Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak is as firm and decisive as ever about casinos. He still wants citizens to have referenda on whether to have them. Where he stands on the question, we do not know. Timmy also says he wants gambling to be turned over to the private sector while government collects the taxes and does the regulating. If you get the impression that he wants the tax money, you might mark him on the pro side of casinos.
But there is no forgiving his ignorance. Tiny Tim is asking for referenda that are inappropriate in a democracy. What he is doing is implying that the people who want to have a casino are doing something wrong. Why do you need a referendum to enable something that is legal and regulated? Have we reached the point when we have to have a referendum every time someone wants to open a bar?
We are a society that believes in the rights of the individual. We show this everyday in our acceptance of gay rights and same-sex marriage. Gays are a very small segment of our society and yet we are broadminded and accepting of their choices. That is not as common around the world and there are still a few in our society who oppose our allowing people those rights.
And what people cannot argue against with logic, they will sometimes argue against with falsehoods and half truths. After listening to and reading the claims and counter-claims of those fighting the supposed casino monster, one gets the impression that nobody knows what they are talking about. Gambling can be fun. It is just another form of entertainment. There is an adrenalin rush to winning. From your first bingo game in a church basement to the share the wealth ticket you bought to help a worthy cause, there are people who like to gamble.
And yes, there are some gambling addicts. If our alcohol and drug addicts were as well looked after as the relatively few gambling addicts in this province, we would have a very healthy society.
But let us have the gambling without the hypocrisy. If we must have the hypocrisy in our politics, do not wrap it in phony paternalism. Good government respects the citizens. Referenda are an ideal solution to matters that impact us all. It is how we choose our governments and decide on how we will vote and address our constitution.
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Copyright 2013 © Peter Lowry
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