In the News

By William Doyle-Marshall

It is the responsibility of the Government of Ontario to ensure that everybody has a chance to participate in the economic prosperity that is going to be generated by the 2015 Pan American Games.
Premier Dalton McGuinty assured journalists at a Round Table last week that Ontario sits at the table with a number of other partners such as the different levels of government and athletic organizations. As a principal financial contributor to the success of the games, McGuinty said Ontario has a significant say and the government wants to ensure that funds spent here in Ontario, benefit the people of Ontario in a way that is fair and equitable.
The city is going to welcome some 250,000 tourists and some 10,000 athletes for the games. The Premier noted that while real economic challenges are being unfolded in Europe, Ontario cannot do anything about that even though the situation could be harmful to the province.
He concluded Ontarians don't have a lot of influence on the global economy but there are things that they can and will continue to do here to strengthen themselves and the economy.
"All of the major games' venues have now been tendered and constructions will start in 2012 for the Pan Am Aquatic Center, Scarborough; the Ivor Winn Stadium in Hamilton; new pool and field house in Markham; the athlete village in the west Don Lands. Some 16,000 jobs are expected to be created.
The jobs are not only going to be found in construction, engineering, design, legal and accounting but also in retail and the hospitality sectors. They are going to start very shortly, McGuinty advised.
Toronto TO2015 is the Organizing Committee for the games and Ontarians can contact its members to become involved. Ontario is a big stakeholder with respect to the organizing and oversight of the games.
"The purpose of the games is not only to provide economic influence. It is also to nurture some of the youthful talent and provide a legacy for athletes and students to continue to pursue higher athletics," Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Charles Sousa explained.
The Premier acknowledged one of the selling features for this diversified community would be people in the stands from Toronto who would be cheering for the athletes.
"They are going to be from their country, their mother country. So you are going to find yourself in a very warm and welcoming amateur sporting environment," McGuinty emphasized.
The Premier's determination to compete for, win and successfully host the Best Pan Am Games ever, the best Canadian medal showings ever, was motivated by his visits to other provinces where Ontario athletes train.
"I run into some of our very best athletes. They are training in BC, they are training in Alberta or they are training in Quebec because we don't have the facilities here," he moaned.
"Once you have the facilities then you develop the coaching expertise then you have an opportunity to cast a very wide net among children who are showing promise, who can be brought in, who can be given the appropriate training and if they so desire they can proceed to an elite level of amateur athletics," the Premier predicted.
Consequently, he is hopeful that the 2015 Games will act as a catalyst for the strong push in developing Ontario athletes so that some excitement could be generated by reaching into the schools.
"We are not achieving our potentials as a province in terms of developing the skills of our amateur athletes and the purpose of this is not just a big bang in 2015 and what a wonderful big bang it is going to be, but to help institutionalize a strong amateur sports culture in Ontario so that we can compete with the best and succeed."
Premier McGuinty places heavy emphasis on value and joy to be found in the volunteer experience in staging the games.
"That's going to be such an important part of the character of the games that we want to host here. It can't just be a game hosted by experts or officials in government. It's got to be the people of Ontario warmly welcoming and receiving all of our athletes."