As if taxpayers picking up the $563 million tab on the renovations to BC Place Stadium wasn’t enough, BC Premier Christy Clark unbelievably announced another $550,000 of taxpayer dough to subsidize the 99th Grey Cup this week.

Look, I’m a BC Lions fan. I’ve loved them since the halcyon days of Roy Dewalt, Swervin’ Mervyn, and the Don. I once wore a feather in my hat like Quick Parker. I was there when Doug Flutie took on Rocket Ismail. I ran on the BC Place field after Lui Passaglia kicked the winning field goal in 1994 to defeat the American Baltimore CFLers. I have a hat signed by Wally Buono and a shoe signed by the late Bobby Ackles. I’ve taught my three kids how to do the Geroy Simon/Superman touchdown pose. This is my team.

But there is no excuse for continuing to pour taxpayer dollars into the Grey Cup. A half-billion dollar stadium upgrade was too much as is, and another half-million bucks is just salt in the taxpayers’ wounds.

As I wrote in the CTF’s BC budget submission, government needs to focus on three questions when it comes to spending our tax dollars:

1.    What is government’s business?
2.    How are we going to do it?
3.    How can we do it better?

Using these simple questions, we can ask ourselves: is the Grey Cup government’s business? No. The next two questions then become irrelevant. Please, politicians, quit spending our tax dollars to subsidize professional sports. It’s corporate welfare in the name of homerism, and we cannot afford it.