The federal minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada will be one of approximately 120 guests in attendance. Taylor Swift this weekend, at taxpayers’ expense.
Harjit Sajjan, who will attend the concert with his daughter on Saturday, has been invited as a guest of PavCo.
PavCo, a provincial Crown corporation, owns and operates BC Place. Swift will perform to three sold-out crowds Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“Minister Sajjan was invited to attend the Eras tour organized by PavCo & BC Place. Only after receiving permission from the Ethics Commissioner did Minister Sajjan agree,” press secretary Joanna Kanga said in a statement.
“The Minister is aware of Taylor Swift’s charitable work with food banks and that it is equally important for him to give back to his community. He chose to show his support by donating $1,500 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. “
PavCo estimates it can accommodate approximately 40 guests per event in its BC Place suite. He will not provide the names of unelected officials invited to attend the show, but will require any guests to make a donation to a local food bank.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim was invited to attend one of the concerts as a guest of PavCo, but declined the invitation.
“Mayor Sim is absolutely thrilled that Vancouver will be the final stop on Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour,” read a statement from the mayor’s office.
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“Although he was offered tickets in his capacity as Mayor of Vancouver, he refused and personally purchased tickets for himself, his family and friends. This is an opportunity to join Vancouverites and visitors from around the world to celebrate this unforgettable event right here in our city.
New provincial Tourism Minister Spencer Chandra-Herbert will also not attend the concert, nor will British Columbia Premier David Eby.
In an interview with Global BC, Chandra-Herbert said BC Place has proven itself to be a world-class venue capable of hosting the world’s biggest musical acts. He added that tickets provided by PavCo should be used exclusively for the sake of the province’s growth or to support charities.
“PavCo will make its own decision,” Chandra-Herbert said.
“But my message to them would be that if the tickets are used, they should be someone who will generate good growth for our province, which is a key partner in terms of community benefits. »
PavCo is committed to community benefits and more than 100 tickets and four suites were donated through BC Place’s community benefits program. According to PavCo, more than $1 million was raised across the province through ticket donations.
For example, the highest price for a suite sold at auction is $320,000 at the VGH/UBC Hospital Foundation Gala. Last weekend, the BC Children’s Hospital Crystal Ball and the Victoria Hospital Foundation raised $260,000 to purchase 14 seats in a suite for one of the shows.
These tickets reportedly cost between $18,000 and $23,000 each on average, while tickets are available on resale sites starting at around $5,000 for seats with a limited view of the stage.
Carson Binda of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says politicians should not accept Taylor Swift tickets and that all PavCo tickets should instead be donated to charity.
“If PavCo wants to distribute these to VIPs and stakeholders, we need an explanation of how we get value for money,” Binda said.
“It is outrageous that tickets that could be used to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, which could be used to fund the stadium’s operating expenses, are instead being distributed to politicians and political allies. This shouldn’t happen.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.