The Cultural Olympiad was a resounding success. As you know, some of the people seated at this table were opposed to the idea of the government investing in the Olympic Games. Be that as it may, the Cultural Olympiad was a great success. The Olympic Games were not just a sporting event. They were a Canadian event and for that reason, it was vitally important to include culture. Vancouver and the greater Vancouver area played host to over 300,000 visitors. They were able to attend hockey games during the day and show their pride in our team. We wanted visitors to be able to see Canadian productions in the evening. The whole event was a resounding success and it really did not cost all that much. I believe some 600 or 650 artists gave 2,500 performances in the region in January and February, and in the case of the Paralympic Games, throughout the month of March.
It was an extraordinary event. I saw performances by Dallas Green, Alexisonfire, Yann Perreau, comedian Louis-José Houde and Mes Aïeux. The Cultural Olympiad benefited from our investment in the Place de la Francophonie. The government made a commitment to the Olympiad. The idea came not from VANOC or from organizations, but from Vancouver's small francophone community. Members of this community came up with the idea of setting up on Granville Island, in close proximity to the athletes' village, a venue for showcasing Canada's francophone community during the Olympic Games. Close to $8 million was spent on setting up this venue, which was an overwhelming success. Francophones from across the country and francophone athletes attended performances in French. There were Acadians, Franco-Manitobans, Quebeckers, Franco-Ontarians, and so forth. It was a truly special event.
In my view, the Olympic Games gave everyone in Vancouver and the surrounding area an opportunity to see firsthand the excellence of the francophone cultural community across Canada. The francophone presence in Vancouver is minimal. Yet, I know for a fact that many French CDs were sold during the Olympic Games. People bought francophone and Quebec CDs. It was a great success. I am just as proud of our cultural successes as I am of our victories in the field of sport.