CANADIAN OLYMPIC PROGRAM PARTLY PAID BY (CANADIAN) TAXPAYERS!
I wrote about the Olympics a day or so ago and I cited the over $100,000,000 effort by Canada to “Own The Podium” (win the most medals) at this Olympics. I suspected there was government involvement in this endeavour. Turns out I was right.
Here’s the Own The Podium webpage.
About half of the funds are from government. $47 million Canadian dollars (most for summer sports but $11 million (Can) for winter sports) was “donated” by the federal government in Ottawa. (This also includes the Paralympics as well) Another ten million (Can $) was donated by the British Columbia provincial government (Five for the winter sports). There is even a federal minister of sport!
I admire Canada very much and have visited this beautiful land several times. I hope I get to do so again. But the use of public funds for sport is unlibertarian, beyond the scope of government, uses tax dollars for things that all may not agree on and not an essential governmental function (For example: What if I hate sports? I don’t have to donate. But if my tax dollars are used, I did not have a choice. Another issue: Suppose I disagree with the use of professional athletes in the Olympics [I do by the way], my tax money is used in an inappropriate manner), and it places athletes from nations who do not subsidize sports (e.g., USA) at a competitive disadvantage.
The Olympics will never do it but there should be a rule against direct governmental funding of sports. Governments can encourage private giving through tax dodges etc but no direct funding. The penalty: Your team is banned from the Olympics.
