Playing Politics with the Olympic Torch: Conservative Ridings See More of the Flame
After seeing all the hoopla about the arrival of the Olympic flame in Canada, the media is really pumping up the impending torch relay that will apparently run through many a town across this great land. The NEW! CBC News Network is so excited, they can’t sit down…
Setting aside all the fun times ahead as the “national joint” is passed from hand to hand, Popcan can’t help but wonder what the spinners in the PMO have been up to as the torch heads on the road. We have all heard about how the political parties use big spending and big spotlight events to trumpet their party brands – witness the recent spending spree on infrastructure announcements using game show-sized cheques to promote the Conservative Party as well as the disproportionate amount of Conservative ridings that were getting more funding over their competitors. Then there was Canada’s Economic Action Plan closely promoted in conjunction with Harper’s party. We even saw the Liberals accusing the government of influencing a Canadian Olympic logo that looks somewhat like the Conservative Party logo.
So it wasn’t a surprise to see spinner-in-chief Harper speaking about the arrival of the Olympic flame and how we should all get ready for the good times ahead.
So where is the torch headed Steve? According to Wikipedia:
The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay is scheduled to be a 106 day run, from October 30, 2009 to February 12, 2010, prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Plans for the relay were announced November 21, 2008 by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). Communities were informed in June 2008, but the locations were not announced for “security reasons”. Exact routes will not be announced until closer to the relay. There will be an estimated 12,000 torchbearers, including notable Canadian celebrities such as Shania Twain!
The article also has the exact list of cities which follows a path all over the country reaching all corners of Canada. However when you look at the whole list and compare it to the federal electoral ridings through which the torch will pass, some interesting numbers come up:
Of all the communities – the majority 53% are represented by at least one Conservative Member of Parliament. 21% are represented by at least one NDP MP, 17% by at least one Liberal MP, and 9% by at least one Bloc MP.
Coincidence? Perhaps? Just like the spending, cheques, logo, etc. You have to love the Harper Conservatives - at least they are consistent in their complete hypocrisy when it comes to promising a more fair, accountable, and transparent government than the last guys who were there. Once again, the even more amazing thing is that they can get away with it. Now, if only we had some opposition who could really take them to task.
