The Quebec government is getting bombarded with criticism for its decision to spend up to $7 million dollars to bring the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec City to play two pre-season games next year.
During a time when spending is tight for everyone, many are accusing the province of being out of touch.
“It was a little bit mind-blowing,” said Marie-Pier Gravel, assistant director of La Bouchée Généreuse food bank in Quebec City.
At La Bouchée Généreuse, it’s a constant struggle to keep up with demand, so when they heard Quebec was going to give up to $7 million to the Kings, they were pretty upset.
“The population really needs help right now, and the food bank doesn’t have enough food to feed everyone,” Gravel told Global News.
On Tuesday, finance minister Eric Girard announced the Kings would be coming to Quebec City’s Videotron Centre for two pre-season games next fall.
The games themselves have not raised eyebrows, but the government’s pledge to subsidize the event using between five and seven million dollars in taxpayer money is drawing anger.
Quebec’s network of food banks had requested $18 million from the government, but say they only got $10 million in the recent economic update.
“They weren’t able to give enough money to the food banks, but they can give money to a company,” she said.
“For me, it’s more important to feed the population.”
A week ago, the province’s finance minister said Quebec was in for tough economic times in the months ahead
“We’re at the centre of the difficulties,” Eric Girard said as he presented an update on Quebec’s economy.
Now the CAQ government is offering millions to an American sports team worth $1.7 billion.
“It makes no sense,” said Canadian Taxpayers Federation Quebec vice-president Nicolas Gagnon. “We have inflation that is still very much present. We have the interest hike that’s pushing people out of their homes right now. The current context is really putting this situation under a bad light.”
Public sector workers in the midst of negotiating for higher salaries are also feeling insulted.
“It’s a real slap in the face,” said CSN First vice-president François Enault. “That government is very disconnected from real people in Quebec right now.”
All Quebec’s opposition parties are having a rare moment of unity as they denounce the move.
“People are living through tough times, and this government just seems to be reckless in the way it spend public funds,” said Liberal MNA Greg Kelley.
At a press conference, the Kings explained they can’t play at home during early October 2024 because their arena will be under renovations.
Political scientist Daniel Béland thinks the move is designed to slow declining support for the CAQ in the Quebec City area.
“We area talking about them subsidizing an American hockey team from Los Angeles. It’s just a one off. So is it really a good investment in terms of the use of public funds? I don’t think so,” said the director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada.
Quebec says the games will stimulate the local economy and bring smiles to a city that still wishes its Nordiques would return. Right now, however, the backlash is far louder than any cheers.