CANADA
The Globe and Mail
LAURA KANE
VANCOUVER — The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017
John Furlong received a standing ovation at a University of British Columbia fundraiser Tuesday while protesters gathered outside to draw attention to what they called the “silencing” of First Nations people who have accused him of abuse.
The keynote speech by the former Vancouver Olympics CEO at the student athletics event has been a source of controversy after the university cancelled it in December before president Santa Ono apologized and invited Furlong back.
After Furlong took the stage in Vancouver’s convention centre to thunderous applause from donors and young athletes, a video was played of triumphant moments from the 2010 Olympics set to rousing music. He said he was “very, very moved.”
“I’ve had a few challenges come my way in the past few years that I’d rather not have had to face, but I’ve had to,” he said. “I’ve also discovered that life doesn’t treat everybody fairly. Fair just doesn’t enter into it. But feeling sorry for yourself isn’t worth the time of day and it’s not becoming.”
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