In 1981, the City of Calgary, Alberta, was successful in its bid to host the XVth Olympic Winter Games, to be held in February 1988. The Canadian federal government, designating the Games an "event of national significance" allocated direct financial support of up to 200 million dollars towards the operating and capital expenses associated with the games. The Government of Canada Office for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, which had its headquarters in Ottawa and an office in Calgary, was responsible for coordinating the provision of all federal services in support of the Games. Administratively attached to the Department of National Health and Welfare, the Office was directly responsible and accountable to the Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sports.
Federal participation in the Games was designed to fulfill three main goals: to promote federal visibility, ensure that the games were a success that would enhance the country's image abroad, and promote short and long term economic, athletic and cultural benefits for Calgary and Canada. In order to carry out these functions, the Office acted as liaison between federal departments, negotiated agreements with other participating nations, supervised the planning and construction of federal capital projects, coordinated publicity, and ensured that logistical services were in place. The Office also sat on the executive of the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA), the private body organized to win the bid, and the XVth Winter Games Organizing Committee (OCO'88) which replaced it.
Subjects covered by the operational records include: activities relating to the Games' corporate sponsors; the preparation of Cabinet documents on federal participation; intergovernmental relations; other Olympic games, legal agreements and contracts for such things as the facilities, television contracts, games programs and long-term operating costs; economic benefits; the construction and operation of the facilities; and administration of the Olympic Endowment Fund. There is also series of minutes of meetings for both CODA and the OCO'88, as well as other interdepartmental committees such as the Deputy Minister's Committee on Olympic '88. Boxes 124-135 contain miscellaneous correspondence, arranged in alphabetical order by subject.
