Editor:
Re: Government fully funding the Multi-Centre, Mary Glassford, Observer, March 18.
In her recent contribution to the Observer, Mary Glassford stated she hoped she had misunderstood my call for the Quesnel Multi-Centre to be fully funded by the provincial and federal governments.
She also said she didn’t believe the rest of Canada would support our needs as she wouldn’t support such funding arrangements elsewhere. However, that is precisely the issue. As B.C. taxpayers, those of us living in Quesnel and area have supported the Olympics, we’ve contributed to the more than half a billion dollar cost to put a retractable roof over BC place and another half billion plus to the Vancouver Convention centre.
All these high priced items were “fully funded” by the federal and provincial governments. How many taxpayers from this region directly benefitted from the Olympics or will ever step foot in these very, very expensive venues?
More importantly, where’s our fair share?
It’s our natural resource economy which enables the federal and provincial governments to pay for these high-priced facilities and events (don’t get me started on the insane costs to the taxpayer of hosting the G20 and G8 summits).
Surely it’s reasonable to expect that some of the hundreds of millions of dollars which flow out of our region finds their way back here for more than basic infrastructure maintenance and diminished public programs.
I am absolutely convinced $30 million spent here on our multi-center will create more economic benefit in the long run than investing over half a billion dollars of our tax money in a retractable roof over BC Place.
Bob Simpson
Independent MLA Cariboo North