Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Of the grant money our BC NDP government announced today, twenty-six percent ($45,000) is for events which have already taken place, or will end shortly

Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture ... Image: BC NDP

“Sports competitions provide great benefits for B.C. residents,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

“They promote athlete development, bring people together and help organizations gain expertise in hosting large events, which boost local economies. By investing in sport events, we are investing in the future of our communities.”


With those words today, the BC government announced 23 communities will gain valuable experience staging a total of 39 provincial, regional, national and international sport championships over the next year, thanks to $175,650 in grants from the provincial government. 

Most people, I believe, would consider the words “will gain valuable experience” to relate to the future.  Not necessarily our NDP government however; they have their own definition, which allows for them to include sporting events which have already taken place. 

Looking over the list of Hosting BC Grants recipients, I found that several events have already taken place. 


The month of August was popular with Duncan … my own community of Kamloops … North Vancouver … Surrey … Vancouver … and Vernon receiving a total of $18,500 in grants.  That equates to ten and a half percent of the total announced.

For events taking place this month (September), an additional $27,000 in grants (15.37%) went to the communities of Qualicum Beach … Richmond (2 grants to them) and to Surrey.

So, the reality is that of the grant money our BC NDP government announced today, twenty-six percent ($45,000) is for events which have already taken place, or which will end shortly.

Grant monies distributed began, at the low end, with Castlegar, Kamloops, and Port Coquitlam each receiving $1,000 … and continuing all the way up to a $15,000 grant going to Langley to host  2019 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.  The city of Richmond however was the recipient of the largest amount of grant money ($40,000) … they benefited from $10,000 grants for each of four sporting events.  It total, the city of Richmond received over twenty two percent of funding announced earlier today.

The Hosting BC program was established in 2004, by the BC Liberal government of Gordan Campbell, to promote sport, economic and community development and to maintain BC’s reputation as an exceptional sport event destination. The BC government provides $500,000 in Hosting BC grants each year, administered by the non-profit society viaSport, as part of its annual $50-million funding commitment for amateur sport in the province.

If you haven’t calculated to get the answer already, let me conclude by saying what Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare should have announced as the actual Hosting BC Grants total today … $130,650.  But $175 thousand sounds so much better, doesn’t it?

In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and I hope you’ll join the discussion on this or any other topic presented here.  Do you agree … disagree?  Post your thoughts in the Comment Section directly below.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interfor Moves Headquarters Out of BC as Forestry Crisis Continues

NDP policies are driving businesses out of B.C., and the forestry industry just suffered yet another calamity. Interfor, a BC company founded more than 60 years ago and now one of the world's largest lumber producers, is moving its headquarters from Burnaby, BC to Atlanta, Georgia. As BC’s forestry sector faces mill closures and mounting uncertainty, this move is another warning sign that the crisis is deepening and conditions are fatal. “This is the NDP’s record: endless job losses with no hope in sight for the forestry sector,” said Ward Stamer, Shadow Minister for Forestry. “Interfor still has three mills in BC which are now in serious jeopardy, and it is likely we will see even more companies pull out of BC. The NDP government is suffocating the forestry industry with high taxes, excessive regulations, and permitting delays, while DRIPA has made it impossible to plan for the future.” “Decisions like this are sadly not surprising given the NDP’s indifference if not hostility tow...
Post a Comment
Read more

Okanagan Farmers Face NDP-Created Water Crisis ~~ BC Conservatives

Okanagan farmers are facing a water crisis as government-imposed restrictions threaten to kill their crops and destroy one of B.C.’s most important agricultural industries. In perhaps the most water-rich province in the country, our farmers have been left high and dry by the NDP government. For nine weeks, Okanagan and Shuswap farmers have proposed solutions, only to be met with NDP foot-dragging. Now forest fires have come to these regions as they are simultaneously reckoning with a water crisis that has been made worse through years of government inaction. Vernon-area farms have lost 70 percent of their water, while Kelowna and Summerland growers face severe restrictions. This situation is unacceptable and cannot continue. Ian Paton, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, said the NDP is once again forcing farmers to pay for its own failure to plan. "Farmers and ranchers must be listened to when decisions affecting their livelihoods are made, and under the NDP, they aren’t," said...
Post a Comment
Read more

NDP Hypocritically Admits Natural Gas Power Was Needed All Along ~~ BC Conservatives

The NDP just got caught buying back the exact kind of power plant it spent years telling British Columbians they didn't need. The NDP government announced today that BC Hydro is purchasing the Island Generation natural gas facility in Campbell River, an admission that its electrification-only energy policy was never realistic. The 275-megawatt plant was originally privately owned yet kept to a minimal backup role under the NDP, operating just 15 days a year on average. Now, with demand outpacing what the NDP's plan can support, the government is spending taxpayer funds on the very gas capacity it once treated as obsolete. "You cannot electrify everything and pretend natural gas doesn't matter," said Larry Neufeld, Shadow Minister for Energy.  "Buying back a gas plant they once wrote off is proof their own plan couldn't keep the lights on. It's a step towards more energy reality, but the government needs to go further and scrap the impending province-w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more