General

Does Ottawa intend to build an arena in Quebec City or not?

Conservative minister says federal government still open to the idea

If you thought Stephen Harper had definitively ruled out funding an NHL arena in Quebec City, you’d be wrong, says the Conservatives’ Quebec lieutenant, Christian Paradis. Paradis, the federal natural resources minister, told reporters on Tuesday that Ottawa’s interest in the project is very much alive, provided the arena serves a public purpose and isn’t solely intended for professional sports. Of course, the arena project has never been sold as being exclusively reserved for the Nordiques—the prospect of Quebec City landing the 2022 Winter Games has always been front and centre—so it’s not obvious what clarification Paradis has in fact brought to the issue.

Winnipeg Free Press

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