Industry Minister John Manley has done the proper, logical thing. Consider the taxes generated and paid by NHL teams in Canada. Consider the spinoff industries and the taxes they pay. Consider the jobs that can be attributed directly and indirectly to the existence of NHL teams in a given city. If we want these benefits after the next round of NHL collective bargaining, we'd better bridge the gap to 2004 (when the current collective-bargaining agreement expires). That's to say nothing of symbols or national pride.