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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017
ENTERING TRUMP’S BUNKER U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on Monday in Washington, D.C. GETTY IMAGES
Plus Five telling moments metroNEWS • Inside the secret handshake metroVIEWS
$2M SAVED
On the plus side, Trudeau’s trip to Washington, D.C., was cheaper — for us Ryan Tumilty
Metro | Ottawa Having the first meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington, D.C.,
instead of Ottawa likely saved the city from having to front millions in policing costs. The two leaders sat down for their first face-to-face meeting in the American capital on Monday, passing on a tradition that has typically seen a U.S. president make their first foreign trip to Ottawa. Ottawa Police Insp. Murray Knowles, lead planner for major events, said the city already has a lot on its plate this year with the 150th anniversary. “We have a couple of large-
scale events we’re planning for,” he said. “So to throw that in the middle of it would have taken a couple of years off my life for sure.” According to numbers the services provided, the 2004 visit of former President George W. Bush cost $3.7 million in policing costs that were ultimately reimbursed by the federal government. The 2009 visit of President Barack Obama drew fewer protests, but was still costly, coming in at $2.3 million, which
was again reimbursed. The numbers for last summer’s Obama visit are still being calculated. Knowles said a presidential visit is an enormous undertaking. “If they gave us six months’ notice, we would spend six months planning and still just get it done under the wire. When there is three weeks’ notice, you burn the candle at both ends. “We would probably roll out a very similar package for
the Pope, the Queen or the president of the United States.” Knowles said most of the spending is reimbursed by the federal government, but there are always exceptions and the service has to do a careful accounting. “If we can explain that it’s required because of the visit, then basically we can apply for reimbursement.” Kevin McHale, acting executive director of the Sparks Street Business Association, said businesses near the hill
are used to occasional disruptions. “You never want a disruption to business obviously, but they do happen from time to time and our merchants are resilient on it,” he said. He said he hasn’t heard from any businesses relieved that Trump is taking a pass, but they understand disruptions are part of the business. “When you’re in the shadow of the Peace Tower, you take the advantages with the disadvantages.”