Protocol Manual Timely Reminder of Need to Smile

Kevin D. Bent President and Publisher Wayne Moriarty Editor-in-chief Ros Guggi Deputy Editor Fabian Dawson Deputy Editor FOUNDED IN 1898 | MEMBER OF THE B.C. PRESS COUNCIL EDITORIAL Paul Chapman Senior News Editor A18 | THEPROVINCE.COM The Province is published by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Canwest Publishing Inc. | 200 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3N3 | Newsroom: 604-605-2063 • Editorial fax: 604-605-2099 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2010 IN OUR OPINION KRIEGER’S VIEW Let’s all take pride in Bilodeau’s gold medal he ignominy is over. Thank you, Alexandre Bilodeau. Bilodeau won the gold medal in men’s moguls Mon- IN QUOTES Tday, marking the first time a Canadian athlete has cap- tured the top Olympic prize on home soil — or, in this case, home snow mixed with straw and prayer. And, what a glo- rious moment it was. Until Bilodeau’s transcendent race, “The legacy I can only one host country in the history of the summer and see is the death of winter Olympic games had failed to win a gold medal. That country would be Canada. And we did it twice. the protest at the We certainly came close to gold in Montreal during the hands of a bunch summer games of 1976. In particular, everyone remembers of clowns.” — Letter Greg Joy’s stunning assault on the high jump, ultimately writer Dean Pillings says the ending with a silver medal. For many Canadians, that silver felt like gold, as Joy did manage to defeat his American rival, actions of window smash- the loathsome Dwight Stones. ing cowards will destroy any In fact, in ’76, we won five silver medals, along with six legitimate protest message. bronze medals. In Calgary in 1988, we all recall how close figure skater Brian Orser came to gold, ultimately losing the “battle of the Brians” to gold-medal-winner Brian Boitano of the United States. We had other shots at gold in Calgary, as well. The final tally was two silver and three bronze medals. Undoubtedly, Bilodeau’s win will be the first of many, many Canadian gold medals this Olympics. The mogul skier should take great pride in his accomplishment. We certainly will. What do you think? E-mail a brief comment, including your name and town to: [email protected] Protocol manual timely reminder of need to smile hey say attitude is every- scene on the eve of an interna- Perhaps we are mistaking these thing — and attitude is cer- tional event on home turf and groaners for our many long- Ttainly what the City of Van- Ballet B.C.’s money woes in standing sufferers of SADD, couver got in spades upon release particular. known to annihilate the of its Protocol Manual giving hardiest of West Coasters. In this British Columbians a refresher on But the mighty gold copy is case, a light box and a the “art of nice.” awarded to every champion manual would be in order. Columnists and citizens alike whiner, naysayer and protester Spoiled by one of the most united in collective sneers at the who claims not to own one single naturally stunning cities in the audacity of some brainiac think- pair of happy pants for a sight we world, we know we have the tank telling the arguably nicest Shannon Melnyk will never see again in this life- capacity to “smile ‘gently’ and people in the world how to be OPINION time on home soil. If the Olym- with sincerity” as the Protocol proper hosts. Did the City of pics themselves could protest, Manual instructs. Vancouver lose the plot? sionate grounds. Copies also to their marching placards might The document is probably After the first of the 2010 the thousands among the noto- read: “Why sneer, we’re here, most precisely useful, however, inaugural Olympic cultur- riously polite Canadian crowd, get used to it!” This may be apt for those who were most al events a few weeks back, the who snickered at Mr. Furlong’s advice when we consider our offended by its distribution. But results were in; the honourable guffaws and wouldn’t stop. best-before date has expired in stroll downtown and the interna- judges award the bedraggled and debates over money spent, tional display of goodwill is liable much-maligned manual to a few A silver copy to the grand mas- political manoeuvring, corpo- to turn even the biggest Olympic not-so-usual suspects: ter of both the Opening Ceremo- rate commercialism and incon- frown upside-down. nies and the visiting Alberta Bal- venient traffic gong shows. Olympians have shared the A bronze copy marked “rush” let, Jean Grand Maitre, who after same message regardless of to VANOC’s John Furlong, who introducing the Alberta Culture Is it ironic that the warmest sport or home country: one can’t may possibly have butchered Minister to uproarious applause province in Canada is attempting train enough. And while the Olympics speech protocol with made a political, perhaps fair but to host the Winter Games? Is the world tests our “mettle,” a little his painful first attempt at the very un-Olympic suggestion that world aware we spend all harmless refresher may just help mandatory French. This is a the honourable Lindsay Black- winter bragging to visitors about Vancouver grab gold. man who has given 24/7 to these ett should give Premier Gordon our summers? Is it paradoxical — Shannon Melnyk is a We’ll never see another local Winter games and, at the very least, his Campbell a call — sarcastically we are asked to become shiny Vancouver-based freelance writer Olympics so even critics should pull out plentiful VANOC minions could pointing out the lacklustre gov- happy people in one of the who hasn’t skeletonned since she their happy pants. JOHN MAHONEY — CNS offer some pointers on compas- ernment support of the B.C. arts grimmest months of the year? was a kid..

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