Bicycling instead of driving a car is not only healthy but is great for the environment. Unfortunately here in North America, specifically in Toronto, Canada, bicycling is relegated to tree kissing environmentalists and kids. This is too bad for everyone. An excellent video by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. shows what is working in Copenhagen, and what could work here in North America.
I have lived in Beijing, China for a couple of years and the bike culture there is pretty safe. This has degraded somewhat now as more people become wealthier and can afford cars. It’s sad to see China go backward on bicycles, but such us progress in the People’s Republic of China.
China News services such as Xinhua and China Daily are renown to bend news to favour China in all cases. These two news agencies are controlled directly by the Chinese government, so this should be unsurprising. How they treat foreign news depends on China’s relations with the countries concerned. I am happy to read that coverage of Toronto’s G20 riots were reported factually and very measured by both news agencies.
Xinhua photo of playful and peaceful Toronto G20 demonstrators
G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto
Criminals should not get away with their crimes. G20 protesters and bystanders were treated badly by police, this is true. Still, those that smashed their way through Toronto need to be found and prosecuted. Please help police find and prosecute these criminals.
Just because our Charter of Rights and Freedoms were squashed by police during the Toronto G20 is not a reason for these criminals to go free. There is no “Get out of Jail Free” card here.
G20 vandal wanted by police for property damage in Toronto.
Sometimes you identify programs that are working well and help so many people. One of these is the summer sports day camps in Scarborough. This camp provides summer jobs for youth in addition to providing a fun day camp for about 250 elementary school kids. This year they even provide lunch. The kids remain active all summer, learn skills and are happy. The youth gain valuable experience in mentoring and coaching. The parents are happy because their kids are doing something other than sit on a computer for the summer. In all, it’s a win-win situation for all concerned. Sponsors include the Boys 2 Men Institute, the Cabbagetown Youth Centre and the Toronto District School Board.
Wu Yuren, husband of Canadian Karen Patterson and daughter Hannah
No doubt about it, I am Canadian, and for a short time, I lived in China. Thinking that the Rule of Law in Canada is interpreted the same in China would seem logical but incorrect. Just because there are laws on the books, decreed by the government, similar in both countries, is insufficient to take the Canadian view of law and apply it to the People’s Republic of China. A case in point is Karen Patterson’s Chinese husband, Wu Yuren, who offered moral support for a friend and ended up beaten up and detained, with little access to his family or lawyer. He is still detained. His case is a good lesson to both Chinese and foreigners that China’s legal system works differently from Canada.
My neighbours and I disagree about the means used by Toronto Police in order to maintain order in Toronto during the recent G20 Summit. We all agree that 1) those that damaged property should be charged and punished, 2) police had a difficult task, 3) peaceful protesters in the crowd should have done more to prevent the Black Bloc from doing damage, 4) Toronto Police broke the laws of Canada in illegally searching and arresting bystanders, 5) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was infringed upon for those that were arrested. What we do not agree on is if the actions of police were correct, given difficult conditions.
Toronto Riot Police and protester: Everything is not Ok
It aches me to read these stories, but I knew from video coverage and from photos of Toronto Riot Police intimidation that many innocent people that live in Toronto would get beaten up and arrested by police. Unfortunately surprising but not unexpected. The stories come from all ages, male and female, and varied professions. It seems that there were no filtering of good or bad, that all at the scene were bullied, beat up and arrested. It is upsetting that such treatment by police can happen in my home town of Toronto. Maybe I am too naive. Those who endured the brutality will never forget. The issue of police brutality, overzealous police behavior and the G20 overall will become a significant provincial and federal issue.
