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JAMES CHRISTIE

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 5:48 PM EST 26/08/08

More cash needed to train and develop athletes if Canada is 'to play with the big boys' ...Read the full article

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  1. Rene L from Somewhere, Canada writes: Have a look at the attached link...

    http://www.athletescan.com/Newsletter/March2005Eng.doc

    I am all for properly funding the athletes but how much is enough? I'm pretty sure that even if we increase funding, we will be hearing "we need more" in a couple of years. I'm also sure that people in healthcare need more $$$, same with education and the military and alternative energy R&D and etc, etc.
  2. Charlie R from Richmond Hill, Canada writes: The dreaded "F" word. I don't think we'll ever agree on how to tackle this issue. Having said that, I am a firm believer in supporting sport at all levels. With the exception of the Usain Bolt's and Michael Phelps' of this world, elite athletes are really no different from the rest of us. They have to progress through a lot of levels that require a lot of work and infrastructure. If you're not keen on more funding, why not give your time. It's just as important. Go find your local track club or swim club and volunteer at their next meet. I'm sure they could always use a helping hand with registration or some help setting up equipment etc...
  3. Ballin Munson from toronto, Canada writes: a little more than 10 - 15% of the CBC's budget will pay for an Australia type program, and no one will notice except CBC honcho's!!!!
  4. Charlie R from Richmond Hill, Canada writes: What I don't get is, that Chris Rudge is asking for $30 million a year and the government is giving $24 million a year. Seriously... what's another 6??? Lotteries can dish out 4 times that amount on any given weekend to 1 person.
  5. Brock Turner from Vancouver, Canada writes: in response to Rene L - I read the Athletes Can newsletter link. First of all, it was from March 2005 which is an eternity ago in political terms. And none of that funding ever came to reality. They got only $8 million of the $140 million promised and some promises for later funding.

    There is an upper limit in the eyes of the sport system and we know (as I work in the sport system) if the government puts adequate funding in, the corporate sector will sponsor to almost match what the government puts in. Not many of the sectors you talk about can say that....

    Adequate funding by the feds will mean the provinces will also see that funding sport is important and they will open their treasury. This will mean a healthier population which means that there will be less impact on the health system and the local and provincial sport organizations can actually help the education system with their activities.

    As you can see, adequate funding for sport at the federal level is the catalyst to a huge impact on the lives of all Canadians.
  6. Archie Gillespie from Canada writes: My understanding is that Canada contributed $56 million to China in foreign aid in 2007. Considering the approximately $40 billion spent by China to stage the show and their bordering on being an economic power that $56 million could go to good use back here. One can also only guess where millions upon millions are squandered elsewhere within the federal government system annually, a small pittance of which would be a virtual windfall for athletes' support, both summer and winter.
  7. Rene L from Somewhere, Canada writes: Brock Turner from Vancouver, Canada writes: in response to Rene L - I read the Athletes Can newsletter link. First of all, it was from March 2005 which is an eternity ago in political terms. And none of that funding ever came to reality. They got only $8 million of the $140 million promised and some promises for later funding.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Hi Brock, here is another link... not sure where you got $8 million vs $140 million.

    http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/sc/contributions/2006-2007-2/index_e.cfm

    Furthermore, the top carded athletes currently receive $18,000/year from the federal gov't whatever provincial gov't pays its athletes. Now I'm not necessarily saying this is sufficient but what would be sufficient? I certainly don't think we should be offering blank cheques for olympic medals and I also don't see the athletes one day saying "no thank you, we don't want anymore $$, we have enough funding".
  8. Rene L from Somewhere, Canada writes: Edit to my last post
    Furthermore, the top carded athletes currently receive $18,000/year from the federal gov't on top of whatever provincial gov't pays its athletes.
  9. Joseph T from Victoria, Canada writes: Archie, please provide web references for your $56 million figure in foreign aid to China.
  10. Archie Gillespie from Canada writes: Joseph T.

    http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2007/february/21/experts/
  11. Archie Gillespie from Canada writes: Joseph T.

    Actually if you Google "Canada foreign aid to China" a number of related articles come up.
  12. Charlie R from Richmond Hill, Canada writes: We have to be careful when we talk increasing funding. There seems to be a quick association between the word funding and the word salary. Those two don't necessarily mean the same thing. Perhaps $18,000 is a bit low as a stipend for our athletes, but I haven't heard a single athlete spcivically say "Put more money in my pocket directly and I'll win you a medal". The sporting community needs to quash this notion of paying our athletes more money because funding means much more than that. Funding means more pools/tracks/gyms get built or existing ones don't get torn down so that athletes and the community at large get to use them. It means being able to travel to a meet or race or training camp so they can compete against the best in the world. It means more people get their coaching certification. Funding means more physio therapy, rehab and health service facilities get built. It means more education on nutrition. Funding means equipment manufacturers and suppliers get more busines. It means our schools can once again develop phys ed. programs and sports teams. We the society at large needs to get our head around this properly.
  13. Sean O'Reilly from Kitchener, Canada writes: How about corporate Canada stepping up.
  14. Toby Maloney from Winnipeg, Canada writes: I agree with Sean O'Reilly. The private sector seems to be well served with Olympic advertising and opportunities to attach themselves to the glory of athletes, but it's the public sector that pays for all the facilites and athlete development. I'd sooner see tax funds used for elevating the activity levels of children, preventing obesity and chronic disease, and and helping to divert youth from gangs or petty crime. So how about if the private sector doubles its efforts to win gold?
  15. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: From what I have read the American's don't supply any tax dollars to their athletes. It is all corporate sponsorships.

    Might I suggest an Olympic lottery? As someone above said... we hand out 20 million dollar lottery prizes on a regular basis. How about a weekly lottery with a smaller prize (say 2m). Sell tickets at 3 dollars per.... This would be the perfect time to introduce such a lottery and a challenge to corporate sponsors to match..... as long as it was made clear that the money would be going directly towards achieving excellence in 2010 and 2012.

    Just a thought.

    Cheers

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