David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-low-bid-francoise-roy-1.5011689
$17-million bid for Francophonie Games lacked advice from Ottawa
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Commenting is now closed for this story.
Shawn Tabor
Excuses gets 1 point......Accountability 0. Sound Familiar anyone.
David Amos
@Shawn Tabor Mais Oui
David Amos
Who believes Francoise Roy, the deputy minister of tourism, heritage and culture?
Survey Says?
Survey Says?
Matt Steele
Lots of SPIN going on about
these failed Francophonie Games that nearly cost taxpayers 130 MILLION
dollars . Now the explanation seems to be that there were no Prov. Govt.
employees , or games PAID organizers , who were actually competent
enough to create an accurate budget . So without the Federal Govt. doing
a budget for them , the PAID organizers just plugged random costs into
the budget ; and Brian Gallant rubber stamped the submission . Maybe the
solution would be to ACTUALLY HIRE GOVT. EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COMPETENT ;
and NOT hire based on who can speak french , and who political friends
are !!!
Marguerite Deschamps
@Matt Steele, crosseur!
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps Methinks many think the same about you N'esy Pas?
Marguerite Deschamps
@David Amos, who cares? No skin off my neck!
David Amos
@Marguerite Deschamps I thought you had scales
Marguerite Deschamps
@David Amos, like your species!
Lou Bell
So basically , an incompetent
government appointed an incompetent committee who put in an
incompetent bid that was over 3 times that of a competitor AND WON !!
Sounds like incompetency all the way around , right from the
Francophonie at the top right down to those at the bottom . And all
for the low sum of 130 MILLION DOLLARS !!!
daryl doucette
@Lou Bell Oh , they are not " incompetent"....they just don't care.....about the taxpayer. They serve their masters.
David Amos
@daryl doucette Oh So True
daryl doucette
What a load of crap. Now
Trudeau and Dominique are trying to blame a working stiff for this folly
of the " Francophonie Games". Guys, just get over it. You guys got
caught with your hands in the cookie jar. You should be concentrating
your efforts on filling out job applications dated October 20, 2019
instead of attempting to bull s$% us more.
Mack Leigh
@daryl doucette
Totally agree !!! And talking about hands in the cookie jar, what is with the multi million dollar complex going up on Providence St. beside the Georges Dumont Hospital in Moncton ?? Main player being Dr. Ouellette who is really close friends with Dominic LeBlanc, Victor Boudreau, Brian Gallant and is a staunch Liberal supporter...... Remember when Saint John raised the money for new equipment and Boudreau had a fit........... Now all of this is happening, I wonder where Ouellette got all of this funding for this massive project ?? How much is taxpayers money ??
Totally agree !!! And talking about hands in the cookie jar, what is with the multi million dollar complex going up on Providence St. beside the Georges Dumont Hospital in Moncton ?? Main player being Dr. Ouellette who is really close friends with Dominic LeBlanc, Victor Boudreau, Brian Gallant and is a staunch Liberal supporter...... Remember when Saint John raised the money for new equipment and Boudreau had a fit........... Now all of this is happening, I wonder where Ouellette got all of this funding for this massive project ?? How much is taxpayers money ??
David Amos
@Mack Leigh Thanks for the tip
Douglas James
Gimme a break! I have no
experience in hosting an international sporting event of this magnitude
and even I would have known that $17 million seriously underestimated
the true cost. You don't have to be an 'expert' to know when things are
completely out of whack. What did they do, pull the $17 million out of a
hat? It had to be based on some kind of calculation and it should have
been obvious from the get go that it wasn't nearly enough. More likely
they low-balled it in an effort to get the games figuring all along that
governments would bail them out. Gallant likely went along with the
charade and had he won the election, he would have bailed them out at
our expense.
David Amos
@Douglas James Its not rocket science
Graham McCormack
@Douglas James Have you not been paying attention? The 17 million was the number included in the template.
Fred Brewer
@Graham McCormack
" The 17 million was the number included in the template."
And the template was provided by the international francophonie committee.
" The 17 million was the number included in the template."
And the template was provided by the international francophonie committee.
Mack Leigh
This whole fiasco stinks of
corruption, collusion, nepotism and possibly fraud... In my opinion
there needs to be a complete investigation and let the heads roll where
they may..
David Amos
@Mack Leigh I concur
Richard Dunn
It cost Ottawa/Gatineau $50
Million to host the games 20 years ago. I am not sure how anyone with a
brain could think we could host them for 65% less 20 years later.
To me it was clear deception to get the games, and sweep the true cost under the rug. The problem was that Gallant assumed he would be premier forever and could manipulate this to his advantage.
We don't need an inquiry to get to the bottom of this. it seems pretty obvious. I would hope that Gallant, and his buddies, are proud of the scam they pulled off.
To me it was clear deception to get the games, and sweep the true cost under the rug. The problem was that Gallant assumed he would be premier forever and could manipulate this to his advantage.
We don't need an inquiry to get to the bottom of this. it seems pretty obvious. I would hope that Gallant, and his buddies, are proud of the scam they pulled off.
DJ Redfern
@Richard Dunn
Almost pulled off Richard
Almost pulled off Richard
David Amos
@DJ Redfern Methinks Gallant
had many buddies collecting big paychecks, enjoying fine dinners and
taking fancy trips etc for quite a while N'esy Pas?
Fred Brewer
@Richard Dunn
Oh but we do need an inquiry to hold those accountable and to make darned sure this never, ever happens again.
Oh but we do need an inquiry to hold those accountable and to make darned sure this never, ever happens again.
Bob Smith
The fact is, the bid was
submitted figuring there were enough existing facilities to cover the
games with minimal upgrades needed. Between that, and knowing Sherbrooke
was going to be the main competitor, they lowballed the figures to give
a good chance of winning. Once Gallant was re-elected, the real costs
would be figured in for Dec. announcement and Gallant would be smiling
as he announced it (flanked by Rogers and Melanson). Any fury/backlash
would have been denounced as anti-french bigotry. That WAS the
plan...but reality crashed in and now the blame game is on.
David Amos
@Bob Smith Methinks you forgot the fact that the Conservatives (They are PC in name only) knew about it all along N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/government-spent-thousands-bid-event-1.3529841
"Interim Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Bruce Fitch has criticized the Liberals in the past for spending thousands on a networking dinner aimed at encouraging New Brunswickers to return home.
But Fitch says he sees a clearer return on investment in spending to win the right to host the Francophonie Games.
"The taxpayers, they'll deal with the respective politicians when it comes time to vote on whether they think that's a good investment or not," Fitch said."
Bob Smith
@David Amos Two different
things entirely. Networking thru dinners or at private lodges is a time
honored political thing that the public hates but can do nothing to
change. However, Gallant blaming the media for the extravagant price tag
his own friends slapped on this event is laughable...it's a Liberal
fiasco and no one else.
André Bérubé
During an interview on Radio
Canada in October 2018, Claude Laverdure, who was a personal
representative of former prime minister Jean Chrétien's to the
Francophonie was asked if the organization was a bastion of the French
Language and democracy. Here is Mr. Laverdure's reply:
',,,If you tried to do 30-second interviews with each one of the leaders, you'd find that many of them don't speak French, and many of them could be considered as dictators.'
At a Francophon ie summit in Mauritius (another member of the organization), deletates were greeted with a giant banner in English only announcing: "Welcome Francophonie Delegates.'
I think that the New Brunswick government made the right decision; the province should also get out of the Francophonie..
',,,If you tried to do 30-second interviews with each one of the leaders, you'd find that many of them don't speak French, and many of them could be considered as dictators.'
At a Francophon ie summit in Mauritius (another member of the organization), deletates were greeted with a giant banner in English only announcing: "Welcome Francophonie Delegates.'
I think that the New Brunswick government made the right decision; the province should also get out of the Francophonie..
David Amos
@André Bérubé "the province should also get out of the Francophonie"
Methinks the Quebeckers don't like Jean Chrétien's and Trudeau The Elder's questionable charter either N'esy Pas?
Methinks the Quebeckers don't like Jean Chrétien's and Trudeau The Elder's questionable charter either N'esy Pas?
David White
Don't forget this gem...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-contract-committee-spouse-rayworth-randall-1.4947306
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-contract-committee-spouse-rayworth-randall-1.4947306
David Amos
@David White Trust that I didn't
Paul Bourgoin
If all New Brunswickers were
to stand up about Subsidies, Tax Breaks, Crown Land Wood, Energy,
Electricity, Property Taxes to single out a few to those who bank
their profits in off shore banks maybe we would have a better Financial
Standing.
Bob Smith
@Paul Bourgoin I would
suggest you put aside the anti Irving talk and focus on the topic of the
article...an event that spiraled out of control for costs and was
cancelled due to the fact Gallant is no longer premier.
David Amos
@Paul Bourgoin YUP
David Amos
@Bob Smith Methinks we all
need to talk about the actions of the Irving Clan before we talk about
who they control in our public offices N'esy Pas?
Mark (Junkman) George
Move along, nothing new to see here folks.............
Just the feds playing "duck and cover" in an election year.
Just the feds playing "duck and cover" in an election year.
David Amos
@Mark (Junkman) George Methinks whereas I am gonna run again I should not miss a minute of the circus N'esy Pas?
Mark (Junkman) George
@David Amos
I would wait until at least until February 25th and see how that goes.
This upcoming election is going to be interesting, more so if the NDP remove themselves from the game.
It is going to be a battle in the cities. The ruling party has thrown some farmers under the NAFTA bus, making their message a hard sell in rural Canada.
I expect plenty of cash, or promises of cash, spent in cities by the ruling party.
I don't expect all of Atlantic Canada to vote red again, but think a run in a rural riding the best chance of a win.
If the NDP drops off the board I expect a very close election, maybe even mirroring what happened in NB, but without the stupidity. These folks know how to play well with others and a coalition would be possible
Ray Bungay
Something like this, Ottawa
to NB, Don't sweat the small stuff, it is only small stuff, so we got
your back Mr Premier (Mr Gallant)
Content disabled.
David Amos
@Ray Bungay Who is Gallant to
anyone now? Methinks Ottawa needs to watch its back now that the
Conservatives and the NDP have their knives out and Jody's daddy is on
the warpath again N'esy Pas?
David Amos
@Ray Bungay Methinks that Ottawa did not like reading the truth about itself N'esy Pas?
David Amos
@Ray Bungay Who is Gallant to
anyone now? Methinks Ottawa needs to watch its back now that the
Conservatives and the NDP are sharpening their knives N'esy Pas?
Doug Leblanc
We are one country, but have
three separate memberships (all paying full fees, so three times the
cost), and a federal tax payer funded sport agency refuses to help
anyone with budgets because NB and Quebec are competing, and apparently
no francophone liberal in NB is competent to price such an event.
Here’s an idea. Instead of getting Gallant’s buddies a job, they could
have talked to the organizers of the FIGO games and hired some people
with experience. Next step should be to cancel the NB membership and
support the CANADIAN membership.
David Amos
@Doug Leblanc Methinks the
questions swirling around the former Justice Minister this week in
Ottawa have caused the Feds to no longer care about the silly
francophonie games practiced by SANB N'esy Pas?
McKenzie King
@Doug Leblanc Or they could have realized thst we just can't afford this type of thing and just not started down the path.
maude windsor
@David Amos trudeau fired
jody wilson-raybourne because she refused to act against the law as
trudeau ordered...the same action trudeau ordered against vice admiral
norman.....methinks there is a lot of stinks in the PMs office!
David Amos
@maude windsor "methinks there is a lot of stinks in the PMs office!"
Trust that Mr Scheer and everyone else who sits in opposition know that Jody Wilson-Raybould may have lost her mandate as Justice Minister because of her failings in Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal within my lawsuit against the Crown that was filed when Harper was the Prime Minister and Mr Scheer was the Speaker.
Everybody knows I about to put that matter before the Supreme Court of Canada and file several more lawsuits against the RCMP and the CRA etc and also run for a seat in Parliament again.
Methinks truth is stranger than fiction and anyone can check my work by Googling "David Amos Federal Court File No" or simply two names "Jody Wilson-Raybould David Raymond Amos" in order to sort out the truth from fiction for themselves. Its blatantly obvious that Mr Trudeau should have paid particular attention to statement 83 of my lawsuit long before he was elected in October of 2015 N'esy Pas?
P.S. Need I say it irritated me bigtime when Jody appointed her Deputy Minister to the bench of Federal Court not long after I argued his minions in the Federal Court of Appeal?
Danny Saulnier
How does anyone actually
think NB can afford to have these games ?? Don’t we have bigger and more
important things to look after with this kind of money?? We don’t have
the economics to do this now or in the future...
David Amos
@Danny Saulnier True
$17-million bid for Francophonie Games lacked advice from Ottawa
Tourism deputy says original games bid was too low because Sport Canada didn't help committee
New Brunswick's initial low bid for the Francophonie Games was hobbled by Ottawa's decision to not provide advice and expertise, a senior civil servant told a committee of MLAs Friday.
Francoise Roy, the deputy minister at the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, said Sport Canada would normally have been "at the table, helping to develop the bid" to host the 2021 games in Moncton and Dieppe.
But federal officials decided to stay out of it because New Brunswick was up against another Canadian bid, from Sherbrooke, Que.
"The organizing committee in Moncton didn't have the benefit of that expertise."
The result was the now-discredited $17 million bid that helped clinch the awarding of the international sport and cultural event for New Brunswick in April 2016.
CBC News
The Francophonie Games mess, explained
The games have been cancelled. But what's the story behind the mess? 2:31
Premier Blaine Higgs announced the decision days after the organizing committee for the games offered the province a new, dramatically reduced cost estimate of $62 million.
Higgs said given the various figures that had been made public, he wasn't confident the revised number would stick.
Savoie said it was too bad that the province "missed a chance to have New Brunswick as the centre of the francophone universe during the time of the games," but the costs would be "difficult to rationalize" given the province's finances.
Roy's appearance was the first time since the issue flared up in December that a senior civil servant has given an account of the games timeline.
That template led to the $17-million estimate, she said. Sherbrooke, which hosted the Canada Games in 2013 and which has a municipal office devoted to organizing sports events, bid $52 million.
Once New Brunswick won the games, Roy said, the bid committee was transformed into an organizing committee that developed the business plan. It submitted the plan, with the $130 million figure, to the province last spring.
In an interview with Brunswick News this week, former premier Brian Gallant complained that media reports had focused on the higher figure even though it was "just a submission" and was "never going to be the cost" because his government had refused the figure.
"The evaluation basically came back and said, 'Yeah, that's about right for this scale of international event,'" she said.
That report said the games could be mounted for $115 million, and even lower costs were possible if some elements were cut, Roy said. The report, obtained by Radio-Canada, also said a significantly lower cost would lower the quality of the event.
"It's really quite unfortunate, but that was the process," she said.
Savoie used the discussion to send a message to francophones that despite the cancellation, the new PC government was sensitive to their language and culture.
"It's important for people to know that we value the francophone culture," he said, speaking in French.
"I hope in the future we have the chance to show the heart and the spirit of the francophonie here in New Brunswick," he said.
Roy said Tourism, Heritage and Culture was not the lead department on the games. That was Intergovernmental Affairs, which hasn't appeared at the public accounts committee since the games controversy broke out.
She said her department hadn't spent any money on the games but had sent two employees to the 2017 Francophonie Games in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
"It was a good opportunity to develop more of that capacity in the province," she said. But she added that the department's role was to advise the government and let elected officials make the decision.
Roy also told Liberal MLA Cathy Rogers that some of the funding that might have gone to the games could be shifted to other programs with that mandate.
"There are conversations about that right now," she said. "We're definitely having conversations about what we might do to support our sport and cultural industries in light of that decision."
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