Literally, the quietest G20 gathering
Do you like sitting in silence? Do you like capital letters? If so, you should consider participating in the June 27 Human Summit Project, a meditation-focused Woodbine Park gathering that, according to a news release from its organizer, the Centre for Spiritual Living, “can literally change the consciousness of millions and Awaken Humanity To Its Spiritual Magnificence.”
The city above Toronto, in terms of fun, on this particular weekend
Subject line of the City of Mississauga’s news release: “Media Advisory: Looking for something to do during the G20 weekend?” (Translation: “Toronto is going be excruciatingly boring if you’re not, like, throwing rocks at bank towers.”) First sentence: “The City of Mississauga is open for business this G20 Summit weekend with fun and engaging activities for children and adults of all ages to enjoy.” (Translation: “Yeah, Toronto isn’t going to have any fun and engaging activities, at all, for anyone. Like, none.”)
Fun and engaging activities include a concert featuring jazz guitarist Rob Tardik, a historical walking tour of Port Credit, and, far more excitingly, the Frank McKechnie Community Centre and Library’s 10th Anniversary Open House.
Hottie, you’re so hot you exacerbate the climate change crisis
If the library open house doesn’t do it for you, drive 15 minutes or so to Mississauga’s Treasures Gentleman’s Nightclub, which is holding a “G-String Summit” between June 23 and June 26. The “host” of the “summit,” which is totally not just a marketing stunt, is Miss Brooke Haven, an adult film star. Most of her duties appear to include stripping.
New TTC summit diversion
The Dufferin 29B and D buses will no longer travel inside Exhibition Place, which is closed to vehicular traffic. Instead, they will stop at the loop just outside the Dufferin Gate, said TTC spokesperson Brad Ross.
Summit essentially useless: pundits
Jeffrey Rubin, Huffington Post: “Everybody will be heading to the upcoming G20 summit in Toronto with conflicting agendas, in much the same way that they came to the environmental summit on global climate change in Copenhagen a few months ago. And, like that environmental summit, the economic summit in Toronto will have just as negligible an impact. For starters, if no one can agree on points of substance, why bother holding these extravaganzas in the first place? Particularly when host countries like Canada are paying absurd sums in security bills for the privilege.”
Alan Beattie, Financial Times: “Former officials and experts say that while the meeting is likely to pass off without violent disagreement, it is only at the cost of accepting stark divisions on contentious issues, or pushing their resolution into the future . . . The conversation this weekend is likely to be civil, if forthright. But few leaders seem likely to change their minds.”
Summit-related tweet of the day
Anthony Zanfini: “After seeing 25 cops standing in front it is clear that the most important delegate at the #G20 is Tim Horton’s.”
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