A meeting by the Bread Not Circuses Coalition to launch the “People’s Anti-Olympic Bid Book”, was disrupted by a group of about 25 to 30 construction workers and had to be called off after about 30 minutes.
The 101-page “bid book” says Torontonians should expect the worst if the Games come to Toronto. “Toronto’s 2008 Olympic bid just more of the same old empty promises about a very expensive urban development project publicly funded and benefitting the Olympic corporate sponsors and private land developers. The real needs of the people of Toronto –such as housing, good jobs, child care, a safe and clean city – must come first”.
But the group will have another chance when the International Olympic Committee’s evaluation commission visits the city next week. Bob Richardson, Chief Operating Officer of TO-2008, said the Toronto bid committee helped to arrange a meeting requested by Bread Not Circuses. He said “unlike other cities, we have a free press and people are allowed to dissent. That is part of being in a democracy — it is a plus”.
During the meeting, one construction worker shouted “maybe if it wasn’t for you people (opposing the 1996 bid) we wouldn’t have suffered a recession”.
And union member Terry Frawley yelled at the panel of speakers “we want jobs for our families”. TO-Bid has estimated that the Games will produce the equivalent of 116,000 one-year jobs and $5.6 billion in economic activity.
Jan Borowy, a spokesperson for the Bread Not Circuses group, and other speakers, said they were opposed to the Olympics because of the effect it will have on low-income groups and city taxpayers.
Earlier in the day, T0-2008 called a hastily arranged press conference at a local golf club to discuss key components of the TO-2008 social equity plan and consultation process.
Richardson said that the bid plan includes the conversion of the media and athletes’ villages into housing after the Games. Out of 4,000 units that will be created, 2,000 will be for low-income housing.
Richardson added, “the last time Toronto bid (on the Games) this was to be a location for thousands of units of social housing. Toronto did not win the bid and instead we got a golf course”.
