At least there's one politician who still has some ethics

By Michael Smyth, The ProvinceJanuary 31, 2010

With the Olympics just 12 days away -- and over $3 million worth of taxpayer-financed tickets up for grabs for well-connected fat cats and freeloaders -- the five-ring freebiefest is about to kick into high gear. But not every politician in British Columbia is hopping aboard the Olympic gravy train. Meet Sharon Gaetz, the rookie mayor of Chilliwack, who had the moral courage to say no to free Olympic tickets, meals and hotel accommodation for herself and her husband. The first batch of Olympic goodies arrived in her email basket a few weeks ago from the B.C. Lottery Corporation. "As the official lottery and gaming provider to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, BCLC is proud to invite Ms. Sharon Gaetz (and your guest) to share the 2010 Winter Games spirit," it read. The email included an ID number and password for the mayor to type in at a special B.C. Lotteries website. "Your Vancouver 2010 Olympic ticket package will be sent to you approximately four weeks before the start of the 2010 Winter Games," the email said. Free hotel accommodation could be arranged with the simple click of a mouse, too!

Gaetz, elected Chilliwack mayor just over a year ago, felt a pang of conscience as she read the proposition. "I think it would be immoral for me to accept a gift like that," said Gaetz, who happens to be an ordained minister. "But I also know the law -- and I believe it would be illegal, too." That law happens to be the B.C. Community Charter, which says it is illegal for municipal politicians to accept gifts, unless they are "incidental to the protocol or social obligation that normally accompany the responsibilities of office." That would be something like a rubber-chicken lunch at a Rotary meeting. "I didn't see how this had anything to do with my responsibilities as mayor," Gaetz said. "It was more like, 'Hey, come have fun with us!'"

B.C. Lotteries said they sent out Olympic offers to municipal politicians in 20 B.C. communities that have casinos or other gaming facilities. (Chilliwack has a bingo hall with slot machines, but has been mentioned as a possible site for a casino, which would require city-council approval.) B.C. Lotteries refused to say how many politicians accepted the packages, which include tickets to hockey, figure skating, speed skating and the opening and closing ceremonies.

Gaetz's Olympic ticket adventure didn't end there. She received another free-ticket offer on Friday, this time from the B.C. Transmission Corporation, an offshoot of B.C. Hydro. "I hope you and a guest will join the B.C. Transmission Corporation as our guest for men's hockey in the BCTC Box," said the invite from Janet Woodruff, president of the Crown corporation. "This game promises to be 'electric.' We will also be serving medal-worthy cuisine and beverages." "I have declined all of these invitations," the mayor said. "I'm sure these corporations mean well. I don't think they realize that what they're proposing is illegal." So the mayor and her husband will miss out on their Olympic freebies. But her principles remain intact. Unfortunately, there's no gold medal for that.