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Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern day Olympic Games, once said: “A country can truly call itself sporting when the majority of its people feel a personal need for sport.”

Is Canada a sporting nation? It’s a fair question to ask ever since Calgarians voted against a plan for the city to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The lingering effects of a depressed oil market in Alberta, combined with Olympic cynicism and three levels of government taking too long to reach a funding agreement likely contributed to the resounding vote against the bid.

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As an Olympian and someone deeply involved in the advancement of sport in Canada, the vote against the bid was difficult for me to reconcile. So if we are not a sporting nation by de Coubertin’s definition, should Canada host a Games in the future?

I would argue yes, but many Canadians would argue against me. And those who say we should never host another Olympics like to bring up something from a long time ago — the 1976 Montréal Olympics.