Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Secretary of State for Sport a question also regarding sport. In particular, it is about the World Police & Fire Games that are going to be held in the lower mainland of British Columbia and the city of Burnaby in 2009.
Recently, the government turned down a request from the organizing committee to be a sponsor and help fund these important games that will see 12,000 police and fire personnel from around the world gather in the lower mainland of British Columbia. In fact, right now they are gathered in Adelaide, Australia. The mayor of Burnaby is there to bring home the ceremonial torch for the next games.
In the past the federal Government of Canada has supported these games and most recently when they were held in Quebec City in 2005. It is very important for our fire and police personnel to have this important opportunity to meet their colleagues from around the world. It is also very important to the communities that host these games because of the positive economic value that the games bring to those communities.
I would ask the Secretary of State why the government has turned down this request? Why is there no money in the latest budget and why the government will not support the men and women of our police forces and fire departments in hosting these important games?