TORONTO -- Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending a $7-million

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TORONTO -- Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending a $7-million bonus package for 64 executives organizing the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games, saying it was necessary to avoid losing key personnel ahead of the event. Markieff Morris Jersey . "We may think its out of whack in terms of comparing it with other endeavours," she said Monday. "But the reality is we were competing for multi-sport games with other jurisdictions around the Americas, and thats the structure we put in place in order to be able to compete and draw the Games here. "I think we should be celebrating that. We should be celebrating that we won the Games." Winning the Games comes at a steep cost. The $1.4-billion budget for the Games doesnt include $700 million to build the athletes village or $10 million for the provincial Pan Am secretariat, which oversees TO2015. Ian Troop, CEO of the Pan Am committee, was paid a base salary of $390,000 last year plus an $87,000 bonus. Hes eligible for a $780,000 bonus if the Games come in on budget and on time. Pan Am executives earning between $190,000 and $250,000 will be eligible for bonuses of up to 100 per cent of their annual pay when the Games are over -- half for staying on the job and the other half conditional on performance. The Opposition Conservatives say its ridiculous TO2015 executives are in line for generous bonuses for "sleepwalking" through the job they were hired to do. "When its 200 per cent of your salary when youre making $477,000, thats a problem," said Tory critic Rod Jackson. "Were not getting value for our money." The premier slammed some of those well-paid executives last week for billing taxpayers for "ridiculous" expenses like a 91-cent parking fee and a $1.89 cup of tea. The Liberals have since ordered TO2015 to tighten its expense rules. But theyve defended the bonuses, saying its similar to other multi-sport event organizations like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Michael Chan said the Pan Am Games will be even bigger than the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, with more than 10,000 athletes and officials from 41 nations, who will compete in 51 sports. VANOC budgeted about $30 million for bonuses to all its employees after the Olympics, but ended up cancelling them. The government shouldnt award generous bonuses just because its always been done, said Jackson. "When youre dealing with public money, you need to be responsible for that public money and you cant give away responsibility for that," he said. Its unbelievable that Wynne can act outraged about a 91-cent expense, but not blink an eye at a $780,000 bonus, said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. "Most people in Ontario wont see that kind of money in 10 years of work and the premier tries to say this is about job creation," she said. "No, this is about $780,000 that might have actually provided jobs for 10 people." The Liberals have been dogged for years by spending controversies, including handsomely paid eHealth consultants and former executives at the provinces Ornge air ambulance services being reimbursed for chocolate bars and $14 cashews. The latest setback comes as the Liberals brace for the release of the auditor generals long-awaited report on the true costs of cancelling a gas plant in Oakville in 2010. It was one of two plants in Liberal ridings that were scrapped ahead of the 2011 election, in what the opposition parties have derided as an expensive seat-saver program. The Liberals originally pegged the cost of killing the Oakville plant at $40 million, but the most recent estimate is $310 million. Pulling the plug on the Mississauga plant in the dying days of the 2011 election campaign cost about $275 million -- $85 million more than the government originally claimed, the auditor general concluded last April. Voters in the next election should be asking themselves whether they trust the Liberals with their money, said Jackson. They always pass the buck to agencies like eHealth, saying theyre the ones that screwed up, then promise to tighten the rules, he said. "Weve seen this refrain over and over again and its not good enough," Jackson said. Wes Unseld Jersey . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken. Michael Jordan Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach. http://www.authenticbasketballshopwizards.com/gilbert-arenas-wizards-jersey/ . -- Ben Brust scored 19 points to lead six Wisconsin players in double figures as the No.INDIANAPOLIS -- Big Roy came up with a big answer for his critics and his teammates Wednesday night. He played like an All-Star when the Pacers really needed it. After 48 hours of questions and criticism, Roy Hibbert scored a season-high 28 points, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots and altered a handful of others to help the Pacers get even in the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 86-82 victory over Washington. Hibbert sounded more relieved than redeemed. "David (West) always talks to me about being the person that rescues yourself when youre in the middle of the ocean," Hibbert said after Indiana tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1. "Theres nobody who can throw a lifesaver or a rope out to help you. So I had to do it myself." The next step is proving he can play this way again Friday when Washington hosts Game 3. Hibbert went into Wednesday with a combined total of 37 points and 24 rebounds in Indianas first eight playoff games. Twice in the previous four he failed to score a point or grab a rebound. Beleaguered Pacers fans wanted Hibbert benched. Frustrated teammates talked publicly and privately about needing more from their 7-foot-2 centre. Critics turned Hibbert into the butt of jokes and on the Internet, some even tried to explain Hibberts incredible disappearing act with unseemly speculation. After talking to his old college coach, John Thompson III, and Colts linebacker Robert Mathis, a close friend, Hibbert blocked out the inescapable firestorm, focused on basketball and fueled the decisive 6-0 run late in the fourth quarter. It was enough to put repeated smiles on Hibberts face, even if he considers it only a start. "I just want to string a few games together," he said. "Consistency hasnt been my biggest friend this year. Im going to try to continue to play aggressive and Im going to try to control the things I can control. I cant control play calls, but I can control how hard I play, how fast I run down the court and how well I play defence." George Hill finished with 14 points, Paul George had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Lance Stephenson added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. And for the first time this post-season, the Pacers held an opponent to fewer than nine 3-pointers. Washington finished 5 of 21 from behind the arc, the lowestt percentage (23. Otto Porter Jersey. ) in the playoffs this year. Much of the credit went to Hibbert, who helped open up the offensive lanes for his teammates and protected the rim well enough that Indiana could spread out and defend the perimeter. "Hes got our attention now," Drew Gooden said. "Weve got to be focused on guarding the Roy Hibbert we know." It was a lost opportunity for the Wizards, who had won their first four playoff games on the road -- three at Chicago and Monday night at Indy -- and could have gone home with a commanding 2-0 lead. They had chances. Washington led by as much as six early in the third quarter and rallied in the fourth to take a 77-74 lead with 5:01 to go before Hibbert and George scored six straight to give the Pacers the lead for good. Marcin Gortat finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Bradley Beal had 17 points and Nene added 14. "He came out with a lot of intensity and established position," Beal said. "We didnt play our best game. We didnt shoot the ball and we didnt defend like we know were capable." But Hibbert changed this game almost by himself. He scored the first five points of the game, an indication that things were going to be different, and he came up big late, too. Hibberts nifty stop-and-go layup got the Pacers within 77-76. That basket ignited the decisive 6-0 spurt. Georges steal on the ensuing possession led to a layup from Hill that gave Indiana a 78-77 lead, and Hibberts presence in the middle allowed George to find a lane for a two-handed dunk that made it 80-77. All the Wizards could muster after that was an alley-oop layup from Gortat and a long 3-pointer from Beal that got the Wizards within 84-82 with 11 seconds to play. West made two free throws and Hibbert sealed it by grabbing the last rebound of the game. "He carried us tonight," West said. "I thought he was very relaxed before the game. He was relaxed this morning. He didnt say a whole lot, but as a professional, I think everything just came down on him and he responded the right way." Notes: Hibbert was 10 of 13 from the field and made all eight of his free throw attempts.... Nene went to the locker room in the first quarter after apparently hurting his left leg or ankle but returned early in the second quarter and finished the game. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '