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It’s not just the pro-Olympic jingoism from Calgary 2026 that’s troublesome; it’s the fact that even their central talking points are questionable at best. They boast of “$4.4 billion into the local economy, creating jobs, prosperity, and growth.” That number is (presumed) total Olympic-related spending and much of it is fleeting. Much of it won’t be spent directly in Calgary at all.

Furthermore, as University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe found in his own review of economic impact claims, “to claim that GDP and employment will increase (…) is to go far beyond what the evidence suggests.” Calgary 2026 is not interested in any such nuance, however.

The bid corporation’s numbers also highlight the mysterious $200-million insurance policy that the city hopes to purchase for $20 million. What you won’t find is any of the doubt that’s been raised about whether that’s even possible or Calgary 2026’s own suggestion last week that Plan B might just be to trim another $200 million from the budget.

So if you’re wondering whether we’ve previously been including money that didn’t need to be spent in the first place, you’re probably not alone. As far as bid boosters are concerned, though, the old deal was great, the new deal is great, and any future revisions will be great, too.

Calgarians, though, should be worried and unhappy about the abdication of the responsibility to ensure a balanced and thorough presentation of the facts well in advance of voting day. There’s at least still an opportunity for the worried and unhappy to render a verdict on all of this.

“Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge” airs weekdays 12:30-3:30pm on 770 CHQRrob.breakenridge@corusent.com Twitter: @RobBreakenridge