Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is defending the estimated $930 million cost for security for next month's G8 and G20 meetings as the "most efficient and effective" use of public money for Canada's "unprecedented" hosting of back-to-back international summits.
The federal government disclosed $654 million in new money for security for the two international summits being held in Ontario next month, on top of $179 million already earmarked. And the tally could grow another $100 million, according to Toews's office.
In an interview with CBC News on Wednesday, Toews insisted the estimate was not a cost overrun and said the summits were actually moved closer together to save money.
"This has been budgeted for, and the money is released as it is required," Toews said.
He said comparing the cost for security at the summits to the $898 million spent on the Vancouver Olympics was like comparing "apples and oranges" because the G8 and G20 meetings require a very "different type" of security because of so many heads of nations visiting at once. ........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/05/26/g8-g20-security-summit-toews.html#ixzz0p33nxKKT