Politicians skating on thin ice with Olympic trip

No need for trip to Korea to learn what we already know about Games

It is so drearily familiar that most decent people have long ago lost their gag reflex at the self-righteous wallowing that precedes a merry munching at the taxpayer trough.

Of course, the paid-for shrills of the various political parties scream from the sidelines, urging the hoi polloi to kick these bums out and replace them with this other group and then, hey, presto, things will come out of that particular wash whiter than white. But deep down, we fear the rot is so deep, it’ll never change.

Take the thoroughly depressing, yet barely surprising decision by the City of Calgary to invite a couple of provincial ministers along to the Winter Olympics this February in some place in South Korea that no one can even pronounce, never mind find on a map.

Now it seems as though Calgary’s been yakking about bidding for another run at the Olympics since Obi-Wan first told Luke Skywalker the Force was with him.

Yes, talking and wasting a million here and a million there on this study and that committee without ever actually deciding to shoot or get off the ice.

And wouldn’t you guess — actually you would, without a moment’s hesitation — that this soap opera now necessitates the mayor plus a few of the usual ancillary hangerson nipping off to Korea to do some first-hand investigating of what happens at an Olympics.

Apparently, so we’re told, places considering a bid are urged to send representatives. Oh, then Balzac and Grande Prairie should announce they too fancy a shot at the five-ring circus so their elected officials can indulge in an all-expensespaid mid-February, jolly holiday as well.

Surely, if politicians want to understand the pros and cons of staging the Games in Calgary, they could glean a lot more information by having lunch with former Olympic head honcho Frank King here in our city. Heck, Frank might even pick up the Tim Hortons tab.

But that doesn’t sound much fun — nothing personal, Frank — when instead, we could be flying off overseas and hobnobbing with fellow trough munchers from across the planet.

Not content with keeping this a purely civic boondoggle, we’ve gone and invited a couple of provincial government ministers along to the exclusive party, courtesy of Calgary ratepayers. Must keep ’em sweet in case someone, somewhere, actually does decide we’re bidding on the 2026 Winter Games. That way, we’ll get our hands on more provincial money — or so goes the thinking.

None of this bunch ever see it from an ordinary Calgarian’s viewpoint — it isn’t city hall’s money, nor is it the province’s cash (nor the feds’, for that matter). It’s citizens’ money and wasting it on free trips to the Olympics to discover what everyone already knows is wrong.

They could glean a lot more information by having lunch with former Olympic head honcho Frank King here in our city.