Vancouver Secrets

Lying To Be Perfect – Olympic Games

Vancouver Is Awesome…

As the 2010 games approach, the PR blitz has begun.

But just like the Miss America 2010 Winner, Vancouver will need to hide its blemishes.

We have more than a few groups ready to challenge the Winter Olympics committee’s best efforts at packaging us:

We have the Anarchists: Anti-2010 protesters, some carrying black flags and burning torches, gathered for what had all the hallmarks of a dress rehearsal for the street protests that could erupt during the Winter Games just over two weeks away.

Wherever the world’s media is, you can count on the nuts to arrive.

Don’t worry though, we have been given the rules:

If you’re coming here to protest, just follow the rules please. Unfortunately, Vancouver anarchists can’t read. Also, we get to see how valid our Canadian Charter Of Rights really is, against an omnipotent Olympic committee.

Our well-planned  weather emergency is set for next week. (Even though in only city in Canada that never gets snow, we aren’t getting snow.)

Some background:

I looked out the taxi window again. It was another city. Dozens of people stood in what looked like a breadline outside a shelter. At least 100 people sat or lay on garbage-strewn sidewalks. Surrounding buildings were boarded up. A skeleton of a woman was begging on the curb.

Had the Great Recession finally hit Vancouver? Had I been transported to Detroit?

Nope. Just another day in the Downtown Eastside, on East Hastings Street. First, I wondered if the people at Mercer had seen this. Then I wondered what our political leaders have been doing for the last five years.

Many hoped the arrival of the Olympics would be a catalyst for action on our poverty ghetto. The conventional wisdom was we had no intention of being embarrassed as the world watched in 2010. By now, our leaders were supposed to have put in the resources and brainpower to make strides to help the poor get off the streets.

Well, it looks like they’ve failed.

This is hammered home by the report’s idea of “launching the extreme weather response shelter program for the duration of the games.” Translation? Even if it isn’t cold, we’ll open the beds to get the homeless off the streets and out of those TV shots during the Games.

Good – now that we have East Hastings hidden, let the games begin.

Cars are not allowed – take a bus, like it or not. Vancouver transit is great. Let’s hope they stop the practice of giving our homeless free rides. Nothing like a shaking meth/heroin addict to scare you off the bus. Hopefully, our weather emergency will relocate these people.

Vancouverites have been lectured to not forget to mind our manners… they even they’ve printed a 4-page guide to tell us how to act. Someone upstairs believes Vancouver residents need this. Hmmm.

Last, as an incredible indicator of how the 2010 games are the great hope for our salvation is the auction of the main venue while the games are on. That’s another first…

Whislter is going to the top bidder. Creditors holding $1.4 billion (U.S.) in debt on Intrawest ULC have begun foreclosure proceedings on some of the company’s assets, including the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, and say they plan to auction them off on Feb. 19. Get there early if you’ve always wanted to own an overpriced ski resort.

My advice to would be buyers: Wait till October 2010 - we’ll have gotten the bill for the games, realize just how much they’ve charged up on our card. The anticipated boom in real estate will become a mirage.

It’s all part of the game of lying to be perfect.

Hope the organizers prove me wrong – that this wasn’t just a looting of BC.