It is unfortunate that Councillor Cameron Stoltz was the lone voice of reason when it came time to look at the rationale behind throwing a $1 million plus per year of taxpayer money at Initiatives Prince George.
I'm guessing Mick Jones would love to have that extra million in his road rehabilitation budget, so that PG potholes could be properly fixed and not just perpetually re-filled with the oatmeal that passes for a patch job.
PG taxpayers are continually told "It's not the process, it's the freeze-and-thaw." Yet here in Calgary (a city far more susceptible to freeze-and-thaw given the frequent Chinooks) the boulevards survive the winter with far greater endurance.
So if it's not the climate, it must be the continued dedication of civic officials to skimp on necessities while freeing up money to finance the delusions of grandeur sold by IPG and the politicians that drink its Kool-Aid.
The people who run IPG are very comfortable putting your money where their mouth is, and why not? There's no risk in that. If something fails just go back to the taxpayer for another bailout.
But if something even marginally successful happens on the PG economic landscape (even if it has more to do with governments or external forces well above the pay grade of IPG, or the business savvy of local private companies, or simply dumb luck) IPG is front and center to accept the credit.
With apologies to Geico, one might say that preaching capitalism from a pulpit of public funds is "So easy even a caveman can do it!"
So why aren't the mayor and council willing to join Stoltz and conduct the long-ignored forensic cost-benefit study of IPG?
Are they afraid the results will show that after years of blindly pouring your tax dollars into regurgitated federal statistics, fancy PowerPoints, glossy flyers, trips to China and lots of ribbon cutting at YVR, that the city is no further ahead than it would have been without IPG?
While the decision was unfortunate it's not surprising, because the hubris and waste of IPG and the current council is exceeded in magnitude only by the size of the chips on their shoulders when lesser mortals dare challenge their suspect business acumen.
Brian Pynn
Calgary, AB
