It is always interesting to see these instant surveys that tell us that something the province is doing is not approved by a large number of voters. To-day’s instant results are about casinos. We are told that some high percentage of voters do not want a casino in their backyard. And so what? What would life be like in Ontario if everyone wanted to go to a casino every chance they could get?
It would be chaos. The economy could not afford all of us going to casinos. We would have to convert every church hall into a bingo parlour. There would be slot machines replacing the baptismal font. The manse would be hosting poker games.
Obviously nobody would want to go that far. We can strike a bargain on the issue. Let’s agree to keep the gamblers out of the churches and the churches out of the casinos. They are not incompatible systems. And the losers need some place to pray after they donate their money to the casino.
To even suggest that everyone would like to have casinos in their city is foolish. Some like casinos and some do not. Some like strawberry ice cream and some like chocolate. That is what makes humans interesting.
There are even some people who should never go to a casino. It is up to them to make that decision. It is the same as people who should never drink alcohol. They are often the one who will politely turn down the offer of a cocktail.
Gambling is a form of entertainment. It has been with us since pre-history. It has been obvious for some time that with the Americans tightening border crossings that the tourism-based casino strategy was in trouble. It was hardly long before the Ontario Government and Ontario Lottery and Gaming remembered that Toronto is Ontario’s number one tourist destination.
And it is quite likely that Woodbine Racetrack can clear some slots area for casino tables in short order. And there is lots of space there, on the track property, for a real casino to be built in the next few years. A place to stand, a place to grow, Ontari-ari-ari-oh!
-30-
Copyright 2012 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]