At least $2.55M spent on scuttled Francophonie Games

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David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks SANB people sure know how to win friends and influence people N'esy Pas?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/02/at-least-255m-spent-on-scuttled.html

#nbpoli #cdnpoli


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-quebec-sherbrook-host-1.5004889



 

Pressure grows on Quebec to host Francophonie Games

63 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.

Content disabled.
Marguerite Deschamps

petit peuple, mangeurs de hotdogs!

 

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David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps Methinks you SANB people sure know how to win friends and influence people N'esy Pas?

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Marguerite Deschamps
@David Amos something you never learned.









 
Marguerite Deschamps

Quebec will get the federal funds now. Happy?

daryl doucette

@Marguerite Deschamps No they wont. They wont touch it. No kick backs now, too much media.

Lewis Taylor

@daryl doucette
They will have very successful games with millions in spin-offs and we will again be the laughing stock of the planet.

Cleve Gallant

@Marguerite Deschamps yuppie I’m happy, And what makes you think that the poor excuse for a Prime Minister we got will fund these games, The last i heard Que, is still part of Canada and sock boy only gives our money to other countries !!!!!

Harold Benson

@Marguerite Deschamps Help thyselves.

Cleve Gallant

@Lewis Taylor The reason why we’re the laughing stock of the planet as you say is because we let a few minority’s like SANB getting away with their ridiculous demands!!!!!

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "Quebec will get the federal funds now. Happy?"

Happy Happy Happy

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Marguerite Deschamps

@David Amos, good for you given that it does not seem to be happening to you and your cohorts too often.

Ralph Carson

@David Amos me too. Could not be happier.

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps You insult folks freely but your words go "Poof" once you are bagged N'esy Pas?

@David Amos "Methinks you SANB people sure know how to win friends and influence people N'esy Pas?"

@Marguerite Deschamps "something you never learned."

John O'Brien

@Marguerite Deschamps you fail to recognize that we have to spend million$$$ we do not have to get that fed money. What is inherently missing in French brains that they think money spent on French people comes from a bottomless pool. Thank God you despots got stopped in your tracks by Higgs/Austin. You are not liking being relegated to your proper position in society , are you?

Marguerite Deschamps

@Dan Lee, and what would that position be, may I ask?

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "you would rejoice (be happy, happy happy!) if the shoe was on the other foot!"

Methinks you know I already am N'esy Pas?

daryl doucette

@Lewis Taylor " millions in spin offs"? WOW politicians love your type of sheeple.

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "good for you given that it does not seem to be happening to you and your cohorts too often."

Methinks you have far more interesting cohorts than I N'esy Pas?

  
Ken Parker

Someone should put this sham sporting event out of its misery and kill it. The world can get by fine without it.

Lewis Taylor

@Ken Parker
All games should go...including Commonwealth...Sports and culture are ridiculous waste of time and money....Bingo, poker and MMA those events are what we should focus on.

Harold Benson

@Lewis Taylor I was thinking that " Stoner games" would be something new to try now that pot is legal. Probably surprise you.

David Amos

@Harold Benson Methinks Sam should advise you to back away from the pipe for awhile N'esy Pas?

 
Dan Lee

Why do people care what they do....you are worse than nosey neighbors..........mind your bees wax.......

David Amos

@Dan Lee Methinks everybody loves the circus N'esy Pas?

 
David Amos

Surprise Surprise Surprise

"Opposition Liberal members of Quebec's National Assembly and at least one municipal councillor in Sherbrooke say the province should step in to ensure the games go ahead"

David Amos

@David Amos "Methinks Mayor Steve Lussier is wise N'esy Pas?"

"Sherbrooke, Que. also bid to host the event with a budget of $50 milliohttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2464308071878322421#editor/target=post;postID=6926331005189888024;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=linkn. Steve Lussier, the city's mayor, told Radio-Canada the city has no interest in taking over hosting the event."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-spending-cities-province-1.5000154

Harold Fitzgerald

We have tax dollars to spend on the French dammit. Spend them!

David Amos

@Harold Fitzgerald Methinks the Feds should stick to their rules and make it a 50 50 deal N'esy Pas?

Pressure grows on Quebec to host Francophonie Games

Opposition politician, Sherbrooke councillor say Quebec should step in after New Brunswick pullout

CBC News · Posted: Feb 04, 2019 1:22 PM AT

The Francophonie Games are the largest sporting and cultural event in the French-speaking world. Moncton-Dieppe was supposed to be the host of the 2021 games, but New Brunswick withdrew its support. (AFP/Issouf Sanogo)

There's a growing push for Sherbrooke or another city in Quebec to host the 2021 Francophonie Games in the wake of New Brunswick cancelling its plans for the event.

Opposition Liberal members of Quebec's National Assembly and at least one municipal councillor in Sherbrooke say the province should step in to ensure the games go ahead.

"This is a chance for Quebec to show that its leadership in the Francophonie goes beyond business deals," said MNA Paule Robitaille.

The province's new Coalition avenir Québec government, meanwhile, is waiting to hear from the city and the federal government first.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs axed the games last week. (Stephen MacGillivray/Canadian Press)

Coalition MNA Gilles Bélanger told Radio-Canada on Monday that the province would evaluate the idea only after the two other levels of government weigh in. He also said the government wants to avoid getting caught up in cost overruns.

In 2016 Sherbrooke lost out to the New Brunswick bid to host the games in Moncton and Dieppe.

At the time New Brunswick won the right to host, the province estimated the cost at $17 million. That had soared to $130 million last year, though the organizing committee said last week it had reduced the amount to $62 million.

CBC News

The Francophonie Games mess, explained

 The games have been cancelled. But what's the story behind the mess? 2:31

Last week Premier Blaine Higgs said the ballooning cost of the games, and the federal government's refusal to shoulder more than half that expense, made it impossible to go ahead. He said the province would honour its original $10 million commitment but no more.

Sherbrooke's bid in 2016 was $52 million. Last week Christine St-Pierre, another Quebec Liberal MLA and the former cabinet minister who led the bid, said the city's submission was "perfect" and everything needed for the games was already in place.

Radio-Canada reported Sunday that the city lacks an artificial soccer field and a gymnasium, but city councillor Vincent Boutin said the games would be an opportunity to modernize local facilities.

• At least $2.55M spent on scuttled Francophonie Games

• Sport minister 'disappointed' by cancellation of Francophonie Games

The day Higgs cancelled the province's hosting, Sherbrooke Mayor Steve Lussier said he wasn't interested in trying to move the games to his city. He said the financial risk was too much for the new Quebec government to support.

But Boutin said Sherbrooke should not pass up the opportunity.

"This is a chance that won't come around a second time," he said.

He noted the Francophonie's international games committee is meeting Feb. 14 and 15 to decide what to do after New Brunswick's cancellation.

• Green Party, People's Alliance want investigation into botched Francophonie Games bid

Federal International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, who represents a Sherbrooke-area riding, said Ottawa would consider a request to relocate the games to the city or another Quebec municipality but would wait to hear from the city first.

Sherbrooke's municipal council is to meet Monday to discuss the issue.

With files from Brigitte Marcoux

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

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David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks Mr Higgs should call NB Power and tell them we ain't paying their power bill anymore. Perhaps the organizing committee will go home when it gets cold and dark N'esy Pas?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/02/at-least-255m-spent-on-scuttled.html

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophonie-games-spending-cities-province-1.5000154

At least $2.55M spent on scuttled Francophonie Games

125 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.

David R. Amos

Welcome back to the circus folks

David R. Amos

"Sherbrooke, Que. also bid to host the event with a budget of $50 million. Steve Lussier, the city's mayor, told Radio-Canada the city has no interest in taking over hosting the event."

Methinks Mayor Steve Lussier is wise N'esy Pas?

daryl doucette

@David R. Amos The mayor knows the gig is up, the expenses would be scrutinized if they took it, therefore no benefit for the politicians there so take a pass.

David R. Amos

@daryl doucette Methinks it has a lot to do with the upcoming federal election and who is the Premier of Quebec as well N'esy Pas?

 
Harold Benson

We wasted a ton more money than that on Atcon and NB power, and a myriad other back scratches.

David Barker

@Harold Benson Who benefitted financially?? Where was the money spent?

David R. Amos

@David Barker Exactly

 
George Smith

@David R. Amos
@George Smith Methinks the scam should be investigated by the RCMP before we are compelled to pay any fines N'esy Pas?
There has to be a crime committed to involve the RCMP. It was stopped in time and we don't need to spend more money on inquires. It's over and the taxpayers won.

David R. Amos

@George Smith Methinks there is a matter of 2.65 million loonies spent on the scam as they tried hard to help a former Governor General win a second term overseeing the Francophonie dudes while was being questioned about her expenses N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-full-episode-1.4680886/micha%C3%ABlle-jean-under-fire-over-expenses-as-she-heads-into-francophonie-election-1.4680891

 
maude windsor

what a croc all of this is....new brunswick tax payers to both federal and provincial governments are in high percentage english only speakers......new brunswick is not quebec...francophones of quebec ilk have destroyed the acadian communities because of the chric charge........most of these francophonie games countries are dictotorships not democracies....NB would be better off actually supporting the NB athletes in their drive to the olympics......francophonie games are silly and only a way to pay for non democratic french speaking (or not) bureaucrats to find jobs.

Dan Lee

@maude windsor
Huh?

David R. Amos

@Dan Lee Methinks lots of folks understood Madame Windsor quite well N'esy Pas?

Roland Godin

@maude windsor
Would you agee, dans les deux langues officielles, voters have a preference electing the most likely to mismanage public policies, administration, resources and finances...EH!/Voilà.

Fred Brewer

@Roland Godin
I agree it is time to vote Purple or Green. No more Red or Blue.

David R. Amos

@Fred Brewer Methinks there are few Independents whom deserve a little consideration as well N'esy Pas?

Google "Fundy Royal Debate" if you truly care

 
Matt Steele

Another 2.5 MILLION funneled into the pockets of Brian Gallant and his back room buddies ; yet the SANB controlled Liberal Party remains tight lipped about it . The Liberal Party knew well in advance of the election that the costs had ballooned to 130 MILLION for the Francophonie Games , yet NOT A WORD was mentioned about it during the election.....I guess it must have slipped Brian Gallants mind . Meanwhile schools go begging in the community so children can have a little drink of milk , and a slice of toast in the morning before class . Welcome to N.B. ; Canada's " ONLY " officially bilingual province !

David R. Amos

@Matt Steele Cry me a river

Roland Godin

@Matt Steele
Would you agee, dans les deux langues officielles, voters have a preference electing the most likely to mismanage public policies, administration, resources and finances...EH!/Voilà.

David R. Amos

@Matt Steele "Welcome to N.B. ; Canada's " ONLY " officially bilingual province"

Methinks I should ask you the obvious question once again N'esy Pas?

Do you or anyone else have any idea why I sued Her Majesty the Queen in 2015 while running for a seat in the 42nd Parliament?

 
michael levesque

Ha Ha Rob McKees's expensive was more A TRUE LIBERAL

Fred Brewer

@michael levesque
This is not a sentence. Can you please clarify what you are trying to say?

David R. Amos

@Fred Brewer Methinks Mr Levesque finds it funny that the lawyer Mr Mckee spent more money on the same trip N'esy Pas?

 
Joe campbell

Let the public see the receipts for the 2.55 million. Gallant and his friends are acting like an ostrich , put your head in the.ground and hope the problem goes away.

David R. Amos

@Joe campbell I agree

 
Harold Fitzgerald

If French and English are equal in NB then NB has no business supporting games for the French only.

David R. Amos

@Harold Fitzgerald They claim everybody can play since we all had to pay

Mark (Junkman) George

@David R. Amos

Maybe so.......... but why would you?

 
Mark Deckard

Why wasn't Sherbrooke selected first to begin with? They had the highest bid.

David R. Amos

@Mark Deckard Methinks you should ask Dominic Leblanc and Brian Gallant N'esy Pas?

Mark Deckard

@David R. Amos

Maybe the RCMP should ask them instead?

David R. Amos

@Mark Deckard Scroll down and you will see that I agree

 
Graeme Scott

I would love to know the total annual cost to New Brunswick for maintaining a separate membership in this organization when Canada is already a member. I'm pretty sure we don't have our own memberships in the IOC, the Commonwealth Games committee , the Pan American Games committee etc etc. Why the Francophonie?

daryl doucette

@Graeme Scott 4 big letters can answer your question Mr. Scott...SANB. Just that simple.

David R. Amos

@daryl doucette YUP

 
Jim Cyr

With all due respect to the international body and its "possible consequences", it can go take a flying leap.
$3.5 million is a LOT less wasted money than $130 million (or even $60 million).
Higgs has guts.

David R. Amos

@Jim Cyr Methinks Mr Austin forced Mr Higgs keep his word much to the chagrin of his Heritage Minister Mr Gauvin N'esy Pas?

 
David Peters

Other typical liberal dealing are in the news today...

"The prosecution dropped 14 other charges, including forgery, conspiracy and fraud."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/snc-lavalin-contracts-angus-1.5003135

https://www.canadianconsultingengineer.com/engineering/consortium-wins-544-million-contract-for-trans-canada-highway-project-in-new-brunswick/1000037970/

David R. Amos

@David Peters Methinks its strange that New Brunswick continues to do business with the dudes from Quebec

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-winter-storm-continues-1.4986290

Particularly after bickering with them in the past N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/snc-lavalin-accuses-n-b-of-micro-managing-bridge-project-1.1287208

 
Heather Wilkins

In 2018, the Canadian federal government has given OIF (Organization International Francophonie) over $25 million. Not sure what the Province of New Brunswick has given them, but will definitely find out! I wonder what our return on investment is on the $25 million for 2018?

daryl doucette

@Heather Wilkins The same as the "Atcon" investment, zippy f'in cola.

Dan Lee

@Heather
Maybe the same as Ontario gave for 50 millions for gazeboes

David R. Amos

@Dan Lee Methinks we will never forget the gazebo that Mr Harper and Mr Clement built at our expense N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2010/06/the-g8-g20-and-a-gazebo-worth-gazillions.html

Roland Godin

@Heather Wilkins
And to the monarch queen loving minority some 100$M plus...eh!/voilà.

daryl doucette

" Its not clear what is happening to the committee".....?? Well, OBVIOUSLY, if the " Games" are cancelled, the " Committee" is cancelled as well. Off to pogey land you go folks!! And as far as paying a penalty for extra expenses, I hope Mr. Higgs passes that bill over to the liberal party of New Brunswick, or whats " left" of it.....

David R. Amos

@daryl doucette Methinks they are hanging around and waiting for their golden handshakes N'esy Pas?

daryl doucette

@David R. Amos oh for sure. None of those " inner circle" people will ever be on the dole. They will simply move on to another posh appointment.

Pierre LaRoches

@daryl doucette These Liberals will fight tooth and nail to stay at the trough. They won't concede untilt he last penny is wrung from our pockets to theirs.

David R. Amos

@daryl doucette Of that I have no doubt

 

Shawn McShane

if we are lucky the "consequences" will be a 50 year suspension from ever hosting the games again, if we are really lucky we get a trifecta, the Olympics and Common Wealth Games won't touch us either.

David R. Amos

@Shawn McShane Heres hoping

 

John Valcourt

well any amount spent is peanuts to the amount they tried to screw the tax payers out of if the games would have went ahead. I think their needs to be an inquiry as to the amount and where it was going.

David R. Amos

@John Valcourt I concur

  

Bernard McIntyre

If the penalty of payment for cancelling the games are extravagant then maybe the Comite' international dex jeux de la Francophonie should be investigated as why they choose Moncton and Dieppe over Sherbrooke Que. since they had a superior bid.

David R. Amos

@Bernard McIntyre YUP

 

George Smith

2.5 million is peanuts to what was going to be spent. It's money well spent to end this fiasco. I doubt it will be the end figure, but as long as it's not too much more it'll be better than the money they tried to dupe the taxpayers out of.

David R. Amos

@George Smith Methinks the scam should be investigated by the RCMP before we are compelled to pay any fines N'esy Pas?

  

Alex Butt

"hat municipal spending includes $8,309.10 spent by Dieppe before the bid was accepted to wine, dine and lobby the international body. Moncton spent $5,196.21 during that period. " What a crock and waste of our hard earned tax dollars. Simply disgusting. Sounds just like the corrupt international olympics! Time to put an end to such corruption and hold them and the politicians that allow this accountable!

David R. Amos

@Alex Butt YUP

  

Aaron Allison

We need to have a Independent Investigation into this matter by the AG and give her full power and Money to get it done.

David R. Amos

@Aaron Allison Methinks it should be investigated by the RCMP rather than another politician N'esy Pas?

  

Paul Bourgoin

Premier Higgs,
The Handling of the “Games of La Francophonie", the Provinces positioning is evidence of what needs to be done to properly manage New- Brunswick Finances. Now that the Province is tightening the Economic Belt, another leaking account should be the handling and management of our Crown Lands Forest. The Province has practically taken all our law enforcement eyes out of our forest by laying-off most of our the Rangers and Biologists, closing most of all our DNR offices from where our forest management command posts were situated for the protection of our most valuable resources, our Forest, our Fish, Our Wildlife, Our Tourist Dollars which were generated by this natural New Brunswick wonder which by the way generates more money, jobs and tourists Dollars then Forestry does annually This once Labeled “Picture Province” should be managed to sustain what made New Brunswick a world sought-after treasure. As a Senior New Brunswick I would love to see New Brunswick Residents benefit from our Picture Province tourism aspect of Home and especially Knowing that it benefits all Residents not only a few Powerful Individuals.

David R. Amos

@Paul Bourgoin "As a Senior New Brunswick I would love to see New Brunswick Residents benefit from our Picture Province tourism aspect of Home"

Me Too

  

Roland Godin

The bigger picture, for whatever reason, electing the most likely to mismanage public policies, administration, resources and finances, for a couple of generations, is a prefered pass time...eh!/voilà.

David R. Amos

@Roland Godin Mais Oui

 

Emery Hyslop-Margison

There needs to be some kind of public inquiry into this debacle. Gallant admitted during a radio interview he was "friends" with members of the organizing committee, but this situation, he argued, was pure happenstance. Let's peel back the layers here and determine what actually took place. 2.5 million dollars of tax payer money wasted is far too much money to simply sweep under the carpet. I'm sure the RCMP would be willing to investigate to determine if there was illegal wrongdoing.

josephgallant

@Emery Hyslop-Margison

So was 50 million to Acon, but, they just won't stop it, and the big ??? is..... 
WHO will?

David Peters

@Emery Hyslop-Margison

Breach of trust...it's written all over this thing.

David R. Amos 

@josephgallant Methinsk we should not forget that the late Auditor General Mike Ferguson's investigation of the Caisses Populaire de Shippagan nonsense was ignored N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/shippagan-caisse-bailout-could-have-been-avoided-ag-1.941042

"Auditor General Mike Ferguson released the 53-page report on Tuesday that also said a handful of senior managers at the caisse populaire covered up financial problems.

The Liberal government bailed out the northern caisse populaire in 2007 with a $37-million grant and another $16.5-million in guarantees."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/up-to-60m-to-go-to-shippagan-s-credit-union-1.641566

"Boudreau wouldn't say how much of that $60 million will be injected into Shippagan's credit union or whether it's a grant, a loan or a loan guarantee.

John Williamson from the Canadian Taxpayer Federation said New Brunswickers should pay close attention to the $60 million set aside, because it's roughly the same amount they'll be paying in tax increases in 2007."

"I'd want to know why taxes are going up to pay for bailouts, as opposed to having governments spend money in priority areas," Williamson said Thursday.

"Governing is all about making choices and prioritizing spending. In this case, we have a government which has obviously decided that saving a credit union is worthwhile, despite the fact that no one from the province seems able to explain why it's in the province's interest, or why it's in the taxpayer's interest, to be spending this kind of money."

Opposition critic Bruce Fitch said he wants details now on how the province plans to save the credit union. "Sixty million dollars is a substantial amount of money and I'd like to know exactly what it is going to be used for,"

Rosco holt

@David R. Amos
The problem with the caisse populaire is the government body who was suppose to "police" banking institutions didn't do their job and uncover the frauds that the management of the caisse were doing until it was too late.

Many customers would have lost their life savings.

  

Mack Leigh

From everything that I am reading this is nothing more than one big party at the taxpayers expense... The organizing committee , Gallant and his cohorts, both mayors, and anyone else involved should be hanging their heads in shame... The total disregard for the financial state that our province is in and the fact that many everyday people are in dire straits is mind-boggling...

David R. Amos

@Mack Leigh YUP

 
Troy Murray

What a complete waste of money to line the pockets of a few. Improve our failed health care system.

David Peters

@Troy Murray

Some hair of the dog that bit us? Public run healthcare and education are a huge part of the problem.

David R. Amos

@David Peters Methinks we would not be wise to privatize and have somebody take control of our education and heath care like how Bernie Lord and Medavie oversee Ambulance NB N'esy Pas?

David Peters

@David R. Amos

Public/private monopolies are equally bad. Free market solutions with lots of real competition is the answer.

Shawn McShane 

@David Peters Thats what they said in the USA, look at their healthcare..

David R. Amos

@David Peters Methinks perhaps education is cool (its already that way anyway) but definitely not health care The politicians know that I lived in Yankeedodland long enough to know the difference N'esy Pas?

David Peters

@Shawn McShane

Their healthcare costs became astronomical the more gov't got involved, if you look at it honestly. In fact, gov't made it easy to sue doctors and private insurance companies frivolously in order to bankrupt the private system...allowing for a gov't take over...which ended up being Obamacare.

Have you seen how Obamacare has affected healthcare costs in the US?

Rosco holt

@David Peters
Free Market doesn't exist and won't exist has long has the government gives subsidize and other sweet deals to their chosen friends/ backers.

David Peters

@Rosco holt

Free market absolutely exists all around us every day. It's simply the exchange of things of value between two or more parties.

Can you justify baseline ?budgeting, bc, it only exists in crooked, gov't monopolies or gov't backed monopolies. Notice how common sense and the consumer always take a back seat in these systems?

Why run cover for them? Expose them for what they are, then and only then, will it be possible to break the hypnotized addiction to them.

David R. Amos

@David Peters Methinks you can't always measure things with the same stick its depends on each individuals personal needs and situation N'esy Pas? FYI Obamacare was a manna from heaven for my Yankee daughter

 
Errol Willis

Why would a city bidding $50M lose out to a city bidding $17M? Did the organizers really believe that NB could pull off a better games than a city bidding three times the amount?

Fred Brewer

@Errol Willis
Excellent point! Another reason why we owe them nothing for cancellation fees.

David R. Amos

@Fred Brewer I agree

Mack Leigh

@Errol Willis

This whole fiasco stinks and their needs to be a full investigation...Both Liberals and Conservatives keep pulling these stunts with absolutely no accountability or repercussions ..

Rosco holt

@Mack Leigh
It will never happen both main parties(PC/ Libs) have too many skeletons in their closet to allow a full investigation in their political activities.

David R. Amos

@Mack Leigh Methinks they thinks have the right to do whatever they wish because we keep electing them N'esy Pas?

David Peters

This whole fiasco is a case study in liberal politics.

David R. Amos

@David Peters YUP

Mark (Junkman) George

@David Peters

Don't limit yourself. Red, or blue, they are all tarred with the same brush.

David Peters

@Mark (Junkman) George

There is a lot of uni party action going on, in terms of corporate welfare and fostering private and public monopolies...but the liberals seem to own these sporting events scams.

David R. Amos

@Mark (Junkman) George Oh So True

 
Paul Bourgoin

I wonder if Political generosity such as subsidies, electricity discounts, bargain property taxes, crown land forest, from elected officials toward their Political supporters are and will be in the future so strictly scrutinized as these Francophonie Games funding?

David R. Amos

@Paul Bourgoin Methinks you already know the answer N'esy Pas?

 
Marc Bourque

Time to stick needles in their voodoo dolls,and not pay them one darn cent.Let them sue if they want!

David R. Amos

@Marc Bourque I agree

 
Fred Brewer

Do we owe cancellation fees to OIF?

The OIF bid forms suggested $17m as an appropriate amount.
NB bid $17m and won.
The OIF visited the site and suddenly the cost jumped to $130M.

Most of the blame for the cost escalation falls on the shoulders of the OIF.

For them to suggest the games can be held for $17M was ludicrous to begin with. For them to arrive in NB post-bid and leave us with a long list of infrastructure improvements and new infrastructure requirements is crazy. The OIF should have examined infrastructure as part of their bid selection process.

So the answer to my question above is NO, we do not owe cancellation fees to the OIF.

Content disabled.

David R. Amos

@Fred Brewer I agree

David R. Amos

@Fred Brewer Hmmm

 
Michael G. L. Geraldson

You just know that somehow this fiasco will still probably cost us somewhere in the neighborhood of the original bid. And, if the games have been cancelled why do we still have an organizing committee drawing salaries and generating expenses?

David R. Amos

@Michael G. L. Geraldson Methinks Mr Higgs should call NB Power and tell them to throw the switch because we ain't paying their power bill anymore. Perhaps the organizing committee will go home when it gets cold and dark N'esy Pas?

Mark (Junkman) George

@David R. Amos

I guess they need a hint the party is over?

 
Johnny Horton

Nice salary and perks for Gallant’a friwnds while it lasted,

David R. Amos

@Johnny Horton Mais Oui

 
Shawn Hickey

Much cheaper than the projected $130m. NB cannot afford this.
I'm glad Higgs has scuttled this foolishness.
If the government had not changed hands would this gave come to light? Or gone ahead?
Gallant is stepping down, in part, to get as far away as possible from this.
We need an inquiry.

David R. Amos

@Shawn Hickey Methinks it would have gone ahead because Trudeau needed it to look good on the world stage instead of being embarrassed by Mr Higgs N'esy Pas?

 
Mike Decoste

Someone needs to explain how the costs went from $17 million to $130 million.

David R. Amos

@Mike Decoste Its not rocket science

Mark (Junkman) George

@Mike Decoste

Never mind the $17 mill to $130 mill escalation.
I'd be more than interested how, when caught with the hand in the cookie jar, $130 mill dialed back to $65 mill in less than a week.

At least $2.55M spent on scuttled Francophonie Games

Final cost to province remains unclear as international organizing body to consider 'consequences'

Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Feb 04, 2019 5:00 AM AT 

New Brunswick decided last week it couldn't afford to support the 2021 Francophonie Games. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

The scuttled 2021 Francophonie Games have cost $2.55 million so far, according to figures from the host cities, federal and provincial governments.

The province and the federal government spent $2,525,916 between 2015 and the end of December 2018. It was spent on things such as the organizing committee's office space, salaries and travel.
The host cities of Dieppe and Moncton say they've paid $24,744, which doesn't include staff time helping plan the event.

Not all costs are known yet. Under the rules of the Games' governing body, a host government that cancels the event must cover any expenses incurred by the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie. CBC asked the province for how much that could entail.

Francophonie officials came to tour the Moncton-Dieppe facilities in November 2015. At least $2.67 million has been spent to lure and plan the games since that year. (CBC)

Stéphanie Bilodeau, a spokesperson for the province, said in an email that figure is not yet known.
"This will be discussed in the next few weeks with the International Organization of La Francophonie," Bilodeau wrote.

• New Brunswick cancels plan to host 2021 Francophonie Games

• Green Party, People's Alliance want investigation into botched Francophonie Games bid

That municipal spending includes $8,309.10 spent by Dieppe before the bid was accepted to wine, dine and lobby the international body. Moncton spent $5,196.21 during that period.

Both cities also sent representatives to the Ivory Coast in 2017 when the Games were held there. Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre's trip cost the city $4,600. Then-Moncton city councillor Rob McKee's trip cost $6,229.58.

Francine Landry, former Francophonie minister, in Ivory Coast during the last Games in 2017. Dieppe's mayor and a Moncton city councillor also attended the Games. (CBC)

Both cities split the $408.66 cost of a dinner with the Comité international des Jeux de la Francophonie's delegation of Games' disciplines experts in September 2018.

Both cities had committed to pay $750,000 each toward the cost of the Games, which had ballooned from an original estimate of $17 million to $130 million.

Both say none of that money was paid out before the province cancelled the event last week.

Committee's fate unclear

Once the province was selected to host the Games, a local organizing committee was established. Its board of directors included representatives appointed by the host cities, province and federal government. The committee, which had paid employees, developed the controversial $130-million business plan.

It's not clear what is happening with the committee following the province's cancellation of the Games. Tracey Suley, a spokesperson for the committee, declined an interview.

Éric Larocque, executive director of the 2021 Francophonie Games, organizing committee. The committee hasn't said what happens to its employees. (Shane Magee/CBC)

"Our board of directors have not yet received formal notification in regards to the federal government's decision about the games," Suley said in an email. "Until we have the formal notification, we have nothing additional to add."

The committee's budget for 2018-19 was $1.7 million.

• Francophonie Games' governing body seeks 'more realistic' approach to bid budgets

The province in December said $2.65 million had been spent on the Games — a figure revised down to $2.52 million last week after an error in the figures was corrected.

Between 2015 and December 2018, the province has spent a total of $927,292 on the Games, a figure that doesn't include staff time. Ottawa spent $1,598,624 over the same period.

The province made its final payment to the committee in December, funding that was to last through the end of March. Ottawa had budgeted about $1 million for the organizing committee this year and paid out $655,079 as of early January.

Officials from the International Committee of Games of La Francophonie with Moncton and Dieppe officials in 2015. (Jennifer Choi/CBC)

Suley did not answer questions about what happens to any funding it may still have on hand now that the event has been cancelled.

"We will need to evaluate the situation and develop a plan with the federal government as they were a funding partner," Bilodeau said in an email when asked about any remaining funding.

With New Brunswick out, it remains unclear where the Games may be held.

OIF confident Games will take place

The International Organization of the Francophonie, or OIF, has not provided an interview, though last week expressed confidence the event would still go ahead.

"Although the OIF regrets this decision, it is confident that the holding of this event promoting the vitality and creativity of all Francophone youth, will indeed take place in 2021," Thomas Gil, interim director of partnerships, marketing and communications for the Paris-based group.

• Province's 'last payment' for Francophonie Games just final instalment of 2018-19 funding

The statement says the "consequences of [New Brunswick's] decision and the different options available" will be discussed at a Feb. 14 and 15 meeting in Paris.

Sherbrooke, Que. also bid to host the event with a budget of $50 million. Steve Lussier, the city's mayor, told Radio-Canada the city has no interest in taking over hosting the event.

About the Author

 

Shane Magee

Reporter

Shane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC.

With files from Jacques Poitras

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices