Presidents' Cup: Legault defends $6.5 million PGA subsidy

Quebec Premier François Legault takes part in question period at the National Assembly on Thursday September 26, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissino)

On Thursday, it was François Legault's turn to defend his government's $6.5 million subsidy to the Presidents Cup, the prestigious golf tournament currently taking place in Montreal.

On Wednesday, the opposition parties made a big deal of the matter, pointing to the record $11 billion budget deficit and the crying needs in a number of public sectors and community organisations.

Bombarded by questions, Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx said that the Presidents Cup would attract 45,000 foreign tourists and generate $71 million in revenue for Quebec.

This subsidy to the PGA - which has annual revenues of $1.9 billion - comes just a few days before the subsidised preseason matches of the Los Angeles Kings, which will be held at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City.

The professional hockey team is benefiting from a Quebec government subsidy of up to $7 million.

For the parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, there is no longer any doubt that Quebec is gaining a reputation as an "ATM for professional sports millionaires."

"Can the premier admit that $6.5 million for professional golfers is simply unjustifiable?" Nadeau-Dubois said during the question period on Thursday.

Legault defended himself by referring to budget increases, notably in education. He then spoke of the importance of supporting "certain activities that generate economic returns."

'What Quebec solidaire is doing is saying: "We shouldn't (...) give anything to businesses, we shouldn't help artistic, cultural... or sporting activities, if you prefer, that have economic returns," he replied.

He also drew a link with Formula 1: "Every country fights to have F1 races because it attracts tourists. What's important to calculate is whether there are more economic returns than the cost of the investment," he argued. 

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 26, 2024.