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We’re informed every one is a financial no-brainer that will help Calgary attract thousands of well-heeled visitors to our fair city. Heck, why watch a play in New York or London if, instead, you can jet across the stark prairies — waving at Saskatchewan through that tiny oval window at 35,000 feet — to take in the same show at Calgary’s swanky new theatre complex?

And why, after half a century of waiting for a field house, do we need one now? Maybe 50 years ago we had the cash. Now small businesses are going to the wall, we can’t get our oil to market, we owe billions and anyone not sucking on that public service sweet nipple remains unsurely shaking in her or his shoes.

Then there’s this future hockey arena. So where are the Flames in all of this? Are we considering building the darn thing without their involvement? And as for the BMO Centre expansion, is this only leading the pack because other levels of government have already pledged a chunk of dough?

Maybe picking through the leavings of a discarded agenda allows someone to figure all this stuff out, but, honestly, the onus for sifting through these particular civic tea leaves should not be placed upon regular Calgarians.

Yet what do we hear from the person supposed to be our fearless leader, voted into the mayor’s chair to represent the people and not use that office as a stepladder to lecture those not allowed into closed discussions?

“The design of this was not to have a beauty contest between them and to sort of make decisions on which ones to pursue and which ones not to pursue,” said Naheed Nenshi, adding Monday’s meeting was to explore financing and funding options. This meant third-party information would be kept confidential. Then off he trotted behind those well-oiled closed doors.