Politicians love to bet on sports — but why?
CBC
The Vancouver Canucks are leading their series against the Edmonton Oilers, after another high-scoring game on Sunday night. And as they look for another win on Tuesday, politicians are also looking for a little bit of success.
The mayors of Edmonton and Vancouver have agreed to fly the rival team's flag at city hall should their home team fail to win the series, and the losing mayor must wear the winning team's jersey.
They've also agreed to donate money to a "worthy cause" in each other's cities.
The friendly bet is part of a tradition among politicians, who get the opportunity to have some fun and show the public their lighter side.
"Some things that were taken off the plate were body paint and tattoos, and I think that was actually incredibly wise because I don't think anyone wants to see either one of us rocking a bare chest," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said during an interview with CBC News.
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"I think people see enough of us," Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said with a little smile.
Meanwhile, the premiers of both provinces have agreed that the loser has to deliver a statement in their provincial legislature, written by the winner, while wearing the winning team's jersey.
In 2010 and 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barrack Obama bet a case of beer on the Canada-U.S. Olympic hockey games. A social media post Harper shared about the wager in 2014 became one of the most popular tweets of the year from a global leader.
Tom Vernon, a strategic communications consultant, said politicians who enter into these bets are looking for a little goodwill in their communities and some good press.
For example, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been under fire recently for introducing a bill that would allow the province to take over emergency management in a municipality or region — without the consent of local leaders.
In B.C., Premier David Eby has faced criticism for changes to drug decriminalization, a pilot project that started more than a year ago and has prompted heated debate.
"But here we are speaking about this nice bet with the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks," said Vernon, who is also a die-hard Oilers fan.
It also makes politicians seem a little more personable, Vernon suggested.
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