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Victoria mayor reneges on snow-shovelling bet

Last Updated: Thursday, October 22, 2009 | 8:42 AM PT

CBC News

Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco (left) won't get his driveway shovelled by Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin. (CBC/City of Victoria)

It turns out Victoria's mayor isn't going to shovel the driveway of Regina's mayor, after all.

Victoria's Dean Fortin made a deal with Regina's Pat Fiacco, earlier this year — if people in Regina donated more food to the food bank last weekend than did people in Victoria, he would come out to Saskatchewan and shovel Fiacco's driveway.

If Regina lost the bet, Fiacco would go to Victoria and mow Fortin's lawn.

The results were confirmed on Monday — Regina won the bet handily, with people donating 177 tonnes of food to the food bank. Victoria raised 103 tonnes.

Now, Victoria's mayor has reneged on the bet.

According to Victoria media reports, Fortin balked at the high price of the flight, as well as the carbon emissions from the plane.

Instead of shovelling Fiacco's driveway, Fortin sent a pair of red Olympic mittens.

He also said he will spend the same time he would have spent shovelling, helping organize food donations at Victoria's Mustard Seed food bank.

Even if Fortin had decided to come, the timing would have been a problem. There is currently no snow on the ground.

Regina is in the middle of a municipal election campaign, with voters going to the polls on Oct. 28.

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