Thanks a lot Steve! Just what Canada needed!

[Mr.Canada]

Our PM Stephen Harper is that fatherly figure we all should look up to. It's obvious he knew what Canada needed when we did. He gave us all a well deserved break in order to take in these wonderful Olympic games on our own home turf.

The out pouring of nationlism witnessed at these games was just outstanding and a shot in the arm Canada needed to get us back on track.

Our PM, Stephen Harper knew what we needed and gave it to us. Even the socialist leader Jack Layton was seen wrapping himself in our flag and cheering on Canada in these, our Olympic games.

It's nice to see nationalistic pride being broadcast from coast to coast proving that Canada doesn't need to finish last to be Canadian. That we can win too and still be Canadian. Canadians have a taste for it now. Winning is better than losing, we've learned that at these games. Winning does a lot for national pride and Canadians own self esteem. We cannot down play the psychological edge of bragging rights.

The Conservative party knew it, PM Stephen Harper knew it and they chose to teach it the rest of Canadians who may not have known it.

We owned the podium this year and I'm looking forward to Canada owning the podium in the future.

The psychological edge it best witnessed in the old USSR who dominated sport and then felt they could dominate the world. Their is a direct link which cannot be ignored.

Thank you again Mr. PM. You are like a father to us and we, Canadians, are like your children. We await your next lesson, wise mentor. Teach us, we are ready.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Mr.Canada

[M.Dancer]

Our PM Stephen Harper is that fatherly figure we all should look up to. Thank you again Mr. PM. You are ike a father t ous and we, Canadians, are like your children. We await your next lesson, wise mentor. Teach us, we are ready.

You are like the idiot cousin who embarrasses his side of the family at thanksgiving dinners with his absence of table manners.

[myata]

Yeah right. Just as we were about to melt down in the warm memories of our PM leading Canada's team to their doubtlessly starry peformances with his regular inspiring appearances, and thus forgive and forget his ealier self inflicted mishaps, such a giveaway!

[nicky10013]

Harper had nothing to do with this and everyone knows it. In fact, he's trying to play politics with it. Is that what a good leader would do?

Absolutely disgusting.

[Shwa]

Yeah right. Just as we were about to melt down in the warm memories of our PM leading Canada's team to their doubtlessly starry peformances with his regular inspiring appearances, and thus forgive and forget his ealier self inflicted mishaps, such a giveaway!

Don't you ever talk about your father like that! Get to your room. No dessert for you!

[Alta4ever]

Harper had nothing to do with this and everyone knows it. In fact, he's trying to play politics with it. Is that what a good leader would do?

Absolutely disgusting.

What were thoughts on the camera hungry Layton, was he not playing politics to fighting for camera time in a crowded bar?

This thread is dumb. Our athletes and their coaches deserve all the credit, the politicians none.

[William Ashley]

Trying to give the CPC credit for Canadian Athletes accomplishment is simply pathetic.

Unless this is your way of saying without Canadians tax dollars given from the budget that could serve areas in need or provide employment for the unemployed tax dollars were pissed down the drain in providing specialist training that allows people to skate around in circles and shoot a puck instead of put food on the table and provide a means of living for people.

Eg. the over 100 million dollars given to a small group of athletes for this propaganda show

Own The Podium, a multiyear investment of more than $110 million in government and corporate funding to help Canada win the most medals in Vancouver, with the bulk of the money steered toward the top medal contenders.

Wow each gold cost Canada close to 10 million dollars -- that would of went to a lot of athletic facilities that the whole of the public could access.

So sure you got gold but it is unfortunate that the 100 million dollars went to 50 or so athletes when they could of serve the 30+ million Canadians.

Also this program obtained "charity status" so any corporate donations were tax deductable.

Perhaps we can take a look at atheletics funding in Canada on a regular basis and see all the CPC is doing for Canadian athletes rather than the 50 or so who bought the podium.

Athlethics and sport is so lowly to the Conservatives that they have it as part of Canadian Heritage - rather than something of its own.

The OWN THE PODIUM program was equal to the whole of all other sport funding the federal government provided for every year in office.. and the cost of the Olympics was multiple decades equivalence in sport funding.

Edited March 1, 2010 by William Ashley

[Alta4ever]

Trying to give any politican credit for Canadian Athletes accomplishment is simply pathetic.

I fixed it for ya.

[Shady]

Thank you again Mr. PM. You are like a father to us and we, Canadians, are like your children. We await your next lesson, wise mentor. Teach us, we are ready.

I really hope this is just satire. Because if not, this is very disturbing. The federal government, no matter who's in charge, is not my father. They work for us, not the other way around.

[nicky10013]

What were thoughts on the camera hungry Layton, was he not playing politics to fighting for camera time in a crowded bar?

This thread is dumb. Our athletes and their coaches deserve all the credit, the politicians none.

I heard he was there, I didn't see it though so I can't comment. If he was just there and they panned to him it's not that big of a deal which I imagine was the case.

As for the bottom part, for the first time, I agree with something you've said. The universe must have started to contract.

[eyeball]

Trying to give the CPC credit for Canadian Athletes accomplishment is simply pathetic.

It's to be expected, there was no shortage of references to the Olympics bumping the political polls one way or the other depending on how they turned out before the games.

I have little doubt when Parliament resumes and the issue of detainees and Canada's alleged war crimes start to surface again that it will evoke great CPC anger and appeals to patriotism with many direct references to the Olympics and Canada's athletes included in the rhetoric.

Let the games begin.

[Moonbox]

You are like the idiot cousin who embarrasses his side of the family at thanksgiving dinners with his absence of table manners.

I'm so glad you're back. I was trying to put into words what I was feeling while I read that post, and you got it bang on.

[myata]

.. or is it "with spilling the beans" the side of the family preferred keeping smug and quiet (while taking some benefit from, smugly and quietly)?

[wyly]

correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Own The Podium was a Liberal initiative...

I was annoyed at Harper getting all the TV shots this isn't a political event this was the athletes moment...

[Wilber]

Either way, if we don't keep providing the resources for these athletes, the only direction we will be headed is backwards.

[wyly]

Eg. the over 100 million dollars given to a small group of athletes for this propaganda show

Own The Podium, a multiyear investment of more than $110 million in government and corporate funding to help Canada win the most medals in Vancouver, with the bulk of the money steered toward the top medal contenders.

Wow each gold cost Canada close to 10 million dollars -- that would of went to a lot of athletic facilities that the whole of the public could access.

So sure you got gold but it is unfortunate that the 100 million dollars went to 50 or so athletes when they could of serve the 30+ million Canadians.

compared to China's $100 million per gold at Beijing we did well...

it's a lot of money and the 6 billion overall cost hurts but I suppose we could look at long term benefits...healthcare, a fit healthy population coast less than a fat lazy inactive populace...

if the government uses this success and builds on it then we will benefit as a nation...if it doesn't follow up with new facilities for the millions of newly energized kids then it will be a wasted effort...$110 million isn't much when compared to how much it costs to cancel a helicopter contract $500 mil I believe it was...

Edited March 1, 2010 by wyly

[Shady]

Unless this is your way of saying without Canadians tax dollars given from the budget that could serve areas in need or provide employment for the unemployed tax dollars were pissed down the drain in providing specialist training that allows people to skate around in circles and shoot a puck instead of put food on the table and provide a means of living for people.

Your premise is incorrect. You speak as though the money going to the Olympics and Canadian athletes was diverted from it's original purpose, such as unemployment, etc. But it wasn't.

Wow each gold cost Canada close to 10 million dollars -- that would of went to a lot of athletic facilities that the whole of the public could access.

Assuming that the public would actually access these increased facilities. But again, your premise is wrong. There are athletic facilites that are open to the public.

So sure you got gold but it is unfortunate that the 100 million dollars went to 50 or so athletes when they could of serve the 30+ million Canadians.

Actually, it was 200+ athletes, not 50. And that doesn't count the hundreds of athletes that trained and participated, but didn't make the Canadian Olympic team. So once again, your premise is wrong. Three incorrect statements = 3 strikes, you're out!

[ToadBrother]

This thread is dumb. Our athletes and their coaches deserve all the credit, the politicians none.

If any politician deserves any credit, it's former BC Premier Mike Harcourt.

[fellowtraveller]

Harper was like a good luck charm, it seemed like every time he showed up in the stands, we won a gold.

It is probably part of his Secret Agenda.

[Smallc]

Harper was like a good luck charm, it seemed like every time he showed up in the stands, we won a gold.

Sure, as long as you don't count women's curling.

[myata]

Harper was like a good luck charm, it seemed like every time he showed up in the stands, we won a gold.

It is probably part of his Secret Agenda.

Or could it be because he's omniscient and could see the future? With a natural leader like that, who needs the Parliament or even democracy itself

[Mr.Canada]

We need to thank the PM for having the foresight to extend funding to our athletes. Without him we wouldn't be owning the podium and would most likely be embarrassed again at our own games. It was a huge sucess all around. And the country has a greater sense of pride because of it. It has brought us all closer together. It has shown us that minorities are sharing in the celebration and are becoming part of Canada not separate. This will be a huge step forward in our quest to have good race relations. I hope in the future we see more minorities taking up winter sports and excelling at them growing the sport and in turn bringing Canada even closer together.

We owe it all to PM Stephen Harper who guides us like a father. He knew we needed the training wheels at first but took them off once he knew he could let go of the bike. A few scraped knees aside we've come out of it pretty well.

Thank you sir, you've shown us the way and now it's up to us to follow your brilliant example and continue on. You will be regarded as the PM who helped bring Canadian sport into a sucessful state. No longer must our athletes hand their heads in shame while we watch others get the winter medals. We can now have confidinece moving forward, knowing that we can win.

We owe it all to you PM Stephen Harper, the father figure we were all missing.

[DrGreenthumb]

deleted

Edited March 2, 2010 by DrGreenthumb

[DrGreenthumb]

We need to thank the PM for having the foresight to extend funding to our athletes. Without him we wouldn't be owning the podium and would most likely be embarrassed again at our own games. It was a huge sucess all around. And the country has a greater sense of pride because of it. It has brought us all closer together. It has shown us that minorities are sharing in the celebration and are becoming part of Canada not separate. This will be a huge step forward in our quest to have good race relations. I hope in the future we see more minorities taking up winter sports and excelling at them growing the sport and in turn bringing Canada even closer together.

We owe it all to PM Stephen Harper who guides us like a father. He knew we needed the training wheels at first but took them off once he knew he could let go of the bike. A few scraped knees aside we've come out of it pretty well.

Thank you sir, you've shown us the way and now it's up to us to follow your brilliant example and continue on. You will be regarded as the PM who helped bring Canadian sport into a sucessful state. No longer must our athletes hand their heads in shame while we watch others get the winter medals. We can now have confidinece moving forward, knowing that we can win.

We owe it all to you PM Stephen Harper, the father figure we were all missing.

You may need a father figure, loser but I have a father, and I do not need or want a paternalistic dick-tator as Prime MInister. He needs to understand that he is our employee, not our daddy, and you just need intensive therapy.

[Shakeyhands]

Responding to trolls is just a waste of bandwidth kids....