2 days ago
The G7 is going to bring a crowd. How businesses and residents are preparing
Calgary and the surrounding region will become a confluence of global powers in the next few days as thousands of delegates from several countries arrive in the city, taste its culture and add a flavour of their own.
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Parts of the city will also transform into a stage for some of the most pressing issues in the world, and where people from different nations rally for causes close to their hearts.
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This will mean a higher police presence, increased traffic, and potential disruptions by protesters. Among other measures, Calgary has designated City Hall and East Victoria Park as official protest zones. However, many businesses near these areas aren't too concerned about the latter.
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'We've gotten really used to it,' said Chevonne Centini, owner of Centini Restaurant, tucked into the corner of 1st Street and 8th Avenue at Telus Convention Centre. 'Every Saturday there's a protest… even when we had a patio, we didn't have any problem with any of the protests.'
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'We find that people just go by, they do their thing, and that's it,' she said.
Centini has received official guidance from Calgary police in a statement, which warned of 'larger crowds and demonstrations,' while stating it will 'police behaviour and not beliefs.'
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CPS gave a list of directions, including dialling 911 for a crime in progress while calling the non-emergency line for other situations. It also gave a list of contact details to report other specific circumstances.
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However, the approach is nowhere near the rigour of the security preparations in 2002 when Kananaskis and Calgary previously hosted the G7 conference, Centini added.
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She said she received personal visits from security officials, and her staffers required special passes to continue to work at the restaurant. In addition, a single-file line of 150 personnel with military gear was stationed at the back of the Telus Convention Centre.
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'It seems much more relaxed this time,' she added. 'We haven't been visited and talked to.'
