RCMP's G20 hotel bill hits $20M

[Spazito]

The federal government spent almost $20 million — twice the estimated cost — to accommodate RCMP officers in hotels during the G8/G20 summits, according to newly released documents.

The expenditures include a $4.5 million for the security fence around the exclusive Deerhurst Resort in Ontario's Muskoka region, the G8 event host site, along with more than $300,000 for sun-screen and insect repellant for the police guarding the fence.

Also detailed are a $3.2-million single contract for shuttle buses and a $2.2-million car rental bill — for a single day.

snip

An $85,000 tab is listed for snacks at the exclusive Park Hyatt hotel in downtown Toronto and $68,340 was spent on Nikon cameras, according to the documents. Another $45,000 was spent on binoculars.

more, much more

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/09/23/g20-g8-summit-costs.html

Geez, they even spent $14,049.00 for....wait for it.....glow sticks....yep....glow sticks.

Edited to add: Reading the comments, it seems the posters to the CBC site are in a rare state of unity, with a very few exceptions. The consensus seems to be a big :thumbsdown: from the harper cabal supporters as well as those who support the Opposition parties.

[CHIMO]

1. Hope They

Have the serial numbers on the cameras.

Wonder how many bears were kept away from Deerhurst?

Just trying to come up with a name for this waste. And please don't put the word "gate" in it. We could be a bit original with at least three languages to use.

The one image that I have is the fire hydrant. With some of those nice chairs. And the RCMP reclining in them with appropriate refreshments.

But oh.. So much money.

Who got that money?

[Spazito]

2. Quite the boondoggle...

Who got the money, cameras, binoculars, etc, etc, etc. I bet the best name will include 'glowstick/s' in it, lol.

The Glowstick Summit, lol.

[tuvor]

3. Update: RCMP Accommodatons were $7 million

Corrections and Clarifications
* An earlier version of the story stated that RCMP accommodation costs were $20 million. In fact, the actual total is just under $7 million.
Sept. 23, 2010 | 9:18 p.m. ET

(from the original link)

[daleo]

4. 7 million for the rooms

Maybe the other 13 million was for room service and in-room movies.

[Spazito]

5. CBC has provided a raw database for the detailed expenditures...

but only for 200 million of the 1.2 billion the Summits cost the taxpayers. As limited as it is, it is interesting to access it to see who provided the services, whether it was through open tender, etc.

Raw data
Summit costs
Database: G8/G20 spending numbers


The federal government has released a detailed list of some of the expenses incurred during the G8/G20 summits in Muskoka and Toronto in June, specifying what companies got which contracts.

The numbers, totalling some $200 million, include startling price tags, like $4.5 million spent on a security fence erected around the exclusive Deerhurst Resort in the Muskoka region, or $3.2 million for shuttle buses. Another $300,000 was spent on sun screen and insect repellent, while $14,000 was shelled out for glow sticks.

snip

To see the full database, leave all the fields blank and click "search." Or narrow the search by specifying the price, the type of procurement, or a description, like "sun screen" or "shuttle bus."

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/09/24/f-g20-spending-database.html

I did a quick calculation on just the RCMP accommodation costs listed and they, alone, amount to 8,600,000.00 so I question the 7 million 'correction' to the original. I wonder where the 7 million figure came from...the RCMP? the government?

There is a difference between "hotel costs" and "accommodations". Accommodations refers strictly to the cost of the hotel room and does not include 'incidentals' ie meals, etc. Hotel costs as referred to in the original article could include the total bill - room, meals, incidentals so, imo, the REAL cost re the RCMP is still less than clear.