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.

[KatyaR]

1. Big difference between the costs for Clinton and Bush.

You think Bush has something to worry about?

[Posteritatis]

11. Anyone in Bush's administration has obscene security up here

Rice was in Halifax a few years ago. I was in town in the nineties when there was a G-7 meeting here - seven heads of state in town - and their combined motorcade actually managed to be smaller than this one cabinet secretary's.

On the other hand, when Bush himself was in town they just choppered him from the airport to the place he was speaking and back again. No traffic chaos then, but every other building had a sniper..

[RoccoR5955]

2. I guess it costs a lot

to see that a war criminal isn't killed in your country!

[foxfeet]

3. Next time, strap him to a wolf

and send it across the border into Alaska.

[madeline_con]

6. Yes, it can easily be seen from Canada. n/t

[HappyCynic]

4. Might need more...

Might need to spend more to protect Obama if he comes up here. With Harper in charge, I think many Canadians would want to do a swap. :evilgrin:

[Kansas Wyatt]

5. Okay, Canadians can keep him and make him wash dishes to pay his tab.

In prison. :shrug:

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. +1

Please do. We really don't want him back.

[HappyCynic]

8. No thanks.

We've already got "Bush-lite" in the form of Harper. (But we'll give you Harper if you want. Please?)

[dalaigh lllama]

9. Why isn't Bush paying for his own security?

Or whoever has invited him to speak there paying for it? I thought he still had his own SS detail anyway.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Bubba should run for Premier of Ontario. nt

[lunatica]

12. My apologies to Canadians

But, really, he was invited wasn't he? Sadly we don't have that privilege.

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. ah hell, that's only 2 cents per Canadian.

.
.
.

I think it's worth my 2 cents to keep Dim son from bleeding on our soil

I might even go for a nickle,

but not a penny more . .

:silly:

Heck - maybe if all us Canucks chip in a dime -

Junior could just stay home??

:dunce:

[JBoy]

14. I'd hate to see the cost if he tried to come to Vancouver.

[BuyingThyme]

15. Doesn't his drunk driving conviction make it illegal for him to travel to Canada?