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Shills Come Out in Force for Gambling Expansion
September 11, 2007
Abbotsford
Last night’s controversial public hearing over Playtime Gaming’s application to expand its bingo hall into a “Community Gaming Centre” turned into a 5 hour marathon lasting until 12:30 am.
Up to 500 people were in attendance, packing the auditorium and spilling out into the foyer. The mayor and all city councilors were present, with the exception of Patricia Ross. The doors opened early at 6 pm, and there was already a long lineup of people waiting to get in. The attendees fell squarely into two camps --- the “Yes” side which is in favor of slots, and the “No” side which is against.
As the auditorium started to fill up, it was evident just how desperate the “Yes” side had become. Their organizers left nothing to chance, going so far as to bring their “supporters” in by bus, with the promise of free-food for everyone who’d put a “Yes” sticker on their lapel. Dozens of seniors, mostly bingo hall supporters, filled the seats, perhaps accounting for up to half the total attendance. The "Yes" side showed up an hour early to jam the event, leaving few seats for anyone else.
The organizers behind the “Yes” initiative are of course the reps from the gambling industry. They’ve expertly choreographed their lobbying effort. They’ve instilled fear in the seniors who frequent the bingo hall, telling them the hall will permanently shut-down unless the city allows slot-machines. For many of these seniors, playing bingo is one of the only social experiences they have.
But the big-push on the “Yes” side came from the so-called “non-profits” who are receiving payoffs from the BC Lottery Corporation. Each year, more than 70 of these local groups receive thousands of dollars in cash-handouts from provincial gambling proceeds. They’ve been told that if they don’t support the slot-machine expansion, the bingo hall will close and their cash-flow will be affected. Not surprisingly, they’re afraid. They’ve become hooked on gambling revenue.
Many of these groups had representatives stand up at the microphone, one after another, and glowingly describe all the “good things” they’re doing with the gambling money. None of them seemed to care that their cash-flow is coming out of the pockets of gambling addicts. It was amazing to witness the boldness they had in declaring their support for this insidious vice. It was like they had no comprehension of the human misery that is caused by gambling.
These 70 “community groups” who are receiving handouts from the Lottery Corporation should be explaining to the thousands of BC gambling-addicts (and their families) why they’ve chosen to accept this tainted funding. They should be called-to-task. Instead, they say “there’s nothing wrong with this money, it’s perfectly legal.” If prostitution were perfectly legal (like it is in Nevada) would they accept proceeds from it?
But you’d better not question them on the moral legitimacy of their funding. If you do (like some did last night) you’ll be on the receiving end of heckles and boos.
On the “No” side, it was average folks like you who were standing up to voice the opposition. In total, 22 people stood at the microphone to tell council they are against slots, versus more than 40 on the “Yes” side --- 80% of whom admitted they are receiving handouts from the gambling industry. It was hard to take the Yes side seriously in light of this.
You see, the No side didn’t come for free-food. They didn’t come for money. They hadn’t spent hours rehearsing scripted statements. They weren’t bussed in. They were just ordinary citizens, speaking out against the folly that is being shoved down their throats by the gambling industry.
Did your presence make a difference? You bet it did. City council recognizes they’ve opened a hornets-nest of controversy by considering this slot-machine application. They now realize they have boxed themselves into an untenable position: either vote Yes and alienate the conscience-voters (which in Abbotsford is arguably the majority), or vote No and alienate 70 local community groups and their supporters.
Which brings us to the next point. The only workable option for council is to put this issue to referendum. It is such a flashpoint for the citizens of Abbotsford that city council really has no choice. In fact, city council has NO mandate for even thinking about voting on this issue without a referendum. The voters of Abbotsford had no inkling that this was on the agenda last election. And with 2008 municipal elections just over a year away, the choice is clear: either hold a referendum on this issue right now, or defer it until the next election.
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October 6, 2008 - Remember to vote on November 15 2008
March 28, 2008 - Red-carpet Rolled Out for Sex Industry
January 28, 2008 - Sexually-Explicit Magazines at the Grocery Till
November 8, 2007 - Abby Voters Want More Policing, Say Crime Top Issue
October 12, 2007 - Poll Shows Opposition to Slots is Growing
September 26, 2007 - Poll Shows Abbotsford Voters Mostly Opposed to Slots
September 11, 2007 - Shills Come Out in Force for Gambling Expansion
Abbotsford Families United
A citizen’s action organization whose mission is to defend and promote traditional family values in the city of Abbotsford. To this end, we bring together families, individuals, churches, businesses and other organizations to provide a unified thrust in promoting these values, and become involved in the moral, cultural, and political issues that affect our city.
The following principles guide the issues we address on a municipal level:
- We believe in policies which protect the inherent right and responsibility of parents in the raising and education of their children
- We believe in policies which promote the maintenance and proliferation of traditional Judeo-Christian family and moral values in our city
- We recognize the contribution of those with traditional faith-based values in the historical development of our city. We believe that this moral tradition is foundational to our city's future
- We believe that the family, based on the marriage of a husband and wife of the opposite sex, is central to the fabric of our city
- We believe that children are a heritage from God and a blessing from His hand
- We believe that human life is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions, including the unborn, the aged, the mentally handicapped, the physically challenged and every other condition of humanity, from conception to natural death
Non-partisan and non-denominational, Abbotsford Families United is incorporated as a not-for-profit national corporation under the Canada Corporations Act. |
