As a center of Canada's oil industry, Calgary – in the relatively conservative province of Alberta – would seem to be an ideal place for George W. Bush to give his first post-presidential speech.

But Bush was greeted by more than the 1,500 business people who paid as much as $315 to hear him speak Tuesday. Plenty of shoes were thrown as at least 100 protesters gathered and chanted "war criminal," angry that Bush chose Calgary for his first speech after leaving the White House in January. At least two demonstrators were hauled away by police after brief skirmishes.