Just about anyone you ask has a different opinion on whether or not Canmore should co-host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, yet it’s this very question that remains ostracized from the debate.
With so much at stake, now and into the future, it seems odd that public consultations that have taken place to date have avoided directly asking residents whether they want to host the Games or not.
One would think that in an era of public engagement, this simple, straightforward question would be part of the discussion, but it’s become obvious from the public consultations to date that both administration and the majority of council are actively avoiding the question.
To be fair, from day one it was made clear council would make the final decision regardless of what came out of public consultations, so why not ask residents for their opinion anyway?
The obvious answer is that by asking the public yay or nay, they might not get the answer they want to hear.
By asking residents for their opinion, whether through a non-binding plebiscite or public consultations, council runs the risk of making a decision that could run counter to public opinion – a big no-no when it comes to politics.
Those in favour of the Games will argue that there isn’t enough information yet to ask the public to make an informed decision and anything but a plebiscite won’t provide statistically valid information.
The flip side of that argument of course is if there isn’t enough information yet, how can we expect councillors to make an informed decision on our behalf?
Better yet, whether Canmore holds a plebiscite or not, in 2003 when Vancouver held its plebiscite, the bid book with all its business plans, numbers and details were made available to the public to help them make an informed decision, information that is vital for everyone involved, including councillors.
The concern of course is that if Canmore were to hold a non-binding plebiscite in the fall such as Calgary is, it will be the final arbitrator and politicians will be expected to follow suit.
And here’s the rub.
By avoiding asking the public for its opinion, politicians can avoid having their feet held to the fire, limiting the political risk when the next election cycle comes around.
It’s unfortunate that an international sporting event is so politically charged, but at the end of the day it’s all about politics until the Games begin and that could be another eight long years.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to avoid a lot of that political wrangling, and that’s asking the province to be part of the plebiscite in the fall so politicians at all three levels of government have a mandate from the public to pursue an Olympic bid or not.
If we fail to ask the public for its direct opinion, not only will the next eight years be fraught with political battles between opposing camps, the Games themselves risk being overshadowed if public opinion is opposed to them from the start.
Instead of being afraid of hosting a plebiscite and asking the public whether it supports hosting the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the municipality should throw its support behind a public vote so that residents are not only engaged, but heard.