebello's front gates and his chair is already in place.
"I'll be watching," he said.
Looking at the upside of the brewing excitement, St. Jean hopes the media attention will boost the village's tourism.
"It's free publicity for the town."
Let the demonstrators drive there from their homes south of 60.
And let them try to find accomodation for large numbers of people.
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Rilly? Do you feel the hoi polloi shouldn't be around when their hash is being settled by the big dogs?
NAU Ping.
Many of the demonstators are staunch conservatives who care about the sovereignty of the United States, not about secret meetings taking place to usurp it.
bump!!!
I have no time for any protesters that act like jackasses, no matter what their political affiliation.
I feel the same about the politicians who are commandeering this.
NAU bttt
You’re welcome :0)
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