Michael Ignatieff opts for the op-ed.
The Games taught us that we need to focus on what we do best and then be unsparingly disciplined about continuing to be the best. Investing in our best people is not elitist – it encourages the rest of us to improve what we do. A national sports program has to build participation in every rink and on every ski hill in the country, but it can only succeed if the children in those arenas and on those ski hills dream of being gold medalists one day. In short, the Olympics taught us to invest in excellence and invest for the long term. That way, all of our children will do better.