Payment plea for Tamil protest costs ignored

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 | 5:37 AM ET

By David McKie, CBC News

Thousands of Tamil protesters gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in the spring of 2009 to urge the Canadian government to intervene and protect Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil population. Thousands of Tamil protesters gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in the spring of 2009 to urge the Canadian government to intervene and protect Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil population. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

The Public Safety Ministry has yet to respond to the City of Ottawa's request to be reimbursed for the costs of keeping the peace during a two-week Tamil protest in the capital more than a year ago.

In the spring of 2009, hundreds of protesters demanding the Conservative government intervene to aid civilians caught up in Sri Lanka's civil war clogged the streets in and around the parliamentary precinct in downtown Ottawa.

The City of Ottawa needed extra police, firefighters and paramedics. The total bill was $900,000 — $600,000 for police and $300,000 for emergency services.

"I don't think the taxpayers of Ottawa [should] foot the bill for a federal government responsibility," said Eli El-Chantiry, chairman of the city's police services board.

In an attempt to recoup the costs, the city sent a formal request to then public safety minister Peter Van Loan asking for reimbursement, given protesters were demonstrating against the federal government.

But the city has yet to receive even an acknowledgement of the request. El-Chantiry said he finds it "bizarre" the department didn't even bother responding.

Ottawa police Chief Vern White said he didn't think there was any harm in asking for reimbursement, "as long as we don't take it personal when it's refused."

When asked for a response, Sophie Bédard, a spokeswoman for the Public Safety Ministry, replied in an email: "Unfortunately, we do not have a spokesperson available to be interviewed, but we are working on a written response to your questions."

The subsequent written response sent by the department failed to address the lack of acknowledgement of the city's request, instead pointing out readily available information about the protocols that exist between cities such as Ottawa and the federal government when it comes to security costs.

El-Chantiry acknowledged that the city receives an annual payment of $2 million to cover policing costs for events such as Canada Day and visits by heads of state.

But he said the Tamil protest fell outside that deal because it was a spontaneous gathering and not a planned event.

Protests also held in Toronto, Montreal

Tamil protests were also held in other Canadian cities, including Montreal and Toronto. In Toronto, demonstrators blocked off a major highway during morning rush-hour, creating a security bill much larger than Ottawa's.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Services Board refused to provide an exact figure, but said it was higher than $1 million. The city covered the costs.

But El-Chantiry said Ottawa is a special case.

"Ottawa faces more demonstrations per year than Toronto does," he explained. "The Tamils demonstrated in Toronto one day or maybe two. In Ottawa, it was 14 days."

Ottawa's police chief said one of the challenges of dealing with the Tamil protests was that most of the protesters were from outside the capital region.

"It's a large community," White said. "It's divided and a lot of them have strong beliefs and they're willing to express those beliefs. They're able to bring people in from other cities and that's exactly what we saw. The Tamil community protesting in downtown Ottawa was primarily from Toronto."

White said absorbing the costs has been tough for his force.

"We stopped a number of things we were planning to do — delayed purchases for a year for a number of different initiatives," he said.

Extra policing costs affect other services

But the issue of absorbing costs for what some consider federal-related events extends beyond Ottawa. A growing number of municipalities are complaining about covering the bills to police what they consider to be activities related to the federal government.

In 2006, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Ottawa-based organization that lobbies for cities, crunched the numbers.

The group concluded the largest cities — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Winnipeg — were spending an additional $500 million to police borders, maintain counterterrorism units, conduct major drug investigations and fight cybercrime, which are all areas the federation argues are the responsibility of the federal government.

The lobby group plans to prepare another report to update the government on what it calls an "urgent" problem.

Brock Carlton, the federation's chief executive officer, predicted the $500-million figure will be much higher, but he insisted that his group is not simply asking the federal government for more money. Instead, he wants to sit down and talk.

Carlton said cities are slashing services to pay extra policing bills and areas such as recreation and waste-water treatment could suffer.

"These are fundamental services that municipalities provide, and we're providing them on only eight cents of the tax dollars collected in this country," he said. "It's a very small proportion of the taxes collected for the expectations that citizens have of their municipal governments."

But in a time of restraint, and on the heels of major stimulus spending on roads and bridges, the federal government may not be in a mood to give municipalities any more money for policing over and above the arrangements already in place.

Still, Carlton believes his organization must push the government to talk.

"The time is now," he said. "We need to have a discussion about who does what so that in the future, we can sort out a policing framework that makes more sense."

பின்னூட்டல்கள்:

The costs for the protests in Ottawa and Toronto should be paid by the Tamil groups here in Canada. This expense was because of their actions so they should have to pay for it. They can use the money they usually send to the Tamil Tigers.

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Bottom line is these so called protests will hit taxpayers, either through property taxes or income tax, not sure it matters, we should be billing the Tamils for it, plus the impact on our busses etc.

They got away with their unacceptable conduct costing tax paying Canadians. Next time let's lock them up and deport the one we can.

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Why is our government responsible for people in other countries?

We can't save the world!

So why do these people come to our country and then protest against our government for their own countries actions?

Let them go back to Sri Lanka and protest there! We should not allow people into this country that only want to protest against their own country!

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patrickd wrote: "The costs for the protests in Ottawa and Toronto should be paid by the Tamil groups here in Canada. This expense was because of their actions so they should have to pay for it. They can use the money they usually send to the Tamil Tigers."

Agreed. Grants and subsidies to any tamil groups or charities should be diverted towards recouping the costs. Their conduct went way beyond their right to free expression. THeir conduct was illegal and unacceptable.

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Why were these protests allowed to go on for so long. I'm sure that if the protesters were all of Canadian decent and protesting a Canadian issue they would have been put in jail. Why are the Tamils protesting in Canada about a problem in Sri Lanka. Why don't these protesters all go back to Tamil Land and protest there and see who foots the bill for keeping them in line.

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This is absolutely absurd that Canadian citizens should have to pay for security because a group are protesting for people in their birth homeland. The Tamils should be reimbursing the Ontario gov't. for the cost. The Tamil protesters were allowed to disrupt a busy expressway...,,,I just can't believe what some immigrants expect. If they are so concerned about their homeland maybe they should have stayed there to try to improve conditions.

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Why should the taxpayer pay for this?

Simply deny Tamil groups their tax free charitable status to cover the costs of these protests.

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Denise, i was there and the protests were extraordinarily peaceful.

However, there are costs incurred simply because of the number of people involved. The police needed to block off areas, avoid traffic tie ups, and look out for potential troublemakers. Since this was over and above what the police officers worked on a regular shift, it was all overtime.

For 14 days of overtime, one police officer would have been paid between 2300 and 5600 dollars. They used equipment such as cars, portable shelters, etc. The fuel costs are also included in this.

The emergency services was for people who got hurt at the protest. While it was extremely peaceful, it was cold and rainy. I believe at least one individual did have a heart attack and was rushed to hospital. the 300 000 dollar emergency bill is for paramedics who were on scene to handle these situations, fuel for the ambulance, medical supplies and other expenses.

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Should have planked them aboard a few of our retired barges and sent them to Sri Lanka to fix the problems over there themselves. There are many of us who have put aside our civilian lives and put on a uniform to stand up for the freedoms we desire, yet this group wants someone else to do their fighting for them. Put down your signs and climb aboard the next flight home and fight for yourselves. At the same time you may want to consider moving back home.

The problem here isn’t the city’s responsibility, it is government allowing these types of protests to take place. Canadians shouldn’t have to put up with this crap. I know many of you will say “well these are Canadians too”.... if so they ought to be concerned about what is happening in their own yards and not in some other country. We’ve got enough crime, homelessness, poverty, hunger and drug issues to deal with. I suggest they channel that energy toward solving some of those problems.

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In the end, we will all pay for it. Federal or provincial....it comes out of our pockets!

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They are quite free to protest, but when it involves blocking off streets to hospitals and major highways that disrupt the hearts of our economies... they should be required to foot the bill.

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Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of movement are the basic rights of us all and good things. But there is NO SUCH THING as "the right to protest". That is basically a perceived right that comes from the combination of actual freedoms, which then proceeds to deny these rights and freedoms to various degrees, in the rest of the peaceful citizenry for the duration of the 'protest party'.

Just like any other function wishing to use city space, protest leaders shoudl have to go through the process of getting permits AND should be accountable for damages and extra expenses incurred from their planned activity.

So, a peaceful protest that quietly highlights an issue they wish addressed and doesn't escalate into a public threat will have zero damages and minimal costs associated.

But the public should NOT have to pay for the 'protest parties' of special interest groups.

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"More enrichment thanks to multiculturalism."

Honestly, what's it like to just want to live a narrow life of ignorance and not know anything about any other part of the world. For centuries, mankind has yearned to see things from far away places and go there themselve. Yet, people like you seem to have no intellectual ambition and try to discourage others from having any as well.

I like that in Vancouver I can grab Sushi, Chinese, Ethiopian food, etc.... all over the place, and that I can actually meet people from far off places and talk to them about where they're from.

IN fact, I'm an immigrant FROM Canada abroad myself right now. It's too bad people like you are so... simple that you'll never know the pleasure.

SO, again.... what's it like?

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Waterloo Student, i was there. They did meet with government officials, but what they wanted was for Canada to take an active participation in the conflict, which is not something that Canada does.

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Morvin wrote:Posted 2010/08/03

at 7:56 AM ETTomShultz wrote: Simply deny Tamil groups their tax free charitable status to cover the costs of these protests.

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Good idea. Please provide a list of the groups you're referring to. If you can't remember all their names, just name one that enjoys tax-free charitable status. Or are you saying that because you heard it from a friend, who has a friend, who has a cousin whose uncle works for the government?

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Actually, the "Tamil Refugee aid Society of Ottawa" did enjoy tax free status up until about 2 weeks ago when Revenue Canada revoked it due to the organizations terrorist links.

So perhaps the bill for these "protests" should be given to the society.

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you play you pay,why should the tax payer foot the bill.its time canada took back its country and if you dont like it leave at once.

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Charge the Tamil community . And if they refuse to pay, next time there is any kind of protest, get out the patty wagons and water cannons

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More enrichment thanks to multiculturalism.

தகவல் மூலம், மேலதிக பின்னூட்டல்கள்: சீ.பீ.சி வலைத்தளம்

உலகம் முழுவது ஆர்ப்பாட்டஙக்ள் நடைபெறுவது சாதாரண விடயம், இதனால் பொருள் சேதம் ஏற்படுவது சாதாரண விடயம், அண்மையில் மேலைத்தேய நாடு ஒன்றில் போலீஸ் கார் ஒன்று எரிக்கப்பட்டது, G 8 மாநாடு நடைபெறும் போது ஒவ்வோறு வருடமும் இது நடக்கும், ஆனால் இதுக்கெல்லாம் ஒருவரும் கணக்குக் கேற்பதில்லை, அது குறித்து பத்திரைகையில் கட்டுரை வருவதில்லை, ஆனால் தமிழர்கள் அமைதியாக போரட்ட்டம் நடத்தினால் மட்டும் இது குறித்து பல சேறு பூசும் கட்டுரைகள் வரையப்படுகின்றன, இது சிங்கள் அரசு இந்த பத்திரிகைகளுக்கும் அதன் நிருபர்களுக்கும் பணத்தைக் கொடுத்த்தான் சாதிக்கிறது. இவர்களுக்கும் பரமேஸ்வரன் போல் வழக்குப் போட்டல் தான் உண்டு