Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and several senior cabinet ministers opposed using federal money to save the Winnipeg Jets from relocation in 1995, newly declassified records show.Blacklock's Reporter says minutes of a confidential May 16, 1995 cabinet meeting obtained through Access To Information show ministers debated whether Ottawa should provide financial assistance as the NHL franchise struggled to remain in Winnipeg.Chrétien “expressed serious concerns about the government being seen to bail out a professional sports team comprised of well-paid athletes,” according to the minutes.“He noted that while the deal was financeable, he was concerned about the broader issue of government priorities and the need to maintain discipline in the handling of funding pressures.”Chrétien also considered using money outside the federal infrastructure program problematic and told ministers he would consider the issue further.The debate occurred as Canadian NHL franchises in smaller markets faced financial pressure. The Québec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995, while the Jets announced they were available for sale that year before relocating to Phoenix in 1996.Human Resources Minister Lloyd Axworthy, a longtime Winnipeg MP, urged cabinet to help keep the Jets in Manitoba.“Mr. Axworthy impressed upon ministers the depth with which the loss of the Jets had been felt in Winnipeg,” the minutes said.Axworthy told cabinet between 15,000 and 20,000 people had been demonstrating in Winnipeg daily and many believed “the system” had failed them.He also warned that meetings with NHL officials suggested owners of other small-market franchises were interested in moving their teams to larger American cities.Several ministers supported efforts to keep the Jets in Winnipeg.Public Works Minister David Dingwall warned the loss of NHL teams in smaller Canadian cities could have national unity implications and described hockey as a national and cultural symbol.Immigration Minister Sergio Marchi called hockey the “heart and soul” of Canadians, while Sen. Joyce Fairbairn, then government leader in the Senate, said the future of the Jets had become a major political issue in Western Canada.Other ministers joined Chrétien in opposing federal assistance..Foreign Affairs Minister André Ouellet expressed surprise that Axworthy had met with team owners and NHL officials before consulting cabinet.Ouellet warned those discussions could leave the public with the impression Ottawa was responsible for saving professional hockey teams.Labour Minister Lucienne Robillard warned the government would have difficulty explaining a bailout while governments were cutting other public services.She said Ottawa faced “a serious communications challenge in convincing Canadians of the need to support a hockey team while at the same time closing hospitals.”International Trade Minister Roy MacLaren opposed the proposal, saying it conflicted with the government's commitment to fiscal restraint.Finance Minister Paul Martin questioned whether saving the Jets should be considered a federal priority while Ottawa was cutting spending elsewhere.Government House Leader Herb Gray sought assurances that assistance would not come at the expense of other federal programs.Indian Affairs Minister Ron Irwin described hockey as “one of the few remaining national symbols” but warned a bailout could establish a precedent for other professional sports franchises seeking taxpayer assistance.Cabinet discussed potential terms for helping the Jets twice, but no bailout was approved.A majority of ministers raised concerns about providing assistance during a period of federal spending cuts and warned that helping one NHL franchise could trigger demands for similar support from other professional sports teams, according to the declassified records.
