Vancouver View -- Canada Boosts Budgets; Paralympic Pageant Producer Picked

(ATR) The federal budget includes funding for security and tourism...Patrick Roberge to design Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies

The Canadian budget includes $65 million to improve border crossings. (CBSA)Canada will spend more on aviation security, border crossing improvements and tourism marketing as the 2010 Games approach.

The Jan. 27 federal budget included $230 million for aviation security, including the Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority and a new passenger assessment system. Another $65 million will modernize and expand four border crossings, including the Pacific Highway truck and bus port between Blaine, Wash., and Surrey. The Canadian Tourism Commission gets $32.5 million to help market Canada as a destination before and during the Games.

The overall 2010 Games’ security budget was not disclosed.

“When we talk about Olympic funding, generally there has been a shroud of secrecy,” said federal NDP Olympics critic Peter Julian. “The federal budget didn’t deal with that issue.”

The budget forecasts a $69 billion deficit over five years because of, in part, $18 billion of tax cuts and $9.8 billion in infrastructure spending. The minority Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper faces a no-confidencePatrick Roberge Productions, which produced the Mascot launch ceremony, has been named producer of the Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies. (Getty Images)vote on Thursday and could be replaced by an opposition coalition led by the Liberals.

Roberge to Run Paralympic Ceremony

The producer of the VANOC mascot unveiling in 2007 was named Jan. 27 as producer of the 2010 Winter Paralympics' opening and closing ceremonies.

Patrick Roberge will develop the $3.9 million program to open and close the 2010 Vancouver Games for athletes with a disability.

"We get to create something on the world stage that represents Vancouver," Roberge said.

The Games open at B.C. Place Stadium on March 12, 2010, but close outdoors in Whistler nine days later.

"That's going to be the last event the 2010 Games will produce," he said. "That will truly be the closing ceremonies for all the efforts that all British Columbians will have done for 2010."

Paralympics tickets go on sale May 6.

With reporting from

Bob Mackin in Vancouver.

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