Harper Ideology Must Not Mar 2010 Vancouver Games
August 22, 2008
For Immediate Release
VANCOUVER – “In the light of recent cuts to arts and culture, censorship of artistic content and shameful health policy decisions Canadians need to be concerned when the Harper government signals that they want to be involved in the planning of the opening ceremony to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,” said Hon. Hedy Fry, MP for Vancouver Centre and Liberal Critic for Sport and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
“While it’s important that governments ensure that the tax payers money is spent in keeping with clear criteria,” continued Fry, “the fact that this government has shown a remarkable proclivity to control every aspect of Canadian behaviour to conform with their ideological bent must make us wonder whether this intervention in the opening ceremonies will be yet another excuse to disseminate Harper government propaganda.”
“The Government should leave planning up the experts who have been chosen to manage all aspects of the games”, said Fry.
VANOC, the body put in place to plan and oversee the games, have spent almost eight years preparing for these Olympics. In the past, both in Montréal in 1976, and in Calgary in 1988, government did not intervene, except to ensure government funds were spent in an accountable and transparent manner.
- 30 -
