Queen's Park's very own Olympian
And childless cat ladies (Andrew's version)
To mark the Olympics closing ceremony tonight, enjoy my Friday chat with a former Team Canada rower who’s now a sitting MPP. And if you like this sort of stuff, don’t forget to subscribe to get it before everyone else:
ABOVE THE FOLD
SUMMER GAMES — Prepping for an election can be a lot like training for the Olympics.
BRIAN SAUNDERSON, PC MPP for Simcoe-Grey and two-time Olympic rower, would know. “It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also extremely intense. Olympics only happen every four years, and so we have, much like in politics, quadrennial planning.”
Like pretty much every other MPP on the unofficial early-election campaign trail, Saunderson says he’s been busy doing constituency work and glad-handing around his riding during this extended summer recess. But I caught him enjoying some downtime at Honey Harbour, where, like the rest of us, he’s tuning into the Paris Olympics and the closing ceremonies on Sunday.
What was it like competing for Canada’s rowing team in Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992? “It is a really fun experience, but you take four years of training and you basically put it on the head of a needle. It’s a very small opportunity, and things have to come together. We were hoping to win the medal, and we ended up coming ninth after a very, very close semifinal [in Seoul]. So it didn’t really go the way we wanted but it was a great experience.”
“And then 1992, it really changed the world of sport in a number of ways. The first being the BEN JOHNSON [doping] affair and the creation of WADA [the World Anti Doping Agency], or at least international testing. And then the coming down of the Berlin Wall. That reunified Germany and, as we now know, East Germans were one of the very large, probably the largest institutional doper. And we actually won more medals. So Canadians, we can be proud of how we changed sport.”
What was the best part? “Walking into the opening ceremonies is incredibly powerful. I mean, rowers are not used to racing in front of thousands or even hundreds of people, mostly. And then you walk into stadiums with tens of thousands of people — it’s quite something. You get to rub shoulders with all these incredible athletes. I remember eating in the athletes’ Village with GREG LOUGANIS — OK, not with him, but we were, you know, sort of at the same table — and he was of course a storied diver. In 1992 they had the U.S. ‘Dream Team’ and we got to walk into the stadium just in front of MICHAEL JORDAN and the rest of the basketball players. That was very cool.”
Can you give us a sense of how today’s athletes are feeling? “Most athletes, we train to try to control the things we can and let go of the things you can’t. So, the buses get delayed; in Paris, they didn’t have air conditioning, and that’s been pretty hard on many athletes and I can certainly see why. You’re dealing with living issues, diet — Korea was a very different diet — and you’re trying to find that equilibrium between enjoying the moment, but also staying focused. Once your competition is over, it’s like a wonderful vacation. But while your competition is on, you’re extremely focused. There’s a lot of pressure. Nobody goes not to do well. Everybody has hope of winning a medal.”
It sounds like there are some parallels to politics. “There definitely are. You have a lot of stresses and you are reliant on support from so many hands that you have to be incredibly grateful when you get there.”
What are your favourite sports to watch now? “Of course rowing, and Canada’s Women’s Eight won the silver. This pool, obviously, has been fantastic. SUMMER McINTOSH has put a Canadian stamp on the Summer Olympics.”
Are you part of any PC caucus sports betting pools? Laughs. “We certainly chat about it. I haven’t gotten involved in any bets. But you know, that’s kind of my pet peeve, when you see that the two major sponsors on CBC are a drug company and a betting company — but that’s a different topic.”
What do you want Canadians to know as they watch the Games at home? “It’s not always about the medals, as the Olympic motto says, winning is not important, it’s about doing your best. I’m paraphrasing, but I think that’s really it — to appreciate the sacrifices and commitment and resiliency of those athletes that are there, regardless of how they do.”
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Fun facts: Saunderson isn’t the only Queen’s Park connection to Olympic sports. PETER FONSECA, former Liberal MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, ran the marathon in the 1996 Games in Atlanta. NDP Leader MARIT STILES was a serious synchronized swimmer back on the East Coast. CFL Hall-of-Famer and Sport Minister NEIL LUMSDEN knows a thing or two about football. And here’s an adorable artist’s depiction of Olympic breakdancing athlete BONNIE CROMBIE.
HAPPENING TODAY
DOUG FORD’S FRIDAY — 1:15 p.m.: The Premier’s presser streak continues, this time in Thunder Bay. Also on hand: Labour Minister DAVID PICCINI.
CLIPPINGS
— GREENBELT ALERT! “RCMP detectives investigating the $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap scandal are interviewing witnesses linked to Premier DOUG FORD’s government.” The Star got the jump.
— MANTHA MESS: “A constituency assistant fired by the Ontario NDP after being sexually harassed by MPP MICHAEL MANTHA was not terminated for just cause, an arbitration decision has found.” The Star has the doozy of a story.
— MAYORS UNITE: “The leaders of Ontario’s largest cities are calling on the provincial government to appoint a cabinet minister to manage a provincewide response to a growing trend of homelessness and a number of encampments they say have reached crisis levels.”
Global News has the story: “Launching a new campaign at Queen’s Park on Thursday, Ontario’s Big City Mayors said local governments were at a breaking point trying to tackle homelessness, opioid addiction and a series of tent encampments that have appeared and stayed in the heart of the province’s towns and cities.
“‘What is happening on our streets across this province is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis,’ MARIANNE MEED WARD, Burlington mayor and chair of Ontario’s Big City Mayors, said.” Solve the Crisis campaign clip:
— DATE NIGHT, ANYONE? “Not only are almost all Ontario 7-Eleven stores going to sell beer wine and coolers starting September 5th, when the Ford government allows convenience stores to start offering alcohol, but most locations will soon allow consumers to drink the booze inside its stores. 7-Eleven has won approval for liquor licences at nearly every one of its locations in the province.” 680 News reports.
— WILMOT WOES: “These Ontario farmers are losing the land they own to industry. But that’s all anyone will tell them.” Via The Narwhal: “In Waterloo, the regional government is threatening to expropriate over 320 hectares of farmland to meet the province’s call for shovel-ready land.”
— WATERFRONT WOES: “The Haudenosaunee Development Institute stated that it believes that the federal government has failed to meet Indigenous engagement obligations for the Ontario Place project on Toronto’s waterfront…If the Government of Canada fails to fulfill its responsibility to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, the multi-billion-dollar Ontario Place development project could face significant delays.” More from Canadian Architect.
— CONSIDER THE LOBSTER: “Canada’s top court has closed the door on JORDAN PETERSON’s legal fight against an order that he enter a remedial coaching program” under the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Details via CP.
— ONE YEAR LATER: Global and The Star look back at the Auditor General’s report heard ‘round the province, re: the Ford government’s now-killed Greenbelt grab.
— BOOK ‘EM: “Ontario’s new funding model for schools eliminates protected funding for libraries and library staff. Data from our Annual Ontario School Survey shows a steady rise in schools with no librarians over the past years.” That’s according to People for Education’s ANNIE KIDDER, who, along with the Ontario Library Association, is sounding the alarm over funding gaps.
— BLAND WORKS: On the third anniversary of his death, here’s “10 reasons it’s worth remembering Premier BILL DAVIS,” from none other than TVO’s Steve Paikin.
— PUN INTENDED: The government is getting clever with its press releases, like this one: “Marketing Initiative Bears Fruit for Ontario’s Tender Fruit Growers” — and this gem: “Ontario Beefing Up Support for Cattle Farmers.” Get it?
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
STAFFING UP — MIK OPOLSKI is back as senior policy adviser to Deputy Premier and Health Minister SYLVIA JONES. Opolski previously did stints at Long-Term Care, Education and PO.
TRANSITION — Trade Minister VIC FEDELI has poached a senior policy adviser from Mental Health Minister MICHAEL TIBOLLO: BROCK TERRY.
POST-SHUFFLE MOVES — As recently-shuffled Cabinet ministers settle into their new files this summer, so goes their staffers. Associate Energy Minister on Intensive Industries SAM OOSTERHOFF has recruited BRITTANY GREENLAND as director of policy and stakeholder relations. Ditto ALI SHAHSAMAND, who’s a senior adviser on tour, communications and stakeholder relations. JOSEPH SCHEIDL is acting operations adviser. Recall: As I mentioned in June, CRYSTAL MASON is taking on the chief-of-staff gig.
Over in Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Minister ROB FLACK’s office, LINDSAY SMITH is now director of policy.
Are you a staffer on the move? Getting a promotion or new title? Part of that Ministerial hiring blitz? Drop me a line and I’ll shout it out: sabrina@qpobserver.ca, or reply to this email.
BEYOND THE BUBBLE — Longtime Liberal operative and former MPP TIM MURPHY has joined construction and infrastructure company Aecon Group as chief strategic affairs officer.
SPOTTED:
Another L-MAC Attack™, this time aimed at Ottawa Mayor MARK SUTCLIFFE for calling on the province (and feds) to pony up their “fair share” for the capital. To which LISA MacLEOD replied: “Has it even been six months since the provincial government signed an almost $500 M historic agreement with the City?”…“Happy International Cat Day from all the Childless Cat Ladies” (JILL ANDREW’s version)…Greens throwing impeccable shade at the PCs:
Expecting the Lobbying Dispatch here? Don’t worry, you’re not missing anything — there were no new, renewed or amended registrations over the past 24 hours.
🍽️ ON THE MENU: Vegetable lasagna with green salad and garlic bread is on tap in the basement cafeteria.
⏳ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 73 days until the House reconvenes…7 days until Ford Fest in Milton…42 days until the Liberal AGM in London.