Sure, it's nice to know Canada won more Winter gold medals than any other country.
But, at the end of the day, being the one who goes down the hill the fastest means that you are excellent at going down a hill fast, which doesn't accomplish much. I'd prefer our country excel in medical or scientific research, or in helping countries struck by disaster.
Let's face it: Olympic athletes choose to pursue an activity that is expensive, and that, for many sports, results in little or no income. They should assume the consequences (financial or otherwise) of their choice. And if they can't practise the luge because they can't afford child care - well, many working families are struggling to afford child care.
I'd feel better if the Own The Podium money had gone to help all those families. If it means we're not the fastest at going down hills, in the grander scheme of things, it's not that consequential.