Written by By Dirk Meissner (CP) – Sep 14, 2009
VICTORIA, B.C. — The northern B.C. high school teacher who put together an elite wrestling program that produced international champions, including one who won gold for Canada at the Beijing Olympics, says he feels compelled to speak out against the province’s decision to cut grants to sports groups.
Joe Sullivan said Monday the $4,000-to-$5,000 grant he received annually from the government’s gaming revenues was just enough to ensure his program would survive for another year.
“I can’t over-emphasize how much those grants meant to me,” said Sullivan, who ran the wrestling program in Hazelton area, located about 800 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.
“Every year when I would apply for those (grants) you would sort of say a little thank you prayer because you know that this is what is going to make the difference that will put us over the top – and it did,” he said.
Carol Hyuhn won gold at Beijing and the Hazelton Secondary team produced nine other international medal winners and numerous provincial champions.
But B.C. sports and environmental groups are the latest organizations to feel the pain of provincial government budget cuts as the Liberal government struggles with an economic recession and a record budget deficit of $2.8 billion.
Housing Minister Rich Coleman said many sports and environmental groups awaiting government grants from gaming revenues will not get some or any of the money they are expecting.
Sports groups representing 800 youth organizations will receive $19 million in grants this year from the province’s gaming revenues, say officials in Coleman’s office.
Last year, 1,079 sports organizations received $29 million in gaming money from the province.
Coleman was blunt when it came to the cuts that about 50 environmental groups must soon live with. Their grants are being cut by more than $1 million, and groups without three-year signed grant agreements won’t get a penny from the province this year, he said.
“Those that have a three-year commitment or a bingo affiliation will get paid grants this year,” said Coleman. “The rest of them will get nothing.”
Environmental groups are slated to receive letters from the government this week advising them of their budget cuts.
The Opposition New Democrats have been taking aim at the Liberals for the cuts to school, arts, cultural and now sports and environmental groups, saying the government has millions of dollars to promote the 2010 Olympics, but little or nothing for grassroots sports or school groups.
The government has been blasted for cutting budgets for everything from community football programs to parent advisory council playground programs.
“I’m asking (the government) to explain how slashing grants to parents groups in British Columbia fulfills this government’s promise to protect education?” said NDP deputy education critic Diane Thorne.
Sullivan said he coached wrestlers in the Hazelton area from 1990 to 2000. He is no longer teaching.
He said the government grants were small, but they were a valuable part of the program. The wrestlers earned most of the money themselves chopping and selling firewood and doing other community fundraising.
The wrestlers would raise between $15,000 to $18,000 annually to fund their training and trips to tournaments, Sullivan said.
“We did an awful lot of work in the summer fundraising with our firewood projects,” he said.
The fundraising projects provided the largest block of money for the wrestlers, but the team all knew they were receiving an extra boost from government gaming money, Sullivan said.
He said money for athletics is always well spent, especially in rural areas.
“I believe the fastest runner in Canada is probably chasing cows around southern Saskatchewan somewhere and all he needs is a program and a coach to point him in the right direction.”
