Penticton $9.7 million provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public; Langley $15 million provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public, project modified to maximize grant; Abbotsford $0.00 provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public.

 In the Friday Abbotsford Times much gnashing of teeth and cries of “we was robbed” by Abbotsford City Hall. Common sense dictates, for those possessing common sense (which evidence suggests is nonexistent at Abbotsford City Hall) that your maximum leverage on a senior level of government for grants is before you fund the project when they (province; federal) can be blamed for the project not proceeding. This was the case in the recent extortion of $2 million each from both the federal and provincial governments for Stanley Park restoration making Vancouver’s contribution $ZERO$.

 When asked during the referendum campaign why they had not and if they should not have gotten grants BEFORE coming to the taxpayers for approval, as any rational, fiscally responsible City (i.e. Langley, Penticton) would do, Abbotsford City Hall blew off those posing the questions as “naysayers” and “negative people”.