Mr. Speaker, the NHL and the players will not do anything to keep pro hockey in Canada. If they are not prepared to co-operate, then the federal taxpayer should not either.
For the government to even consider for one minute spending one more dime of tax revenues to bail out the NHL would be a monumental travesty of justice when thousands of farmers are going bankrupt in the worst farm crisis since the depression. If the government helps millionaire hockey players and owners out of a currency imbalance but will not help farmers out of an international subsidy war, then something is terribly wrong in our country.
To put additional tax dollars into pro sports before food, health, education, housing or yes, even some tax relief, would push Canadian priorities so far out of balance that voters would never forgive the Liberals' stupidity.
The government's own polls say tax aid for pro hockey is the lowest spending priority for Canadians. Some 94% in my own riding survey opposed subsidizing the NHL more than the millions we already provide to it. One fellow said it best: “Farm aid, yes; hockey aid, no”.