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Pricey Olympics a Wedge Issue
While Campbell touts spin-offs, timber towns feel deprived.
Premier Campbell and Prince Albert of Monaco look at model of Richmond Olympic Oval.
On a bright Friday afternoon earlier this month, hundreds of men and women in crisp business wear gathered outside the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion to watch the official ribbon cutting.
Saxophone rock oozed out of mounted loudspeakers. Finance minister Colin Hansen shook hands and beamed smiles. Across Burrard Inlet, the soaring North Shore Mountains disappeared into patches of cloud.
It was a shining moment for an Olympics host city with only ten months until go-time. The launch of a massive venue set to hold 10,000 accredited media during the Winter Games and a seeming rebuke of the economic woes facing the province.
"As we get ready to host the world in 2010, we think of the three billion eyes that will be upon us," Premier Gordon Campbell said, addressing the crowd. "Recognize that many of those eyes will start to look out upon our province and our country from this facility."
Missing from the premier's speech was any mention of the nearly $400 million in cost overruns which made the view possible -- and the 2007 auditor general's report suggesting poor planning was to blame.
With a provincial election less than a month away, will voters accept Campbell's Olympic assurances and move on to other issues? Or will they see a hulking edifice built on wasted tax dollars?
Economy bigger deal than Olympics
Most pollsters, pundits and party strategists agree -- in this election, financial uncertainty is top of mind. A recent Angus Reid poll suggested 36 percent of British Columbians think the economy is the most important challenge facing the province. Crime and public safety followed at 19 percent, while healthcare trailed a distant third.
The Olympics didn’t even make the list.
That's not surprising to Ipsos Reid vice-president Kyle Braid, who said mill closures, job layoffs and declining investments mean fiscal concerns trump most others, including the Games.
"The economy is the number one issue," he said. "It's consistent across regions."
Carole James' New Democratic Party takes most opportunities to cast Olympics cost overruns as fiscal irresponsibility. When the Convention Centre expansion opened earlier this month, an NDP press release called it "the largest boondoggle in B.C. history." And opposition Olympics critic Harry Bains maintains the true cost of the Games is at least $6 billion, not the $765 million figure Colin Hansen cited in February.
Braid said continued opposition attacks could erode public faith in the ruling party's financial record. But with most Olympics infrastructure already completed, he's not sure the mega-event will figure prominently this election.
"The NDP has to show that they'd be able to do something different than the Liberals," he said. "That will be a challenge because we're committed, the Olympics are coming."
Not so fast, NDP candidate says
UBC professor Rob VanWynsberghe studies how big events impact local communities, with a focus on the 2010 Games. He's also an NDP hopeful in Vancouver-Quilchena, one of the safest Liberal strongholds in the province, according to 2005 results. Over the past few weeks, he's gone door-to-door throughout the district in the hopes of finding out what issues figure big. What he discovered was surprising.
"I asked people if they care about the potential impact of the Games on the Downtown Eastside," VanWynsberghe said. "I thought the answer was going to be 'no'. As it turns out, a lot of people were interested."
When the Olympics hit town, at least 10,000 media will follow, shining an international spotlight. Though the upscale neighbourhoods where VanWynsberg is running are a world away from the drug-filled alleys near Main and Hastings, he said residents want their city to look good under the world's gaze.
On May 12, voters will pick the leader they want to preside over the biggest public event in B.C. history. Issues such as openness about Olympics costs and a dedication to building legacy housing could have resonance, the professor said.
"We're beginning to see the awakening of a broad-based appreciation for what's actually going to be happening during the Games and some critique of what's been happening," he said.
And outside the Lower Mainland?
During a sold-out Toronto dinner earlier this month, federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff pointed to Mackenzie, B.C., as proof of the recession. Four mills closed and nearly 100 percent unemployment, he lamented. Mackenzie now is a smoking crater where plummeting markets met small-town industry.
In Prince George, a resource industry hub, University of Northern British Columbia political science instructor Jason Morris said forestry and jobs are the talk of the coffee shops. That's hardly surprising, given the thousands of B.C. mill labourers put out of work over the past few years. Still, Morris said the Winter Games could sway voting preferences if the NDP attacks the ruling party hard.
A January poll suggested only 52 per cent of British Columbians think the benefits of hosting the Olympics outweigh the drawbacks. And regional fault lines laid by Expo 86 still cause resentment outside the Lower Mainland, Morris said.
"The impression was Vancouver got a convention centre and all this world attention and after the Fair, other communities got the leftovers," he said.
Premier Campbell is obviously attuned to such tensions. At this month's convention centre opening, he spoke of $2 billion in short-term spin-offs for the entire province -- part of a strategy to portray Games-related spending as badly-needed stimulus in tough times. Will voters feel the same way? Morris isn’t sure.
"Any critics of the incumbent government could use the Olympics in terms of a lost opportunity cost," he said. "Money spent for the Olympics is really money not spent on healthcare or social programs."
This story was funded in part by those who donated to The Tyee Election Issues Reporting Fund and requested coverage of the Olympics and the Economy as election issues.
Related Tyee stories:
- Olympics Spending a Shot in the Arm for British Columbia
But economists differ on its power to inoculate us from a recession. - Our Olympics, Outsourced
It's a global gold rush, and VANOC doesn't give BC firms any advantage. - Forestry down 36 per cent: 'The industry is in a tail spin'
![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
- BC snuffs out AirCare test program
- AFN national chief Shawn Atleo to launch re-election bid
- Citizens group releases video to fight undead Bill C-30
- Conservative MP says he might vote against budget, then 'clarifies' his position
- Genetically modified plants won't take root with councillors in Richmond, BC
- Hundreds at Vancouver rally to support Quebec students
- Could Fort Mac become an eco-tourist hotspot?
- Rick Hansen's Man in Motion anniversary tour concludes in Vancouver
- The Gem of Canadian Science that Harper Killed
- Who Mowed Down the Premier?
- Canada's Economy, Deconstructed (by a 12 year-old)
- Death in Remand: a Tyee Inquiry
- Now Is the Time to Talk up Big Ideas
- Sexism Tinges Criticism of Teachers' Job Action
- Bill C-38: the Environmental Destruction Act
- Death In Remand: 'A Gut Feeling'
- Bias in BC's Pesticide Decision? Follow the Bouncing Verbs
- The Ethics of Addiction Studies
- The Gem of Canadian Science that Harper Killed
- Sexism Tinges Criticism of Teachers' Job Action
- Now Is the Time to Talk up Big Ideas
- The Ethics of Addiction Studies
- Bill C-38: the Environmental Destruction Act
- Alberta Fills Pipes with Corrosive Denial
- Bias in BC's Pesticide Decision? Follow the Bouncing Verbs
- How Our Immune Systems Exaggerate Fear
- BC biotech company seeks approval for GM apple
- What's Behind BC's Doors?
- The Ethics of Addiction Studies
- What's Behind BC's Doors?
- The Gem of Canadian Science that Harper Killed
- Sexism Tinges Criticism of Teachers' Job Action
- Should You Run from that Medical Test?
- 'The Dictator'
- Death in Remand: Stacked Deck
- 'Moonrise Kingdom'
- From Financial Advisor to Occupier
- Seven Goals to Build the Conservative 'Dream'
- Double lung recipient dances on Ellen show
- ISS astronauts grab DragonX space capsule by the tail with Canada Arm
- Metro Vancouver gas prices peak at record levels
- Ottawa posts $9-billion deficit in March despite pledge to avoid spending spree
- BC phases out AirCare to focus on fighting bigger vehicle emissions
- Tsunami senors to be dropped into deep sea off of Vancouver Island
- Student groups file court challenge against Quebec protest law
- ...while on the streets, pirates and ninjas put aside mutual animosity to join student protests
17
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Grumpy
3 years ago
And don't forget the RAV/Canada Line!
When will the media wake up and smell the coffee? The RAV metro is at least $1.2 billion over it's original budget and guess what, tourists in cities seldom use metro's to and from airports.
But what will stick in the craw of Olympic tourists is that the RAV/Canada Line doesn't serve any venues and that the rest of the transit system (except for major trunk routes) is dreadful.
If it snows, ha, ha, ha; the world will see how dreadful our transit system is!
freebear
3 years ago
How many eyes?!!!
So now we find out the Premier does not 'do' math well!
"As we get ready to host the world in 2010, we think of the three billion eyes that will be upon us," Premier Gordon Campbell said, addressing the crowd.
"Recognize that many of those eyes will start to look out upon our province and our country from this facility."
so that means only 1.5 billion people will be watching right Gordon?
Or is 3 billion viewers another error/ untruth?
Will the BC Rail court case end after the Owelympics?
Rod Smelser
3 years ago
I first heard about this four years ago
About four years ago, visiting family in Kelowna and Prince George, I started noticing the first signs of a growing resentment over the amount of money being poured into Vancouver and environs for the Olympics.
It was expressed most succinctly by an uncle in Kelowna. He said that with Expo 86, they had been able to afford to take the family there, but with Olympic hockey tickets at $500 a pop, he and his wife are simply not in that market.
Van Isle
3 years ago
Rod, "About 4 years ago" you
Rod, "About 4 years ago" you started to notice. Obviously you're not paying attention. To date I haven't met anyone yet who's in favour of the Olympics and I'm talking about people from a wide range of demographics. It seems to me the only people who are in favour, are the talking heads in the media. Oh yeah, I do see some pictures in our local newspapers of people with big grins on their faces. Should be interesting to see how many people will be in favour in about 10 months from now.
realisticman
3 years ago
They're all wrong
Geoff:
"Most pollsters, pundits and party strategists agree -- in this election, financial uncertainty is top of mind. A recent Angus Reid poll suggested 36 percent of British Columbians think the economy is the most important challenge facing the province. "
Just go to last week's story on The Tyee, funds from which, incidentally, partly financed the writing of this article and you can see that The Economy is 9th on the list of importance!
http://thetyee.ca/Tyeenews/2009/04/10/ElectionFunds2/
lets.talk.about.it
3 years ago
Re Olympics
I've been trying to get my head around the provincial Liberals' strategy. How can it possibly make sense to turn over provincial assets to the private sector and cut spending on assets that are so essential to the future of this province that it will handicap us? Unjustifiably deep cuts have occurred in health care, social services, education, seniors' care, affordable housing, government services, transportation, . . . in fact everything except the Olympic Games, and other megaprojects.
We were assured that the games would not be over budget, but the games will now be at least three times as costly as the original estimate. In addition to fully funding the Olympic Games, the Liberals are targetting large amounts of pre election money for "one off" projects in ridings where they feel they can buy an MLA by funding local projects. This money was provided by cuts to services that were far more critical to BC than the Olympic games. I suspect that many of the contractors employed to build the games facilities are major contributors to the BC Liberal party. Money diverted to pay the contractors has forced the mentally handicapped onto city streets and has killed addicts who experienced cuts to addiction treatment centres.
We elect a provincial government to act as a steward of our provincial resources. They are trusted to act in the best interests of the citizens of British Columbia, not to exploit the citizens' foolishness for electing them. The metaphor that comes to my mind is that of a company owner who hires a general manager to carry out the day to day operations of his company. He later finds that the manager has been selling off the company assets to his competitor and expects to get a good job with the competitor when he leaves his present company.
I see this as the strategy of our senior Liberals. They are currying favour with big business by systematically turning over provincial assets at little or no cost. When MLA's return to the private sector after their political careers they are assured of prestigious, well paid consultation contracts or board positions.
The government acts with arrogance and concealed agendas because they can. Our fundamental strategy must be to find a way that no government can ever do this again in British Columbia. We must remove the incentive for government officials to deplete public assets in pursuit of their personal wealth.
At the end of six years an MLA receives a substantial pension. Perhaps limit the amount of other earnings or the pension is permanently rescinded. Prohibit the retired MLA from ever working with a company that has any business with the government.
Put some real teeth into the regulations so there is no incentive for a MLA to ever betray public trust.
G West
3 years ago
Challenges
The economy is certainly a challenge - given the corrupt and cavalier fashion in which the current government has approached that challenge - including the howler that the Olympics is going to raise the economy from its current supine position - the most important factor in addressing the economy is to get rid of the current batch of lying conniving thieves who have used their illicit (and lobbyist financed) business connections to get us into the current predicament.
realisticman
3 years ago
In a Challenging Time
"Ms. James said yesterday, she has none. "No," she replied softly when a reporter asked her whether she has any business or private-sector experience."
"But she noted she was a school board trustee in Greater Victoria and was chair for six years. She served five terms as president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, and was vice-president of the Canadian School Boards Association for two years.
Although she was also B.C. director of child-care policy, director of child and family services for the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council in Prince George, and co-ordinator of the Northern Aboriginal Authority for Families..."
There's More...:
""During my time as a school trustee, both at the provincial and local level, I had to make some very tough decisions where we were having to cut budgets, we were having to balance budgets. That's the kind of experience I bring."
In 1997, Ms. James was involved in a debate over reducing the number of school districts. The NDP government of the day wanted to cut 42 of 79 districts, but she convinced them to settle on 20."
Closing schools is not something either party have a monopoly on, I guess.
This is absolutely precious.
"Ms. James said NDP candidates will bring business savvy to the table, noting her candidates include Vancouver-Fraserview prospect Gabriel Yiu, who has three flower shops, and another candidate who runs an organic farm."
All quotes above:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090416.BCELECTIONNDP16ART2156/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia/
Don't worry about negotiations with some of the largest companies operating in BC; Rio Tinto Alcan, CN, Weyerhauser, etc. These companies may have operations doing upward of $20 billion per year and employees in at least 30 countries but our business negotiators in the NDP government will be led by a flower shop owner and a guy that has an organic farm. Who's going to run the Health Ministry under the NDP, someone that's got a aromatherapy shop? Reassured?
G West
3 years ago
Considering the mess that the CEO has made
Considering the mess that the CEO has made of the province in the last 8 years, I can think of little that commends the leader of the opposition to the voters more then the fact she has never been in the back pocket of BC and international business.
Perhaps we can consult the CEO's (and former CEO's) of Enron/Arthur Andersen/Accenture and Abitibi-Bowater for their sage advice as well. So far that gang – including the folks Gordo’s gang hired to build the Olympic Village don’t have such a sterling record either. And I haven’t even mentioned the forest industry….
Given the mess that the current health minister has made of health care (I guess you missed that Supreme Court of Canada Decision) I think Ms James will do just fine.
She knows the meaning of consultation, cooperation and accountability.
Gordon Campbell only accounts to Howe Street and that isn't working so well.
I expect small business - which is the biggest employer in BC will be very sympathetic to Ms James and her team. And it is a REAL team, not a bunch of spineless figureheads who get their marching orders from the Premier's Office and can't talk at all without a 'minder' or three from the Public Affairs $28 million a year staff.
realisticman
3 years ago
Scrambled Eggs
It's great that you say crazy things like this;
"including the folks Gordo’s gang hired to build the Olympic Village".
It just confirms the value of the rest of your ranting.
It won't stick. Don't forget.
"April 3, 2006 City Council selects Millennium Properties Ltd. as developer of Olympic Village: Following a rigorous selection process that began in 2005, Vancouver-based Millennium Properties Ltd. was chosen in a unanimous vote by City Council to design and construct the buildings for the first phase of Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village development."
http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage/timeline.htm
Stephanie T
3 years ago
Aroma Therapy?
R man said....
"Who's going to run the Health Ministry under the NDP, someone that's got a aromatherapy shop? Reassured?"
Whoever it turns out to be, could they really do any worse than the strawberry farmer who runs it now?
realisticman
3 years ago
Stephanie
Well said! You raise a very good point.
G West
3 years ago
Not at all my friend - you're the forgetful one
Do you think for a moment the Premier's Office hasn't been involved in every single decision that has been made relative to the Olympics?
Remember who the CEO flew with to the Beijing Games last summer?
Fact is, some times you're simply too naive for words.
Last week, apparently because Vanoc has done its job so incompetently, it was said that a high-powered team from Furlong's Office (with the approval of the Premier) was lobbying for legislation to clean up the potential mess they have a-building with some of their 'partners' who aren't cooperating.
Keep watching and listening - there's lots more to come....
Lots of Campbell’s buddies want to be in for the payoff…..
realisticman
3 years ago
So they were bought?
The unanimous vote by City Council in 2006.
including:
Raymond Louie - Vision
Tim Stevenson - Vision
George Chow - Vision
Heather Deal - Vision
David Cadman - COPE
If you have evidence regarding what you call the vote for "Gordo’s gang", you have the public duty to bring it forward.
You're saying what, exactly?
realisticman
3 years ago
G West
I expect that you read what ex-COPE Louie and ex-Glen Clark Communications Director Geoff Meggs are quoted as saying in the Globe & Mail today. Quite positive.
""It all depends on your time horizon," says Vision Vancouver Councillor Raymond Louie, head of the city's finance committee. "But ultimately I think the market will recognize the value of this development. I don't think we are at significant risk."
Councillor Geoff Meggs, who handles the city's Olympics files, agrees. "It's had an impact and will have a serious impact for some time to come. But I think in the fullness of time, it will turn out well.""
Frank
3 years ago
realisticman
Quoting NDPers positively, it brings a tear to my eye to see you come into the Light.
G West
3 years ago
And that council was - wait for it
AN NPA COUNCIL - not a single word you've posted refutes the fact that the Olympics are exactly what the CEO wanted.
Like that marvelous skating oval that's so close to sea level that the only records broken there will be for the time it takes to get a beer between events - before it's turned into a 'field house'....such foresight; such planning; such a cynosure for the CEO's friends. Such an incredibly intelligent use of beetled-kill wood products…
Great Legacy from the CEO to the people of BC my friend.
If you don't think the whole province has and is being run out of the Premier's Office since 2001 (oh and from Savary Island and occasionally Hawaii too apparently), then you've obviously spent too much time reading old numbers of the Economist in the First Class Lounge at YVR.