Own the podium, God Bless the Conservative Party

[CDNBear]

Well ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the Conservatives have made a substantial contribution to our Olympic endeavors.

Not only have we achieved record numbers in medals, we have broken our own dry spells on home soil.

All thanx to the very real and sizable effort of our athletes and the many sponsors, including the single largest, the Canadian Federal Gov't, under the Conservative Part of Canada.

Not only did they break away from the usual lip service of successive past Liberal regimes, in how we treat our elite athletes, they actually put up the much needed funds to make a significant difference in our standings.

Which is of course, one of, err, no, it is our best ever show at the Olympics. Especially at home. At 13 Gold Medals and the possibility of a 14th. The program has obviously achieved a significant and sizable change in our athletic community.

With a promise of continued support for our elite athletes, from the PM himself, we should be able to achieve even greater standings in our global sports appearances.

Now I'm no fan of the CPoC, under PM Harper, but I must say, this has been without a doubt, a nationally binding contribution. Say what you will about this present Gov't, but they have done something that has united the country, in both pride and spirit.

That's no small achievement!

And they certainly do deserve a round of applause, as do the athletes themselves.

Go Canada!

 

[pgs]

Yes own the podium appears to have positive results.
The olympics have sure been fun.

 

[darkbeaver]

I wonder what the cost per medal will be.

 

[Kreskin]

Instead of hosting the Olympics and creating all this infrastructure, business and exposure for Canada, British Columbians could've directed the government to upgrade the Patricia Hotel with new carpets and paint and beefed up staff at the shooting gallery. BCers could've started a new government office to help provide foodbank donations to people formerly known as small business owners, and all of us mailed cheques to the local hospital foundations to buy more gift-shop inventory. Brooms could've been put in the hands of all Vancouver homeless to sweep the dust out of empty buildings. Imagine the spinoffs: everyone on East Hastings could have a revitalized the lint collecting cottage-industry.

Why dream big when there is so much mediocrity and stagnation to accomplish?

 

[El Barto]

I wouldn't go as far as supporting the Harper Gov for one thing they did right.
It is wonderful to see the results.
What matters tho is the atheletes opinions and feed back. All good so far

 

[gerryh]

we'll see if they keep it up or just transfer that extra spending to the war department.

 

[Avro]

Well ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the Conservatives have made a substantial contribution to our Olympic endeavors.

Not only have we achieved record numbers in medals, we have broken our own dry spells on home soil.

All thanx to the very real and sizable effort of our athletes and the many sponsors, including the single largest, the Canadian Federal Gov't, under the Conservative Part of Canada.

Not only did they break away from the usual lip service of successive past Liberal regimes, in how we treat our elite athletes, they actually put up the much needed funds to make a significant difference in our standings.

Which is of course, one of, err, no, it is our best ever show at the Olympics. Especially at home. At 13 Gold Medals and the possibility of a 14th. The program has obviously achieved a significant and sizable change in our athletic community.

With a promise of continued support for our elite athletes, from the PM himself, we should be able to achieve even greater standings in our global sports appearances.

Now I'm no fan of the CPoC, under PM Harper, but I must say, this has been without a doubt, a nationally binding contribution. Say what you will about this present Gov't, but they have done something that has united the country, in both pride and spirit.

That's no small achievement!

And they certainly do deserve a round of applause, as do the athletes themselves.

Go Canada!

Are you kidding?

We are gonna get two more than we did in Turin and that's because of the Cons?

Now you're just trolling.

What about the span between Utah and Turin?

17 to 24?

Is that because of the Libs?

How about it's not political at all and it is the athletes who have prevailed instead:?:

 

[pgs]

I believe the extra spending on olympic programs helped our atheletes,but I am also sure that any government would have done similar if not more.

 

[Spade]

These Olympics were a triumph of all Canadians, left, right, and centre. But because most Canadians are left and centre,...
Watch: YouTube - Hitler hears of the Canada-USA game - Mixx

 

[Machjo]

Well ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the Conservatives have made a substantial contribution to our Olympic endeavors.

Not only have we achieved record numbers in medals, we have broken our own dry spells on home soil.

All thanx to the very real and sizable effort of our athletes and the many sponsors, including the single largest, the Canadian Federal Gov't, under the Conservative Part of Canada.

Not only did they break away from the usual lip service of successive past Liberal regimes, in how we treat our elite athletes, they actually put up the much needed funds to make a significant difference in our standings.

Which is of course, one of, err, no, it is our best ever show at the Olympics. Especially at home. At 13 Gold Medals and the possibility of a 14th. The program has obviously achieved a significant and sizable change in our athletic community.

With a promise of continued support for our elite athletes, from the PM himself, we should be able to achieve even greater standings in our global sports appearances.

Now I'm no fan of the CPoC, under PM Harper, but I must say, this has been without a doubt, a nationally binding contribution. Say what you will about this present Gov't, but they have done something that has united the country, in both pride and spirit.

That's no small achievement!

And they certainly do deserve a round of applause, as do the athletes themselves.

Go Canada!

No party owns the podium any more than any other party. We are not a one-party system of government.

Now as for government funding of the Olympics, personally I think it was a waste of money; it ought to have been left to the private sector. It may have meant simpler presentations or Canada participating less or even having the Olympics on Canadian soil less frequently. But it's not the number of medals we win that ought to make us love our country. Our love for our country ought to be unconditional, not conditioned upon gold medals at the Olympics.

 

[Machjo]

I wonder what the cost per medal will be.

Now that's a very valid question. Victory is a good thing, but victory at all costs can sometime be worse than a wise and strategic acceptance of defeat.

 

[Machjo]

Are you kidding?

We are gonna get two more than we did in Turin and that's because of the Cons?

Now you're just trolling.

What about the span between Utah and Turin?

17 to 24?

Is that because of the Libs?

How about it's not political at all and it is the athletes who have prevailed instead:?:

B... b... but it must be because of Herr Harper.

 

[Mowich]

Well ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the Conservatives have made a substantial contribution to our Olympic endeavors.

Not only have we achieved record numbers in medals, we have broken our own dry spells on home soil.

All thanx to the very real and sizable effort of our athletes and the many sponsors, including the single largest, the Canadian Federal Gov't, under the Conservative Part of Canada.

Not only did they break away from the usual lip service of successive past Liberal regimes, in how we treat our elite athletes, they actually put up the much needed funds to make a significant difference in our standings.

Which is of course, one of, err, no, it is our best ever show at the Olympics. Especially at home. At 13 Gold Medals and the possibility of a 14th. The program has obviously achieved a significant and sizable change in our athletic community.

With a promise of continued support for our elite athletes, from the PM himself, we should be able to achieve even greater standings in our global sports appearances.

Now I'm no fan of the CPoC, under PM Harper, but I must say, this has been without a doubt, a nationally binding contribution. Say what you will about this present Gov't, but they have done something that has united the country, in both pride and spirit.

That's no small achievement!

And they certainly do deserve a round of applause, as do the athletes themselves.

Go Canada!

Absolutely, undoubtedly right, CDN Bear. The heart and spirit shown by Canada and its athletes is awesome. Own the podium got them to the games and they did the rest. Good on them and good on us for supporting them and believing that we could win big in an event usually owned by other, bigger countries. YEAH, CANADA! :canada:

 

[Francis2004]

Own the Podium was launched in 2005.. Well before the Conservatives took power.. :roll:

Originally launched in 2005, Own the Podium 2010 was a national initiative supported by all of Canada's winter sport organizations and major funding partners including Sport Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and Vancouver 2010 - designed to help Canada's winter athletes win the most number of medals at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and to place in the top-three nations in the gold-medal count at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Own the Podium - About OTP

 

[Mowich]

Instead of hosting the Olympics and creating all this infrastructure, business and exposure for Canada, British Columbians could've directed the government to upgrade the Patricia Hotel with new carpets and paint and beefed up staff at the shooting gallery. BCers could've started a new government office to help provide foodbank donations to people formerly known as small business owners, and all of us mailed cheques to the local hospital foundations to buy more gift-shop inventory. Brooms could've been put in the hands of all Vancouver homeless to sweep the dust out of empty buildings. Imagine the spinoffs: everyone on East Hastings could have a revitalized the lint collecting cottage-industry.

Why dream big when there is so much mediocrity and stagnation to accomplish?

Kreskin, if one does not dream big nothing gets accomplished. You and I have absolutely no idea what will be accomplished as a result of the stunning victories attained in these Olympics. Who knows what our athletes will turn their minds and hearts to now, I don't and neither do you. But I am as sure as I can be that they will be giving back everything they can to the country and the people that supported them during their finest hours.

GO, CANADA, GO! :canada:

 

[Machjo]

Instead of hosting the Olympics and creating all this infrastructure, business and exposure for Canada, British Columbians could've directed the government to upgrade the Patricia Hotel with new carpets and paint and beefed up staff at the shooting gallery. BCers could've started a new government office to help provide foodbank donations to people formerly known as small business owners, and all of us mailed cheques to the local hospital foundations to buy more gift-shop inventory. Brooms could've been put in the hands of all Vancouver homeless to sweep the dust out of empty buildings. Imagine the spinoffs: everyone on East Hastings could have a revitalized the lint collecting cottage-industry.

Why dream big when there is so much mediocrity and stagnation to accomplish?

Dreaming big for a country is not about little things like winning medals at Olympic events (that is dreaming big for the athlete himself). That money could have gone into paying off the national debt or, if the government insisted on spending it, then at least invest it in educating the unemployed for the jobs of the future rather than waste it on nationalistic chest-beating events. Honestly, if the Olympics are so important for business, I can guarantee that Canada's business community would have found the money somewhere. How exactly will the business owner in Halifax benefit from the Olympics in Vancouver. Remember after all that we're talking about federal government funding here.

So let's cut through the BS rhetoric about thinking big. Winning gold at the Olympics is a big event for the athlete in question. But for the nation, it really is a small matter in comparison with more important matters.

For me, thinking big is about paying off the national debt, ensuring a stable economy, educating the population for the jobs of the future, etc. not about wasting money on our modern equivalent of gladiatorial events to distract the ignorant masses by exploiting their nationalistic zeal.

To me, thinking big is about improving the lives of ordinary people, and that is not done through these big events only those with money can afford to visit to begin with. There are plenty of other ways of improving our country with that money, and again, for a country, Olympic events are not thinking big. That's for individuals.

 

[CDNBear]

Own the Podium was launched in 2005.. Well before the Conservatives took power.. :roll:



Own the Podium - About OTP

I can say build the house too. Until the money is there, it's just lip service.

 

[Machjo]

Kreskin, if one does not dream big nothing gets accomplished. You and I have absolutely no idea what will be accomplished as a result of the stunning victories attained in these Olympics. Who knows what our athletes will turn their minds and hearts to now, I don't and neither do you. But I am as sure as I can be that they will be giving back everything they can to the country and the people that supported them during their finest hours.

GO, CANADA, GO! :canada:

They've given us what we wanted already: something to cheer for. They've won, we got it, now the party's almost over. In four years' time, it'll all be history. But what about concrete achievements for the average Canadian?

 

[Kreskin]

No party owns the podium any more than any other party. We are not a one-party system of government.

Now as for government funding of the Olympics, personally I think it was a waste of money; it ought to have been left to the private sector. It may have meant simpler presentations or Canada participating less or even having the Olympics on Canadian soil less frequently. But it's not the number of medals we win that ought to make us love our country. Our love for our country ought to be unconditional, not conditioned upon gold medals at the Olympics.

Yes it ought to be, but look around this forum and you'll find unconditional negativity about anything called success and progress.

If the Olympics did nothing else it at least shut up the NDP for a couple of weeks, and that in itself is a giant leap for mankind.

 

[CDNBear]

Yes it ought to be, but look around this forum and you'll find unconditional negativity about anything called success and progress.

If the Olympics did nothing else it at least shut up the NDP for a couple of weeks, and that in itself is a giant leap for mankind.

Kreskin, you're a beautiful human being!!!