THE WINNPEG SUN
PM not ready to give up on athletes
August 15, 2008 -- By PETER ZIMONJIC, NATIONAL BUREAU
While Prime Minister Stephen Harper might be willing to wait and see if Canada brings home medals before passing judgment on our sporting reputation, the opposition wants action to improve our medal prospects now.
Canada has yet to bring home any medals from Beijing. Opposition MPs say that while our athletes are setting Canadian records and giving us much to be proud of, the time has come to invest seriously in sports.
"When we talk about a Pan Am games or a Commonwealth games, there is always talk about how much the federal government would do 'if ' we get them," Wayne marston, NDP sport critic, said. "We can't be waiting to get games.
"We have to have a program of reinvestment now that brings up the facilities across the country."
Marston points out a claim by the Federation of Canadian municipalities that Canada is $14 billion short when it comes to sporting infrastructure and says we need to do more.
"Our athletes have the heart they just need the support to go with it," marston said. "if we are going to be disappointed we should be disappointed, in our government."
Harper told reporters in Newfoundland and Labrador yesterday they should wait to see how our athletes do as the events progress before lamenting our lack of medals.
"I gather we have more medal hopes coming up in the back half of the games," Harper said. "We'll remain optimistic and obviously cheer for everyone who wears the maple Leaf."
But critics say cheering and hoping is not enough. Competing at the international level requires money for trainers, facilities and financial assistance to athletes if we expect them to bring home the bling.
"Either we are going to decide that we don't want to go to the Olympics, that we are going to be non-competitive, that we are going to sit here and watch other countries compete or we are going to join in," Hedy Fry, Liberal sport critic, said. "But if we go, we should know our reputation hangs in the balance and we have to do better."
Fry said achieving excellence at the Olympics contributes to Canada's reputation as a country of outdoorsy/sporty people and encourages those of all ages to participate in sports.
"It's not that we aren't good enough ... it's that we don't have the same opportunities other countries have placed in front of their athletes to help them to be competitive."
