So CBC Montreal did a story on Bromont’s ‘still in the running’ bid late last week.  It claims Bromont ‘vows to bid again’, but unfortunately (for the Bromont bid committee) it also includes this nail-in-coffin quote from Canadian Heritage Minister Pierre Manoni: “Due to the current fiscal environment, the government of Canada is not in a position to support the hosting of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.”  Not to be smug (okay, just a little bit smug) but I did speculate in my last post that this wasn’t a matter of giving the feds more time to mull things over, but more a case of ‘no, you can’t have any candy. Ever’.  I am reviled by our prime minister on several levels (mainly the complete lack of a personality), but I’ll give Stephen Harper this: he doesn’t tend to back down or change his tune once he’s made a decision about something. And I have to repeat what I said already: it would have been beyond irresponsible for the FEI, never mind the bid committee, to forge ahead on WEG, given the near-absolute failure to reach realistic fundraising targets in support of this Marmaduke of a puppy. For those of you who read my ‘At Issue’ column in Horse Sport Magazine, look for a more thorough investigation into the reality of the dollars and nonsense of what it really costs to host the world’s biggest horse show in an upcoming issue.

As I write this, I’m hearing that 300,000 people in Toronto are without power due to sudden flooding from severe storms. Just as Alberta and south eastern BC are drying out, another part of the country needs an ark…stay safe everyone and keep your four legged friends’ noses above the water line.

I’m off  for a few days’ catch up on the long weekend I worked through, but I should be back by some time next week for more of the ranting and raving you have come to expect from me. I leave you for now with a set of photos displaying the great emotional range of our prime minister.

Patriotic Stephen Harper

Happy Stephen Harper

Angry Stephen Harper

Sad Stephen Harper

Finally, some real emotion: I-Told-You-So Stephen Harper