Mike Colle opposes party’s push for a Toronto casino
Published On Fri Jun 1 2012
Ontario government efforts to host a waterfront casino complex in Toronto have prompted Liberal MPP Mike Colle to break ranks. Colle doesn't want a casino in the city.
Liberal MPP Mike Colle does not support his government’s push for Toronto to host a waterfront casino complex, confirming rumoured divisions within Premier Dalton McGuinty’s caucus on the issue.
“I don’t want a big casino in Toronto,” the Eglinton-Lawrence MPP told reporters Thursday after attacking a private member’s bill that would force municipalities to hold a referendum before agreeing to host a casino.
Colle noted the province is battling a $15 billion deficit. Asked if he thinks a casino is not the way to boost revenues, he said: “Right, there’s other ways. But it’s not easy, there’s no other magic bullet here and the minister of finance has reality to face . . . Our caucus is open to examining this whole thing.”
He portrayed the McGuinty government as merely planning to open a new casino in the GTA and asking for municipalities’ input.
However, in April, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan made a hard-sell pitch to the city, saying: “Imagine an anchor that could create a golden mile on Toronto’s waterfront” of high-end restaurants, shops and theatres.
He hopes Ontario will get an additional $1.3 billion in annual profits and as many as 4,000 jobs through new privately run casinos, but has said they will be built only in willing communities.
Last month, Paul Godfrey, chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., said his “personal preference” is for an “iconic” major casino-entertainment complex on Toronto’s waterfront. If Toronto rejects that, OLG could build one on Mississauga’s waterfront, he added.
Colle spoke after downtown Toronto councillors Mike Layton and Adam Vaughan took their anti-casino message to Queen’s Park, speaking to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.
They spoke strongly in favour of Conservative backbencher MPP Monte McNaughton’s referendum-mandating bill, which awaits third and final reading and needs some Liberal support to pass.
Layton noted that Torontonians rejected a casino in a 1997 referendum, and recent polls reflect continued opposition. He accused the provincial government of trying to avoid real public input that could thwart its plans.
When does NO! mean NO! ? Voters said NO!
Citing addiction and other problems associated with gambling, Layton said too much is at stake to simply let casino giants eager to build in Toronto pressure elected officials into making a hasty decision.
“This government seems desperate to collect revenue from any source, including gambling — so desperate that it will turn its back on democracy and place its bets,” Layton said.
Vaughan told the committee the casino companies are eager to build in Toronto because they are struggling financially across the U.S.
“What’s the hurry?” he told reporters later. “What this is really about from the provincial government is not a casino on Toronto’s waterfront; it’s about how they restructure the revenue stream from gambling.”
Colle said Torontonians will suffer the same social ills if a casino is built in a neighbouring GTA community. Referendums shouldn’t be required because citizens will vote no, handcuffing municipal leaders, he said.
Duncan told reporters Thursday that municipalities already have “a range of tools” to gauge support for a casino. He said the government will take the opinions of Layton and Vaughan into account, but also others.
“You know, I received a letter today from the mayors of London and Chatham opposing Mr. McNaughton’s bill; they were not consulted on his bill,” Duncan said. “There is a variety of opinions; we’re going to leave that to local municipalities.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1203673--no-toronto-casino-says-liberal-mpp-mike-colle?bn=1
“I don’t want a big casino in Toronto,” the Eglinton-Lawrence MPP told reporters Thursday after attacking a private member’s bill that would force municipalities to hold a referendum before agreeing to host a casino.
Colle noted the province is battling a $15 billion deficit. Asked if he thinks a casino is not the way to boost revenues, he said: “Right, there’s other ways. But it’s not easy, there’s no other magic bullet here and the minister of finance has reality to face . . . Our caucus is open to examining this whole thing.”
He portrayed the McGuinty government as merely planning to open a new casino in the GTA and asking for municipalities’ input.
However, in April, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan made a hard-sell pitch to the city, saying: “Imagine an anchor that could create a golden mile on Toronto’s waterfront” of high-end restaurants, shops and theatres.
He hopes Ontario will get an additional $1.3 billion in annual profits and as many as 4,000 jobs through new privately run casinos, but has said they will be built only in willing communities.
Last month, Paul Godfrey, chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., said his “personal preference” is for an “iconic” major casino-entertainment complex on Toronto’s waterfront. If Toronto rejects that, OLG could build one on Mississauga’s waterfront, he added.
Colle spoke after downtown Toronto councillors Mike Layton and Adam Vaughan took their anti-casino message to Queen’s Park, speaking to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.
They spoke strongly in favour of Conservative backbencher MPP Monte McNaughton’s referendum-mandating bill, which awaits third and final reading and needs some Liberal support to pass.
Layton noted that Torontonians rejected a casino in a 1997 referendum, and recent polls reflect continued opposition. He accused the provincial government of trying to avoid real public input that could thwart its plans.
When does NO! mean NO! ? Voters said NO!
Citing addiction and other problems associated with gambling, Layton said too much is at stake to simply let casino giants eager to build in Toronto pressure elected officials into making a hasty decision.
“This government seems desperate to collect revenue from any source, including gambling — so desperate that it will turn its back on democracy and place its bets,” Layton said.
Vaughan told the committee the casino companies are eager to build in Toronto because they are struggling financially across the U.S.
“What’s the hurry?” he told reporters later. “What this is really about from the provincial government is not a casino on Toronto’s waterfront; it’s about how they restructure the revenue stream from gambling.”
Colle said Torontonians will suffer the same social ills if a casino is built in a neighbouring GTA community. Referendums shouldn’t be required because citizens will vote no, handcuffing municipal leaders, he said.
Duncan told reporters Thursday that municipalities already have “a range of tools” to gauge support for a casino. He said the government will take the opinions of Layton and Vaughan into account, but also others.
“You know, I received a letter today from the mayors of London and Chatham opposing Mr. McNaughton’s bill; they were not consulted on his bill,” Duncan said. “There is a variety of opinions; we’re going to leave that to local municipalities.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1203673--no-toronto-casino-says-liberal-mpp-mike-colle?bn=1
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment