http://timestranscript.canadaeast.co...article/906722
No beefed-up security for Shania's torch run: officials
Published Friday January 1st, 2010
TIMMINS, Ont. - Olympic officials say they won't be boosting security when Canadian country music superstar Shania Twain carries the torch today in her hometown of Timmins, Ont.
Twain's run with the flame will come four days after a torchbearer in Guelph, Ont., fell to the ground in a confrontation between protesters and security personnel.
"The security levels we have now are appropriate. There's no pre-plans to beef up security, but that might change on a moment's notice, based on crowd size or crowd behaviour," said Bert Paquet, spokesman for the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit.
"We have that ability to increase that level pretty much instantly."
Torchbearer Courtney Hansen had just turned a corner with the torch in Guelph on Monday morning when she became entangled in the protest and fell.
The flame skidded against the ground but stayed lit. Guelph police have charged a 19-year-old woman with assault.
It's expected that Twain, a multiple Grammy-winner whose 1997 release "Come on Over" remains the best-selling country music album of all time, will carry the torch during a two-hour celebration in Timmins on New Year's Day.
There have been no reports in Timmins media of any expected protests. Paquet said security officials "don't want to take away" the uniqueness of the torch run -- both for Twain's fans and the singer herself -- by having undue levels of security.
The security unit is working closely with local police, Paquet said, and if any "intelligence" shows there could be a problem then they'll act quickly.
"Our job is to protect the torchbearer and the flame. And we will do that."