EDITORIAL: An Olympic-sized insult

It’s becoming a familiar, if not increasingly troubling refrain.

More government funding is cut. Another program is cancelled. Services are scaled back.

From sports initiatives for kids, to emergency room opening hours, to support services for seniors, virtually nothing is immune from the financial crunch that has descended upon provincial and civic governments.

There is no question that economic conditions are some of the toughest ever seen. It is undeniable that governments must take measures to curtail spending, or rack up massive debt that will negatively impact future generations.

That said, however, some of the funding cuts to come down recently are severely shortsighted.

A good example is the loss of funding for advanced first aid training for senior firefighters. Emergency Health Services has announced it will save a paltry $250,000 – across B.C. – by not funding the training next year.

Ensuring that this level of first responders have top-notch first aid skills should be an absolute given.

Obviously, it’s hoped that civic coffers will fill the gap.

Yet, when considered in tandem with the announcement that the provincial government will shell out a million bucks to provide tickets to MLAs and guests to attend the Olympic Games events, the nickel and diming of small, but critical programs, becomes downright offensive.

Given the vast amount of taxpayers’ dollars and resources that have been poured into the 2010 Whistler-Vancouver Games, it’s incredible that organizers would actually have the audacity to charge the province to have public representatives attend events, or that Victoria would agree to such a preposterous notion.

It turns funding cuts to such essential agencies as firefighters, into insults.

–The Abbotsford News

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