The less than classy side of the Vancouver Olympics
Two recent stories suggest the Olympic spirit has been lost somewhere on the road to the Vancouver Games in February.
A choir of young Mi'kmaq singers from Conne River, Newfoundland, found out they won't be singing at the Olympics after all. The group of 15 youths had been practising since apparently being invited by officials in B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell's office two years ago - only to be told recently it's off. Their choir director said she "couldn't look at them" when she told them. The premier's office seens to be checking into it and Olympic officials say they didn't know anything about it.
Okay, there were crossed wires. But for heaven's sake, just let the kids sing!
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The organizing committee of the Olympic games should be embarrassed by their decision to neither honour Canadian Olympians nor make tickets available to them. Gold medal pairs figure skater Barbara Wagner (shown in Canadian Press photo with partner Bob Paul in 1960) plans to go to Vancouver - even though a family member has been unable to get tickets for her.
Gee, I wonder how many corporate tickets have been handed out.
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Today's offering comes with an apology to Decoder readers for my failure to advise I wouldn't be posting for a few weeks. I've been on special assignment and will be back Tuesday, November 3.
Hope you'll watch for me then.
Linda, no need to apologise. Corporate tickets to sporting events, including the Olympics, seem to be privaledges of the elite. My teenage daughter has been begging me to take her to see the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadians, but I cant afford a weeks wages to make it happen.
Posted by: Frank Docherty | October 27, 2009 at 10:10 PM
As an American who spent much of her childhood visiting Newfoundland If find it dispicable that that was done to children.
I apologize to the children of Newfoundland sometimes adults are stupid and inn this case I would say they were .
oh I forgot insensitive, arrogant, belligerent, obnoxious, pitiful and lets not forget self absorbed
so I apologize to you from the bottom of my heart
Joanne Barton
New Hampshire
Posted by: Joanne Bartom | March 03, 2010 at 02:12 PM