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GOLDSTEIN: Canadians want bread not FIFA circuses

Amid a record food bank use, government subsidies of an event where the cost of a ticket is hundreds to thousands of dollars is an example of governments confusing what is "nice to have" for the few with the "need to have" for the many.

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If there was ever a case of the emperor having no clothes, it comes in the orgiastic celebration of the FIFA Men’s World Cup by the political, business and sporting elites in Canada promoting it, versus the views or ordinary citizens paying for it.

While Canada’s first ever World Cup point on Friday by tying Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 in Toronto was no doubt thrilling to soccer fans, far more Canadians question whether the $82-million cost to taxpayers for staging that one game was worth it.

GOLDSTEIN: Canadians want bread not FIFA circuses Back to video

Ditto the total $1.07 billion estimated public cost, according to the parliamentary budget officer, of staging 13 games in Canada – seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto during the World Cup tournament from June 11 to July 19 – with the feds spending $473 million and the Ontario, B.C., Vancouver and Toronto governments $593 million.

None of this is surprising at a time when Canadians consistently report that the cost of living is their number one concern.

Amid a record use of food banks, government subsidies of an event where the cost of a single ticket is hundreds to thousands of dollars is a classic example of governments confusing what is “nice to have” for the few with the “need to have” for the many.

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