VANOC begins processing ticket orders for 2010 today. (Getty Images)Vancouver Tickets Being Processed
The wait will soon be over for Canadians hoping to attend the 2010 Olympics.
Starting Dec. 1, VANOC will begin charging credit cards for ticket orders received during the initial phase of ticketing.
A lottery will be conducted for the opening and closing ceremonies, figure skating, speed skating and men's ice hockey because the supply of tickets does not meet demand.
A spokesman for VANOC said that if the Visa cards are declined they will not necessarily be able to follow up with customers due to the volume of orders being processed.
"We're doing thousands of transactions," Caley Denton, VANOC's vice president of ticketing and consumer marketing, stated. "We'll do the best we can, but people need to be prepared that if we have to move on, we have to move on."
Ticket purchasers will be notified of which tickets they will receive by Dec. 10.
Reports frompartner ticket agent JetSet sports indicate that U.S. ticket requests for many events also exceeds availability.
Those who participated in the initial phase of ticketing will also have the opportunity to buy any remaining tickets on a first-come, first-served basis from Dec. 12 to 22. Any remaining tickets will be available to the general public in mid-2009. Paralympic tickets will go on sale on May 6.
During the first ticket window, Canadians submitted ticket requests totaling $345 million. By comparison, Salt Lake City sold $75 million worth of tickets during their initial phase.
If spectators are unable to secure Olympic tickets, they can still see Olympic-caliber athletes at many of the Vancouver venues during 2009. Tickets for these events range from free to $40. More information about 2009 events can be found at www.vancouver2010.com.
Canada's Government in Flux?
Canadian Prime Minister and hockey fan Stephen Harper may have to buy his own tickets to the 2010 Winter Olympics because Canada may have a new government on Dec. 8, one day before the last VANOC board meeting of 2008.
The minority Conservative government could face a non-confidence vote in the House of Commons because of a plan to end subsidies to political parties.
Finance minister Jim Flaherty's quarterly economic update on Nov. 27 included a cutback to the federal $1.95 Prime Minister Stephen Harper could face a non-confidence vote next week. (Getty Images)per vote subsidy to parties that receive 2 percent or more of the national vote.
In the Oct. 14 federal election, the Conservatives won 143 of 308 seats in the House of Commons. The Liberals (77 seats), Bloc Quebecois (49) and New Democrats (37) are considering a coalition to oust Harper.
Liberal Opposition leader Stephane Dion could become the next prime minister. The Bloc Quebecois, which promotes separation of Quebec, would not be involved in such a coalition but would support it. Harper called it an attempt to "overturn the results of the last election."
"They want to install a prime minister, Prime Minister Dio, who was rejected by voters just six weeks ago," Harper said.
Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, who is touring Eastern Europe, may return home to resolve the potential constitutional crisis. She would have the option of approving the coalition or forcing a new election.
With reporting from
Bob Mackinand
Trista McGlamery.
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