Friday, September 29, 2006

Cut the Government's Fat Not Mine

According to the Globe and Mail, the federal Conservative government is thinking about bringing back Participaction, a "fitness awareness" program the Liberals first dreamed up back in 1971.

What "fitness awareness" really means, of course, is the government spends millions of dollars on advertising aimed at getting us fat Canadians into some sort of physical activity.

Here's how Michael Chong, the Minister for Amateur Sport puts it:

"We have a serious, significant, long-term challenge facing the country in rising obesity and lack of physical activity. Our view is that we, as a government, have to tackle this challenge. We're looking at ways to make Canadians aware, through a public-awareness campaign, of the need for greater physical fitness, the need to live active, healthy lifestyles. So one of the ways that we're looking at delivering this message to Canadians is through the revitalization of Participaction.”

Hmm, I thought the Tories were about getting government out of people's lives.

If I want to be a slob, that's my God-given right. It seems to me the government should be more concerned about cutting its fat, not mine.

Besides government PR campaigns designed to change our lifestyles never work.

Anybody remember the One Tonne Challenge?

2 comments:

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

I generally don't like government introducing new programs, however if this would result in more savings in our health care system I would support it. However, I do question how effective it will be.

Anonymous said...

Gerry said:
"Hmm, I thought the Tories were about getting government out of people's lives."

Wakey, wakey! How could anyone with average logic based on common sense believe that euphemism for compromised ideologues, when the Tories installed a Minister for Amateur Sport

C'mon, Gerry .. YOU should recognize the overwhelming P.C. empowerment within the C.P.C. "conservative when convenient" caucus that has jumped provincial sinking ships for "higher ground".