Well, you see, some bright people preparing for the 1995 G-7 gabfest had a brilliant idea. One of the chief problems in having half the world's media to these affairs is that they have nothing to cover. All the meetings of the seven summit leaders are closed, none of them will submit to interviews and essentially there is nothing to do for the three days but attend Saturday's wrap-up press conference and communique.
Idle hands make mischief and, so, all the scribes have to do is sit around and bitch.
It was a great idea. Anchor the QE2 in Halifax harbor as the bunking quarters for the media. A coddled press in luxury quarters, it was reasoned, would be in no mood to whine about all the millions spent on the seven delegations. Alas, Cunard Lines said the QE2 was fully booked elsewhere. Alas and alack, the vulgar Bulgars refused.