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Ron
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A Personal Commentary It would appear Canada has a new security force, one led by the likes of Yogi, Smoky, Winnie, and Rupert, to name just a few. While in Italy this week, Prime Minister Chretien is reported to have referred to the site of the upcoming G-8 Summit at Kananaskis, Alberta as being remote and protected "from the back by mountains, from the front by a river, from the south by an Indian village and from the north by 500 bears." Granted, Kananaskis is more remote than the downtown Calgary, but it is accessed by thousands annually via bus, car, and bicycle on a paved road just south of the Trans Canada Highway that city and Banff. A more remote place might be found, but few could offer comparable accommodations and a world-class golf course. I originally thought the PM was having a little fun at the expense of the Italian media, but when was the last time Chretien joked about anything even remotely related to a golf course? On Tuesday, the Stoney First Nation Tribal Council squashed a deal that would have allowed up to 10,000 protestors to set up camp on their land. Instead of being just a few miles to the northeast of the Summit, the demonstrators have just six-weeks to find new digs. Though his sense of direction might be a tad off, the Prime Minister’s comments about what protects Kananaskis Village appear closer to the truth than first thought. If so, then might Yogi Bear be soon packing pepper spray, seeking out something meatier than picnic baskets, and reporting to an authority much higher than that of Ranger Smith? Ron Thornton |