Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell, John Furlong, President and Chief Operating Officer of the 2010 Bid Corp. and Jack Poole, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the bid corporation, took part in a telephone conference Friday morning with the international media which included representatives from GamesBids.com and from the American, French and British media. But the local media was not invited.
Furlong said Friday that a 65 per cent Yes vote in a city plebiscite would show Vancouver supports hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. “If we have about 65 per cent we would be thrilled. In political terms that is a landslide victory”.
Chris Shaw, spokesman for the No Games 2010 Coalition, said holding a vote that isn’t legally binding in one city still doesn’t show provincial support for the Games. He’s also concerned that B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has said the provincial government will spend money on a Yes campaign.
“Our issue is going to be with any Yes number where one side has all the funds and all the resources behind it and three levels of government supporting it. This is not a level playing field. How do we know how much of the vote was bought with massive campaign ads that were paid for with taxpayer dollars?”
Furlong said that there will be a separate community campaign that will be managed and led independently of the bid. “I think the bid will act as a resource to that campaign to provide support and help”.
During the telephone conference Poole said “a prominent and popular businessman in the city” has volunteered to head the Yes side.
