R o
y C u l l e n
Letter to Minister of Industry, John Manley
Etobicoke North - January
20, 2000
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The Honourable John Manley, P.C., M.P. Minister of Industry 235 Queen Street 11th Floor East Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5 Dear Minister, I am writing to you about your recent announcement regarding federal financial assistance to NHL teams in Canada. No doubt in recent days you have received many other letters on the same topic! I know that you have spent several months considering and brokering a careful package of assistance that, in your opinion, addressed the concerns of the various stakeholders involved. Nonetheless Minister, I write today to urge you to please consider withdrawing the package. Clearly, Canadians have no appetite for assistance to the NHL. In Etobicoke North I have been inundated with calls from constituents expressing their dismay over this decision. I am concerned that offering assistance to the NHL sends the wrong signal to Canadians. Our government has always prioritized initiatives that benefit all Canadians. Assistance to NHL teams has the appearance of benefiting mainly team owners and players. The problems the NHL have are largely of their own making. Without reining in the salaries of hockey players, these teams will continue to face financial problems. Like many other Canadians, I am a hockey fan who wants to see our game continue to flourish. I am not convinced that assistance to the NHL is the only way to accomplish this. Perhaps an all-Canadian league will develop in the years to come? Minister, I appreciate the hard work you have put in on this file. I again, however, urge you to reconsider our government's offer. Sincerely, 
Roy Cullen, M.P. Etobicoke North |