There are questions about the financial stewardship of this charity…
By David Baines, Postmedia News
On the evening of May 22, 2012, a star-studded cast gathered at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver for the grand finale of the 25th anniversary of Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion World Tour.
After a show that included performances by David Foster, Sarah McLachlan, Jann Arden and the Canadian Tenors, Hansen wheeled on stage to deliver the benediction:
“This night would not have been possible without a dream, and of course, the courage to try, and a country that believes in me. Once again, I find that the end is just the beginning and I look forward to the journey we will all take in the next 25 years.”
It was an inspirational speech, from a man who has provided hope and inspiration to a generation of people with spinal cord injuries.
But it was also an expensive message. According to internal documents obtained by the Vancouver Sun, the homecoming event cost $1.95 million to stage, but generated only $274,572 in revenues, for a total loss of $1.67 million.
And that, it turns out, was just the tip of the iceberg.
SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH AND SCIENCE 