Attention Halifax Skancs! It's up to you...

[StoneMtn]

Bush is now afraid of Ottawa, thanks to the plans of many of you to be there waiting for him, and plans to make that trip short and then head to Halifax. Halifax Skancs, you gotta get out there and protest! See the following:

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

TORONTO - President Bush won't have to rescue his Secret Service bodyguards during his upcoming visit to Canada as he did recently in Chile, Canadian

security officials said.

But with thousands of protesters expected to demonstrate against Mr. Bush, the White House decided to cut short his visit to Ottawa and travel to

Halifax instead.

Mr. Bush is expected to be in Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday on his first official visit to the country since his re-election.

In Canada, Mr. Bush is considered the least popular U.S. president in recent history, and anti-Bush protesters of all stripes and political persuasions

are planning massive rallies in the capital, Ottawa.

Tens of thousands are expected to brave the cold to protest Mr. Bush's policies in the Middle East and the proposed missile-defense program.

Even the Canadian Parliament wasn't considered a safe enough ground by White House officials.

Stephen Harper, who leads the Conservative Party and is the head of the official opposition, speculated Wednesday that Mr. Bush declined to address

the Parliament for fear of heckling by members of left-wing opposition parties.

But Canadian security officials said there would be no repeat of the Saturday incident in Chile, when Mr. Bush had to intervene to stop a shoving

match between Chilean security officials and Secret Service agents who were accompanying him to a state dinner.

Chilean security had tried to stop several members of Mr. Bush's security detail from accompanying him to a dinner with the Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation summit's 21 leaders.

"This won't happen in Canada," said Cpl. Monique Beauchamp, spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada's national police force.

Cpl. Beauchamp said that although the RCMP has the primary responsibility for protecting visiting dignitaries, it does so in collaboration with other

federal agencies and foreign partners, including the Secret Service.

But Cpl. Beauchamp would not say whether Mr. Bush's bodyguards would be allowed to accompany him during the meetings with Canadian officials or

whether they would be permitted to pack their guns.

"You can understand that for obvious security reasons, we cannot discuss any operational details," Cpl. Beauchamp said.

An RCMP officer who was part of the top security detail during the 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City said his force and the Secret Service

have excellent working relations.

"These are very carefully planned and choreographed events," said the officer, on the condition of anonymity. "We have protocols, zones. Everybody

knows where one side leaves and the other takes over."

Canadian officials are stepping up security measures ahead of Mr. Bush's visit. Ottawa municipal police and the Ontario Provincial Police are working

on plans for the visit, officials said. Security at the borders and the airports also has been tightened.

Details of Mr. Bush's itinerary were expected to be confirmed by the White House yesterday, but in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.,

Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm said his officials were told to prepare for Mr. Bush's arrival.

Mr. Bush is expected to deliver a belated thank you to Nova Scotians for their hospitality after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Forty-four

U.S.-bound planes were diverted to the Halifax airport when the airspace over the United States was shut down after the attacks. About 8,000 stranded

passengers stayed in hotels, community centers and the homes of local residents until the planes were allowed to continue on their journeys.

Many Canadians felt snubbed when Mr. Bush failed to mention their country in his thank-you address after September 11.

Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Geoff Regan, the ranking Liberal minister from the Maritimes, said he hopes Nova Scotians extend a "gracious"

welcome to Mr. Bush. Mr. Regan added that he doesn't expect large protests.

[U.FProductions]

well his not really coming to halifax. his plane is landing at the airport witch is about 35mins outside of halifax. then Mr. fu©kface will take 3 steps off the plane and make address, and get back on it and fu©k off.

there's like one road to airport so postester's will be no were near him.

[StoneMtn]

That slippery bastard!

[U.FProductions]

Bush will visit here Wednesday, arriving at Halifax International Airport at 10:35 a.m., 30 minutes after Prime Minister Paul Martin’s plane touches down in Nova Scotia.

Martin and Bush will speak to a luncheon of about 300 business and political notables at Pier 21 on the Halifax waterfront.

Bush is set to take the stage at 11:15 a.m.

His speech has been tabbed as the keynote address of his state visit to Canada, which begins tomorrow in Halifax.

Bush is stopping in Halifax as part of a two-day visit to Canada.

His Halifax speech will include a thank you to Atlantic Canadians for their help after 9/11, when more than 100 planes were diverted to this region.

Security is bound to be iron-clad in Halifax during the visit, with Bush and Martin expected to hail Canada-U.S. co-operation in the war against terrorism, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The Pier 21 event wraps up at 12:15.

It’s still unclear what’s on Bush’s itinerary after the luncheon.

Premier John Hamm is waiting to find out what role he’ll play during Bush’s visit.

“There’s not much that’s been decided at this point or that’s been cast in stone,” said Hugh Fraser, Hamm’s press secretary.

Hamm, along with the other nine premiers, has been invited to attend a state dinner in Ottawa tomorrow night in honour of Bush.

More details on the Halifax leg of the president’s visit may be released today.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced yesterday the First Lady, Laura Bush, will accompany her husband to Ottawa, along with outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell and his successor, Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser.

It’s expected that Laura Bush will not make the trip to Halifax, but Powell and Rice will.

Leaders of the opposition and the three premiers of the other Atlantic Provinces are said to have be invited to attend Bush’s speech.

http://www.hfxnews.com/

[Jared]

yoo shane is there gonna be a protest? and do you have space for people from here to crash? i'm thinking of flying down for this one

[StoneMtn]

Nice! Good job maritimers!

[Lazlo]

Sorry but I have a job and can't make it. Maybe you useless hippies shouldn get jobs too and quit being burdens on my society.

[StoneMtn]

Well, I can't speak for everyone here, but no one would want to pay me to do anything.

[Jared]

so i guess that was wrong and he is still going to ottawa

[paisley]

from ctv.ca

At least one Halifax family who hosted Americans during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks told reporters Monday they don't want Bush's thanks.

Prominent Halifax lawyer Anne Derrick and her husband Archie Kaiser put up a New Jersey family for several days after 9/11. Derrick says she doesn't like the idea of her city being used as a "photo opportunity'' for a world leader she says has "blood on his hands.''

"We will not be cheerleaders for his administration's brutal foreign policies,'' said Derrick.

go Canada ::

[Jared]

its really too bad i read this and advised all my friends going to ottawa to stay home, i really wish people would look into stuff a bit more before posting it on here

[dave-O]

umm, did you really just say that you advised based on what you read here and then asked everyone else to look into stuff a bit more??

[Booche]

*sniff*

beautiful