Article from www.vancouversun.com
Protestors shout at people going into the Shaw Conference Centre to hear former U.S. President George W. Bush speak in Edmonton Alberta on Tuesday.Photograph by: John Lucas, Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON — Scores of angry activists waved placards and chanted slogans outside an Edmonton conference centre Tuesday evening to protest a speech inside by former U.S. president George W. Bush.
The protesters harried those in line for the talk with loud boos and calls of “shame, shame.”
“He has no business coming here,” said Elvira Falconer, who brought her young daughter to the protest. “She needs to be a part of this because he killed a lot of children,” Falconer said.
Police blocked the activists from the centre using a line of black bicycles. Groups of well-dressed young people in fitted suits and fancy ties clustered behind the police.
“I think he’s more than used to this by now; this is small potatoes,” said Jon Germain, one of those in line.
“I wouldn’t say I’d ever pay to go to see him, but it should be interesting,” said Janelle Janig, who, like Germain got his ticket for free.
Two thousand people are expected at the talk.
http://www.vancouversun.com/Activists+protest+George+Bush+Edmonton/2125522/story.html
More from other sources ;
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Former president speaks in Edmonton
5:45AM
by Don Lawson
10/21/2009
http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1153681
A former U.S. president made a stop in our city Monday night, for what was billed as “A conversation with George W. Bush”. The 2,000 people inside the Shaw Conference Centre seemed to think they got their money’s worth.
Bush started by saying he likes Alberta because we have oil, farming, ranching, and we speak better English. The former President spoke for a few minutes at a podium, then relaxed in an easy chair while former NHL goaltender Kelly Hrudey asked a number of questions. Bush spoke candidly about how a president makes major decisions, he said he never worried about polls, but rather stood on principle.
Bush called Canada a great friend to the United States and thanked Canadians for their involvement in the war in Afghanistan.
Among other issues the 43rd president talked about were nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran and the tense situation in Pakistan.
On a lighter note, Bush said one of the duties he had to get reaccustomed to after leaving the White House was – picking up after his dog Barney. He said he had dodged it for eight years.
Bush told the crowd, he wanted to be the education president, but said the real test of someone is to see how they play their cards, when the one’s they’re dealt aren’t the ones they wanted. When all was said and done, people seemed pleased with what they’d heard.
There were three protestors who got into the event and shouted at the president, but they were quickly escorted out.
Photo: Eileen Bell
Photos: Don Lawson
As for the protestors outside, they made their voices heard. “War Criminal go home!” was just one of many chants by over 200 protesters at the Shaw Conference Centre. Some of the organizers, including the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism and the Palestine Solidarity Network, said the crowd was protesting Bush’s involvement in the war in Iraq. Many of those who had purchased tickets smiled and kept walking as protesters hurled insults at them.
And as Tamara joined in, she said they planned to keep things peaceful. “We don’t want to give anyone a reason for why we shouldn’t be here. We don’t want to give anyone a legitimate reason to say this is unsafe.”
And, for the most part, RCMP Corporal Wayne Oakes said the protestors were well behaved. “There were some people removed from some areas. Whether those resulted in arrests or not, or just people taken aside and given a talking to – I don’t know the full extent.”
More protests are expected when Bush speaks in Saskatoon tonight, and Montreal on Thursday night. (dl,td,blb)
http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1153681
Protesters gathered at the Shaw Conference Centre during an engagement headlined yesterday by former U.S. president George W. Bush, inset. Bush will be in Montreal for another appearance on Thursday.
http://news.google.ca/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ned=ca&topic=n&ncl=dM2yR1FLQN27HhMTAwR_m1-Baw1oM
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