Stevie Wonder could have seen this one coming a mile away.
Yesterday, when it was announced that the Canadian Grand Prix was cancelled - supposedly without the knowledge of the Canadian promoter - some people smelled a rat. They wondered if the whole thing was a faux crisis cooked up between the FIA and the event's promoters - during the federal election - to elicit money from Canadian taxpayers?
For some, it was a case of deja vu from when the government stepped forward with tax dollars to replace the tobacco sponsorship money.
Well, it didn't take long for the other shoe to drop. It looks like a truckload of your money is about to be handed over in an attempt to win Conservative votes in Quebec. Very disappointing.
"Canadian Grand Prix promoter says only government can save F1 race
MONTREAL — It is up to government if the cancelled Canadian Grand Prix is to be revived.
A spokesman for race promoter Normand Legault said Wednesday that government bodies were already looking at ways to bring back the annual race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve that was abruptly dropped from the Formula One calendar this week.
The event draws an estimated $100 million per year in revenues and economic spinoffs to the city.
Spokesman Paul Wilson said Michael Fortier, the Conservative Minister for the Montreal region, has already called F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone at the urging of Prime Minister Stephen Harper."
MONTREAL — It is up to government if the cancelled Canadian Grand Prix is to be revived.
A spokesman for race promoter Normand Legault said Wednesday that government bodies were already looking at ways to bring back the annual race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve that was abruptly dropped from the Formula One calendar this week.
The event draws an estimated $100 million per year in revenues and economic spinoffs to the city.
Spokesman Paul Wilson said Michael Fortier, the Conservative Minister for the Montreal region, has already called F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone at the urging of Prime Minister Stephen Harper."
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7 comments:
It's worth $100 million to the Montreal economy? Gee, this morning it was only worth $75 million. Tomorrow it will be $150 million. That's the beauty of voodoo economics. They really are just made up numbers. Let the people who profit from it pay for it.
So I have to pay more in taxes so the government can put more in Bernie's pocket? That won't win my vote. If the GP was anywhere but Quebec the government wouldn't raise a finger to help. You think they would susidize Mosport or Cayuga? Screw F1. Stick with NASCAR. It doesn't need subsidies.
Taxpayer money in the middle of a world banking/economic/financial crisis,going to race car competitions...
Any sane and decent human being should boycott this event and all its spinoffs.
Corporate handouts to corporate freeloaders have taken enough out of our society.
If theeir own people cannot finance it, it means it is not viable. Why blow taxpayer money on a dud pronounced as such by its own entourage?
I have to agree with the two other people, one tell Bernie to go splat himself and I watch the F1 all time but there is no way that we as tax payers should fork out hard earned dollars to help out F1 racing and Quebec again we already gave them money for it a couple of years ago. enough is enough.
I agree with the previous posters.
While I supported the efforts made to save the Grand Prix a few years ago because of the tobacco ads ban, this is just pure greed rearing it's ugly head.
It will hurt the local economy, as it was a very profitable week-end for hotels & restaurants, and quite a lot of fun too.
But hey, sometimes enough is enough.
Nascar is good enough for me. The Grand Prix is for the rich who can afford the seats! Montreal has many festivals to which government makes donations. I hate the Grand Prix and am pleased it will be gone from Montreal. Montreal food banks are short of merchandise and there are many jobless people in the city. One might think that this would be of more importance than the Grand Prix (it only benefits a handful of Montrealers)
I guess it's time to move on. Another generatiion of drivers has come and gone with David Coulthard's retirement.
If the race never comes back, so be it. The truth is that everyone just watches on tv anyway. Only the select few actually go to the races, and evern fewer to mor than one race.
The Eurocentric Circus has what it wants, oodles of cash, and prime time viewing in Europe.
That's all that interests them.
I'm just waiting for the next country to fall for Bernie's ransom demand, and build an upside down track, to prove that F1 cars can run on the ceiling.
Now that is one race, that I would definitely attend.
It is less and less Eurocentric. Bernie and Max prefer dealing with middle and far eastern dictatorships. Their kinda people. All the Canadians who say they are through with F1 will keep watching it on TV and will keep putting money in Bernie's pocket.
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