Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Elizabeth May Minister of Sport

The Soloman Show led today with a story on whether or not we would continue the additional funding of certain sports programs after we host the Olympics. As his lead expert on athletics, elite training methods and programs, E-Solo featured none other than Green Party leader Elizabeth May. Lizzy informed us all about how athletes feel, what affects them in competition, what resources they need available; as she engaged in a blunt political attack against Minister of Sport Gary Lunn (who coincidentally she targeted to run against in the next General Election). London and Central Nova evidently are not enlightened enough for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has decided to pursue sports as the political weapon that she will use to fight Minister Lunn. The lady who was riding the adult tricycle around New Glasgow two short years ago is now Soloman's leading expert on athleticism? If the optical hypocrisy is lost on Elizabeth and Evan, I'm sure it is not lost on her fellow Green Party members. They are trying to suggest that athletes will perform poorly in Vancouver because they are afraid that their funding will be reduced after the games. Could it not motivate the athletes to compete harder to win a medal and gain commercial endorsements? Either way Lizzy and E-Solo are laying a foundation for attacking the government should we fall below expectations in medal count.

The "own the podium" program was introduced specifically to increase the probability of success at an international sporting event on Canadian soil. It constituted additional funding above the standard funding already allotted to athletes. I do support some federal funding of competitive athletics, especially at the youth level. There are plenty of ways to support our athletes; watch them and cheer for them, purchase consumer products that they endorse, and so on. I know that the Economic Action Plan has included considerable funding for healthy living infrastructure. In my riding of West Vancouver, stimulus money went to assist in the building of new athletic facilities and fields.

"If you build it, they will come..."

5 comments:

  1. Props to John Ivison's contribution to today's "Power Panel"...

    Yeah, the whole title of the show is oxymoronical. Newman could only be Politics. Evan has a grasp of something extra, power; and thus deserved an extra hour per show. Newman did not have the breadth of knowledge to ramble for two whole hours 5 nights per week.

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  2. If they held an event who could bore you with rants she would win the gold easily.

    Thankfully my mute button has not been worn out.

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  3. I think blogging would be a happier exercise if you were to analyze say...the Michael Coren Show each night, instead of "Power and Politics" with Evan Soloman, or "Power Play" with Tom Clark.

    You can watch Michael Coren at www.ctstv.com. Its a great show. A nice breath of fresh air compared to Evan Soloman and Tom Clark.

    Regardless, I enjoy your blog. When will the election spreadsheet make its return? I sense likely after the Olympics, but before the budget.

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  4. I hate to bring up old bad news. Money can't buy you love or medals,as we proved in 1976, though you CAN rent a pretty good substitute for love.

    The first time a host Nation failed to win a single gold medal was at the revenue neutral Montreal Olympics,which took the rest of Canada twenty years to pay off, and started the Canadian government into the gambling business that had formerly been the province of organized crime.

    They called it "the numbers racket" our government called it "The Olympic Lottery", and you paid ten bucks for a chance to win a million. It was our patriotic duty to buy a ticket.

    Remember Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau's famous remark,"the Olympics could no more lose money than a man could have a baby"?

    And it all happened on Pierre Trudeau's watch.

    Regarding the lovely and talented Ms.May; that photo up top indicates that if "beavering through a log" was an Olympic event, Elizabeth would be a serious medal contender.

    I know that's a terrible thing to say about one of Canada's leading imported enviro-experts, but the large mouthed Ms.May drives me mad, and I can't be held responsible.

    DMorris

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  5. I'm confused, is that a pic of E.May or a braying jackass?...(eyes now straining and squinting)...ohhh.

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