Here we have a great event that is bringing worldwide focus and profit to our city. The 2010 legacy fund has injected millions of dollars into handicapped accessibility, education, parks, programs, sporting facilities and more that will help ensure that the people of our province live richer lives in the future. I am ashamed of the “fad” of negativity that is coming from my fellow British Columbians. I agree that it is a superfluous event, and I didn’t particularly want them initially, but the fact is that we won the bid and now the Olympics are here, so why not make it the best possible event it can be? I refuse to let my region down, so I am fully engaged in the games as a volunteer for not only the Olympics but the Paralympics (Which I am more excited about than the Olympics) and the Cultural Olympiad as well. Many of the volunteers running these games are coming from 100 mile house, Kelowna, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. I am going to do my best to ensure that these games have a positive and lasting impact on our region. I strongly disagree with the comment about a “two week party for the elite” – Surrey’s live venue is in its poorest are and is completely free. I’m dead broke and yet I get to see the opening ceremonies because I gave a damn and volunteered. Many of my friends have found jobs in and around the Olympics, and will get to meet athletes, foreigners, and other Vancouverites. Not to mention the Torch relay that has touched countless communities around our beautiful countries. If you have read the Vancouver Sun stories about the torch relay than you would know that the ‘games’ touch our country in many many ways. We are selfish to think that this affects only us in and around Vancouver.

I give props to Molson for beautifying one more of Vancouver’s blocks. We need more public art, period. As for the homeless – the Olympics have given Vancouver reason to see our problems through a new lens, and as sad as it might be that it takes an event like this to motivate the Powers that Be to instigate change, unfortunately that’s just the way the world works when you live in a capitalist society. Be happy that change is happening and do your best to keep the momentum moving.

If Molson wants to really make this a cohesive community success, how about including a few photos of the alcoholics struggling in the DTES. Fearless City collected hundreds of phones last month just for such an occasion. Lets put them to work and show both sides of the Olympic coin.

Hopefully Molson won’t simply make it an old school analog advertising stunt, and instead turn it into progressive and responsible social commentary by creating a companion website that includes short bios of the people behind the pictures. That would truly be historic. Anonymity is passé in the age of Twitter. Give people a voice if they want it.

You no longer have to be Pro or Anti Olympics because there is a middle ground, and the choice you make shouldn’t be unconditional.

2010 certainly didn’t cause homelessness, but there are stacks of well documented evidence to prove it made it worse, and anyone who argues otherwise needs to do a little research before they spread misinformation hurtful to our community.

If you ignore history you’re doomed to repeat it.

Drink & Blog responsibly !!

Cheers,
Maurice Cardinal

Editor: http://www.OlyBLOG.com
Author: http://www.LeverageOlympicMomentum.com

P.S. Stick to your guns Keira-Anne

P.S.S. Great work Miss604!

@ Ferg. Thanks Molson for a really cool experience and idea.

To add: Molson is not the government, they can spend their money supporting whatever they want and good on them for choosing something that all Canadians can be proud of.

Too many people in Vancouver come off sounding like Burnaby Mayor Derrick Corrigan. Who hates the Olympics primarily because Burnaby was left out. Asshat.

Having said that, it is disappointing to here comments such as Charlene’s and Keira’s. Our athletes don’t need to hear about the whining of people who are obviously uneducated on where funding for the Olympics come from and where revenue goes.

Just under 80% of the total expense for the games comes from the IOC in the form of international broadcast contracts, international and domestic sponsorships, licensing and merchandising, ticket sales and fund-raising.The remainder comes from a number of sources including tax money from us but also the rest of Canada. Other cities like Montreal, Toronto and Calgary have made contributions in the millions as they see the dollar benefit in tourism that the games bring to their cities. The same will happen here, in the long run our city and province will benefit from profits and improvements we have made as a result of the Olympic Games being in Vancouver.

It’s time we stop blaming the Olympics for our shortcomings and get excited to support our Athletes to bring home the gold for the first time on Canadian soil!

That’s pretty sad isn’t it? I think it’s pretty strange that they can come up with billions of dollars to pay for all these venues and infrastructure changes, but can’t invest any more money in the people in this city.