Mel Lastman and His Loose Lips have Company

Mel Lastman and his loose lips have companyRoyson James
STAR COLUMNIST

The Cities

BREAD NOT CIRCUSES,the coalition of poverty groups and social activists that staged a vigorous opposition to Toronto's bid for the 1996 Olympics, has taken the credit for that bid's failure.

But to this day, Paul Henderson, head of the 1996 bid effort, blames the politicians - especially the ones at city hall - for scuttling Toronto's chances.

While the private-sector bidders lobbied members of the International Olympic Committee, city council dilly-dallied, treated the bid like a political football and so made a mess of the approvals that Henderson et al left for the final vote wondering about the enemies within.

The 2008 bid has been different. City hall support has been strong and consistent and delivered on time. Apart from Councillor Michael Walker, councillors of all political stripes have lined up behind the bid.

Still, politicians and their flapping gums seem to be the bid's weakest link - and that was even before Mayor Mel Lastman's scurrilous slur on Africans.

Already, the contingent travelling to Moscow for the announcement of the IOC decision July 13 is approaching 200 - bolstered by an increasing number of politicians, including Prime Minister Jean ChrŽtien, Premier Mike Harris and Lastman.

When politicians smell success they want to be right there taking credit for the anticipated victory. This heightened optimism comes even though Beijing is the favourite to take home the 2008 Games.

Slight though Toronto's chance may be, the politicians want to be there just in case there's praise to be thrown around.

This is an enormous challenge for bid officials. The last thing they want is for a politician to go off talking or lobbying an IOC delegate. They might say the wrong thing, breach protocol and make a mess of things. And the sheer number of politicians to be catered to, massaged, managed, briefed and controlled for a week in Moscow is a massive undertaking.

A week ago, this might've seemed like much ado about nothing. But the Lastman gaffe revealed clearly that politicians are walking grenades, pin pulled out, just waiting to explode and wreck Toronto 2008's best-laid plans.

And if you think Lastman is the only one prone to diarrhea of the mouth, consider that the very day the Lastman bombshell dropped, federal Sports Minister Denis Coderre gave an interview to The Toronto Sun that showed how self-exalted our elected leaders have become and, therefore, how much of a hindrance they can be in circumstances that require international diplomacy.

According to Coderre, he returned from a lobbying effort in South Africa convinced that African delegates would put Toronto over the top at the July 13 vote.

Before he went to South Africa, some African delegates were negative toward Toronto. But Coderre said he personally changed their minds and they would likely now vote for Toronto.

What nonsense. And even if it were true, why would he reveal this?

Even as Coderre's words were being read, and before the Lastman news went worldwide, Toronto bid officials were saying they'll likely score three, maybe four, of 15 African votes.

The reason? The Chinese and the French have a long history in Africa. In fact, on the way to a safari in Kenya, the guides escorting Lastman and wife Marilyn pointed out a road under construction, being built by the Chinese.

Now, in the aftermath of the Lastman blunder, even the three votes may be in jeopardy.

Councillor Michael Walker was quick to attack Lastman, labelling him ``insensitive.'' This was the same Walker who criticized the bidders for offering aid to athletes ``in deepest, darkest Africa.''

What's with these guys? Walking disasters every one.

Royson James' column usually appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.