Image Credit: BC Govt / Flickr / File

By Doug Collins

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: The province’s decision on the Olympic bid is the right one

Oct 29, 2022 | 5:30 AM

THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT has declined to support a First Nations-led bid to host the 2030 Olympic Games. It’s unfortunate, but it was the right decision. It was simply a matter of money.

The timing just wasn’t right. We are already committed big-time dollars to be part of the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Invictus Games in 2025. The hundreds of millions of dollars to host the Olympics is just too much.

While it may be a bit of a blow to First Nations and the tourism industry, the huge cost cannot be absorbed when there are so many pressing needs, like community safety, health care, climate-related issues, the opioid crisis and affordable housing.

Hours after the decision was announced, Chief Jen Thomas of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation confirmed the Indigenous-led bid was over. There will likely be a lot of pushback, especially since there was apparently no conversation with First Nations prior to the announcement.

There’s a local angle to this as well. Sun Peaks would have been used for some of the events, so there will be tourism dollars lost here too.

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These Games would have been historic in that they would have been the first to be led by Indigenous Peoples and had a strong reconciliation component. But while some may decry the decision, there is only so much money to go around. That’s just the way it is.

We have outspent ourselves trying to get through the pandemic. We have so much yet to spend in key areas. Something had to give. Unfortunately, it was the Olympic bid.

It was a tough call but the right one.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.