Canadian taxpayers foot hefty bill to protect Bush during speaking tour

[JBoy]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tab-for-mounties-to-protect-bush-expected-to-exceed-500000/article1302501/

Keeping George W. Bush safe on the Canadian speaking circuit is on track to cost the RCMP more than half-a-million dollars this year, as taxpayers foot the bill regardless of whether they buy a ticket to any of the former U.S. president's exclusive events.

Mr. Bush is following the lucrative path of his predecessor, Bill Clinton, making big money as a speaker-for-hire with regular stops in Canada.

But as Mr. Bush prepares for three Canadian speeches next month, new figures show there's a big difference between a Bush speech and a Clinton speech when it comes to the public purse.

--snip--

Security for Mr. Bush's March event in Calgary cost the RCMP $124,000, while a May appearance in Toronto ran up $108,000. In contrast, the security bill to protect Mr. Clinton, who strolled down memory lane on the same stage at the same time as Mr. Bush in Toronto, was far less at $12,000.

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Glad my tax dollars are protecting a war criminal while he jets into my country to make money and leave. Fucker probably won't even buy any souvenirs. Sure wish he'd "phone it in", like he did for the previous 8 years.