, 11.24.2017 09:54 AM

Melanie Joly is spending $5 million of our money on a hockey rink

…a hockey rink that does not permit the playing of hockey.

From next week’s column:

Anyway.  Let’s forget about the Holocaust Monument, and the Netflix thing, and Canada 150.  Let’s forget about all that.  Let’s turn the page. Let’s focus, instead, on your latest decision, which I will render all-caps, because I think it merits it:

MELANIE JOLY HAS SPENT $5 MILLION TO BUILD A HOCKEY RINK ON PARLIAMENT HILL.

And it’s not just any $5 million hockey rink.  No, not in Joly World.  It is a $5 million hockey rink that:

  • Prohibits the playing of hockey.
  • Will be in existence for less than a month.
  • Is a block from the biggest skating rink in the world, the Rideau Canal.

Oh, and the Toronto Star reported this: “The rink, which will be available for free public skating from Dec. 7 to Jan. 1, is budgeted to cost about $215,385 per day that it’s open.”

One of my readers informed me that works out to about $300 per skater, per leisurely skate.  I’m not sure Wayne Gretzky made that much in his prime with the Oilers, Melanie.

And here’s what you had to say about Skate-gate: “We believe that it is really good news because this will be here for a month, and this will support, of course, important programming.”

“Really good news.”

It isn’t, Melanie.  It isn’t.  It is a disgrace.  It is disgusting.  It is an actual scandal.

It is.

25 Comments

  1. Matt says:

    AND, you have to call ahead and book your skate time, which is limited to 45 minutes max.

    Seriously.

      • Matt says:

        https://globalnews.ca/news/3828605/parliament-hill-skating-rink/

        “Each 45-minute skating period can accommodate up to 200 people on the ice, and you can reserve up to six printable passes at a time. You can also download the passes to a mobile device.”

        And apparently the Liberals are concerned people may try to sell their passes on sites like eBay. LOLOLOL!

        “Officials speaking on background in Ottawa on Wednesday said they will monitor online resale sites like StubHub and eBay closely for people attempting to sell the free tickets and make a profit. If this becomes an issue, they said, they may implement additional measures like requiring photo ID with the pass.”

        • The Doctor says:

          It’s just ridiculous, isn’t it? It’s the epitome of this totally anti-fun attitude that many of our Canadian politicians and officials have, where they rule and regulate fun out of existence at venues like this. If this were somewhere in Europe, you’d be able to show up with a bottle of wine and more or less do whatever the hell you want.

  2. Matt says:

    I guess Liberals and their supporters can’t talk about “Fake Lake” anymore……

  3. Mario says:

    I guess someone forgot to tell Melanie Joly about the Rideau Canal…it freezes over and you can skate on it for free.

  4. Luke says:

    Money better spent on most anything else. $ 5 million could change the lives of a dozen homeless, for example.

  5. Kevin T. says:

    I blame the 2013 Montreal mayoral race.

  6. DRB says:

    There will be hockey on it for a few days as part of the Bell Capital Cup – http://canada150rink.com/contest/

  7. Ned Ludd says:

    Disgusted? Yes. Surprised? No.

  8. billg says:

    5 Million For Figure Skaters..?

  9. Kevin says:

    May I invite Ms. Joly to get out of the Parliament buildings, down to the street in front. Turn left. Leisurely walk, 15 minutes at most, King Edward is the cross-street. Left again, another 5 minutes max. you will find the Shepherds of Good Hope. It’s a shelter for homeless people. Provides hot meals, beds, counselling for 2000 people a year, totalling 350,ooo meals and 85000 “stays” per year. Ms. Joly, your 5 million is roughly half their annual budget.

    • Ned Ludd says:

      Spot on!…But you know the photo ops with Ms. Joly and our beloved PM on the rink with kids and Parliament buildings in the background will be ever so much more appealing.

      Help try and fix what’s wrong with our country first, Ms. Joly, before the “candies”, thanks.

  10. Pedant says:

    It’s a government of quotas rather than ability.

  11. William R Morrison says:

    This illustrates the reason I keep reading your blog, Warren, though I’m no political ally of yours: you aren’t blind to the government’s faults, and when they do something like this, you call them on it. Keep it up.

  12. Charlie says:

    How in the fuck do you have a ice rink in the capital city of Canada, on the lawn of our political capital — and not allow people playing hockey?

    If safety is a concern, don’t do it at all!

    FFS.

    This half-ass kind of illogical shit deserves to cost people their jobs. Starting with the Minister of Mismanagement, Melanie Joly.

  13. Gord says:

    Your tax dollars at work!

  14. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    This is where I throw in the towel on the rink and quit trying to give this Minister the benefit of the doubt.

    She won’t be shuffled out either…

  15. Steve T says:

    As has been mentioned by others in the news, the colossal price of this one “bread and circuses” ice rink could have been used to build a dozen or more community rinks across the country.

  16. rob says:

    Sure hope some of the “dishonerable members” fall and get concussions …. Wait they have apparently already …….

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