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BREAKING: I'm thrilled to join @seanchucalgary and @Joe_Magliocca in calling for #Calgary2026 Bidco to be subject to Freedom of Information legislation. If we proceed with the Olympics, it needs to be on our terms -- and subject to our laws governing transparency. #yyccc pic.twitter.com/cw1P9icnWa — Jeromy Farkas (@JeromyYYC) July 24, 2018

“For too long the Olympics has been a conversation between politicians and special interests, but not ever the everyday people who will be paying for it,” Coun. Jeromy Farkas said in a message to Postmedia.

“This is public money we are taking about. It’s important for Canadian taxpayers to understand the commitments politicians are making on their behalf. These decisions must see the light of day.”

But some of Farkas’ council colleagues are accusing the first-time councillor of political grandstanding with a motion that aims to accomplish something not possible under existing provincial legislation.

City solicitor Glenda Cole told council’s Olympic committee on Tuesday that even if FOIP legislation were to apply to Calgary 2026, exceptions under the act allow for the protection of commercially sensitive information.

“Bidding for the Olympic Games is a competitive process and everything that goes into our bid is commercially sensitive,” Cole said.

As councillors emerged from a luncheon Tuesday with officials from the International Olympic Committee, Farkas issued the motion in a news release that appeared to catch even some signatories of the motion off guard.

Coun. Evan Woolley, who chairs council’s Olympic committee, which also met Tuesday morning, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the motion or his colleague.

“I find it to be both unproductive and, having read through it very briefly, to not make a lot of sense,” Woolley said.