冬奥会：缺雪却将负债累累
星期四, 18 二月 2010.
运动成绩、未知的债务与环境破坏...
社会主义选择（工人国际委员会CWI加拿大支部）温哥华报道
今年2月到3月，冬季奥运会和残奥会正在加拿大的温哥华和惠斯勒地区。毫无疑问，许多加拿大人都在期待着体育盛会和加拿大对得到金牌，尤其是在冰上曲棍球项目中。
但是对于奥运会将导致的庞大成本和各种问题正日益受到人民关注。1976年蒙特利尔夏季奥运会的庞大支出给人们留下了深刻印象。在比赛前，蒙特利尔市市长让-德拉波曾表示，"奥运会不会带来赤字正如一个男人人不能怀孕一样"，但是整个奥运会当时耗费该市10亿美元，而整个债务直到2006年30年后才得以还清！
People in Vancouver were assured the games would not result in a huge debt burden, but it is now looking less likely. The City of Vancouver carried out major cuts to services this year, while spending an unknown sum on the Olympics. The city has not produced figures on its expenditure, but it is certainly several tens of millions of Canadian dollars. The province of British Colombia (BC) also has fired workers, cutting funding for schools and libraries, and art funding has almost been abolished, with cuts of over 90%. The federal government of Canada is also cutting services while pouring money into the Olympics.
Security
One of the major expenditures concerns security. When Vancouver was awarded the games, the cost of security was estimated $175 million, now it is (C) $ 900 million, a 5-fold increase. There are 25,000 people involved with security for the games. Worryingly, the police put terrorists, protestors and homeless people in the same sentence when talking about the issues they may have to deal with. Be prepared for aggressive behaviour from the police, at some stage of the Games. Already they have planted undercover agents among protesters.
There has been construction but one of the biggest costs was upgrading the one road that connects Whistler to Vancouver. The road winds along the edge of the water, with towering mountains on the other side. There is a railway line along this route but the province decided to spend at least $600 million (probably an under-estimate) and damaged key environmental areas, to widen the highway. The construction involved blasting mountainsides of granite. The railway line has had no investment and is still only used for freight - what a missed opportunity!
Around Vancouver, roads are closed, transport is disrupted, stores are facing inconvenience, and people are being warned to expect long delays waiting for buses as Olympic traffic takes priority.
Commercial interests
The weather this winter has been mild - maybe an impact of climate changes - and there is very little snow on the nearby mountains for some of the Olympic competitions. The games organizers are using trucks and helicopters to bring in snow for the games!
The Olympic organizers have gone to great lengths to protect the commercial interest of the sponsors and for themselves. The Olympic motto is, ‘With glowing hearts', a quote from the Canadian national anthem, and they registered it as a trademark.
The City of Vancouver has introduced a by-law, claiming it is to protect Olympic sponsors, but it bans ‘illegal signage', allows the authorities to remove posters from people's homes, and restricts the right to hand out protest leaflets.
As resentment at the inconvenience and cost of the Olympics grows, the City of Vancouver gave its staff a120-page glossy handbook, with ‘guidance' on how to behave during the Olympics. It had gems of advice, such as workers should wear socks that match the colour of their trousers, they should always smile gently, and they must not put their hands in their pockets or cross their arms. But, at the same time, some city staff are losing their jobs and all of Vancouver will have reduced services, as the city's employees are busy on Olympic duties.
Legacy?
The Games will see some great athletic achievements. Canada may win some gold medals and there will be some good parties. But will it have been worth all the money, environmental damage and inconvenience?
No doubt, when the Olympics are over, the people of Vancouver, BC and Canada will have a huge bill to pay. There will be some new sports facilities and a new highway. But the same amount of money could have been much better spent improving sporting facilities and developing the economy and environment in a planned and integrated way. After it is all over, Vancouver will still have a big homeless problem; the environment will have taken a hit. London: get ready for 2012!
社会主义选择（工人国际委员会CWI加拿大支部）温哥华报道
今年2月到3月，冬季奥运会和残奥会正在加拿大的温哥华和惠斯勒地区。毫无疑问，许多加拿大人都在期待着体育盛会和加拿大对得到金牌，尤其是在冰上曲棍球项目中。
但是对于奥运会将导致的庞大成本和各种问题正日益受到人民关注。1976年蒙特利尔夏季奥运会的庞大支出给人们留下了深刻印象。在比赛前，蒙特利尔市市长让-德拉波曾表示，"奥运会不会带来赤字正如一个男人人不能怀孕一样"，但是整个奥运会当时耗费该市10亿美元，而整个债务直到2006年30年后才得以还清！
People in Vancouver were assured the games would not result in a huge debt burden, but it is now looking less likely. The City of Vancouver carried out major cuts to services this year, while spending an unknown sum on the Olympics. The city has not produced figures on its expenditure, but it is certainly several tens of millions of Canadian dollars. The province of British Colombia (BC) also has fired workers, cutting funding for schools and libraries, and art funding has almost been abolished, with cuts of over 90%. The federal government of Canada is also cutting services while pouring money into the Olympics.
Security
One of the major expenditures concerns security. When Vancouver was awarded the games, the cost of security was estimated $175 million, now it is (C) $ 900 million, a 5-fold increase. There are 25,000 people involved with security for the games. Worryingly, the police put terrorists, protestors and homeless people in the same sentence when talking about the issues they may have to deal with. Be prepared for aggressive behaviour from the police, at some stage of the Games. Already they have planted undercover agents among protesters.
There has been construction but one of the biggest costs was upgrading the one road that connects Whistler to Vancouver. The road winds along the edge of the water, with towering mountains on the other side. There is a railway line along this route but the province decided to spend at least $600 million (probably an under-estimate) and damaged key environmental areas, to widen the highway. The construction involved blasting mountainsides of granite. The railway line has had no investment and is still only used for freight - what a missed opportunity!
Around Vancouver, roads are closed, transport is disrupted, stores are facing inconvenience, and people are being warned to expect long delays waiting for buses as Olympic traffic takes priority.
Commercial interests
The weather this winter has been mild - maybe an impact of climate changes - and there is very little snow on the nearby mountains for some of the Olympic competitions. The games organizers are using trucks and helicopters to bring in snow for the games!
The Olympic organizers have gone to great lengths to protect the commercial interest of the sponsors and for themselves. The Olympic motto is, ‘With glowing hearts', a quote from the Canadian national anthem, and they registered it as a trademark.
The City of Vancouver has introduced a by-law, claiming it is to protect Olympic sponsors, but it bans ‘illegal signage', allows the authorities to remove posters from people's homes, and restricts the right to hand out protest leaflets.
As resentment at the inconvenience and cost of the Olympics grows, the City of Vancouver gave its staff a120-page glossy handbook, with ‘guidance' on how to behave during the Olympics. It had gems of advice, such as workers should wear socks that match the colour of their trousers, they should always smile gently, and they must not put their hands in their pockets or cross their arms. But, at the same time, some city staff are losing their jobs and all of Vancouver will have reduced services, as the city's employees are busy on Olympic duties.
Legacy?
The Games will see some great athletic achievements. Canada may win some gold medals and there will be some good parties. But will it have been worth all the money, environmental damage and inconvenience?
No doubt, when the Olympics are over, the people of Vancouver, BC and Canada will have a huge bill to pay. There will be some new sports facilities and a new highway. But the same amount of money could have been much better spent improving sporting facilities and developing the economy and environment in a planned and integrated way. After it is all over, Vancouver will still have a big homeless problem; the environment will have taken a hit. London: get ready for 2012!
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