There’s been a lot in the news recently about a proposed Casino in Moncton. The Province is considering multiple bids on such a project. Let me state unequivocally: This is a bad idea.
The Social Cost of video gambling in this Province is already too high, and to consolidate VLTs to a single location is not the answer. There is no net benefit to having a VLT warehouse (which is all a Casino would be), in our community. The devastating affects of VLT use on individuals and families is well documented can not be underestimated.
Unfortunately both our mayoral candidates have expressed openness to the idea, framed in the context that it will get the ball rolling on a larger complex downtown. In their view the benefits to this outweigh the costs.
They are wrong.
Even more disconcerting is that the Province seems set to accept a bid and want to push this development forward by the middle of May. Given that Council won’t be sworn in until May 26th, I find this extremely disturbing. The provincial government should wait until Municipalities across the Province have their governments in place, to determine where (if anywhere) their Casino is welcome.
I promise I will work quickly once elected to get bylaws in place to prohibit development of gaming facilities in Moncton. I encourage you to seek out the views of other Municipal Candidates on the issue as well.
This is too important an issue to go unchallenged, and I intend to do what I can to reverse course on the city’s plans for a gaming centre downtown. I hope you will join me in this fight.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
E minus 14 Days!
Dear Friends,
What an exciting campaign this has become! All week on the doorstep I’ve been getting tremendous response and support. It’s extremely gratifying to see so many people in Moncton looking for a progressive change.
As we move into the next phase of the campaign, we’ll be getting our radio and print advertising ready and attending several events around the community. I’ll also continue my door to door work and will try to hit as many houses as possible in the coming days. If I haven’t been to your neighbourhood yet, drop me a line. I want to speak to as many members of our community as possible.
I’d also like to take a second to thank everyone who’s helped out so far. The sign crew did a great job this year scouting locations and have done a great job getting the signs up and keeping them in good repair. I’d also like to thank those of you who’ve provided some financial contributions. They will go a long way towards funding our advertising push and the support is greatly appreciated.
With 14 days to go, we’re in a sprint to the finish, but I strongly believe we can make a change and bring a strong voice of responsibility to Council!
Thanks, and see you on the doorstep!
- Dave Hackett
What an exciting campaign this has become! All week on the doorstep I’ve been getting tremendous response and support. It’s extremely gratifying to see so many people in Moncton looking for a progressive change.
As we move into the next phase of the campaign, we’ll be getting our radio and print advertising ready and attending several events around the community. I’ll also continue my door to door work and will try to hit as many houses as possible in the coming days. If I haven’t been to your neighbourhood yet, drop me a line. I want to speak to as many members of our community as possible.
I’d also like to take a second to thank everyone who’s helped out so far. The sign crew did a great job this year scouting locations and have done a great job getting the signs up and keeping them in good repair. I’d also like to thank those of you who’ve provided some financial contributions. They will go a long way towards funding our advertising push and the support is greatly appreciated.
With 14 days to go, we’re in a sprint to the finish, but I strongly believe we can make a change and bring a strong voice of responsibility to Council!
Thanks, and see you on the doorstep!
- Dave Hackett
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Combating Poverty in Moncton
I was at last night’s Council meeting and was pleased to see the joint presentation by Real Voice of Poverty and Mobile One in an effort to get a living memorial established for the “Unknown Citizen”, honouring not only the unknown man found frozen to death in our city this past December, but all of the unknown and nameless homeless people who have passed away unnoticed by the public at large.
It’s a great way to raise awareness for a sadly growing problem in our community. More and more people are living at or below the poverty line and are a missed payment away from living on the street (indeed, some already are).
That’s why I’ve been calling for an Anti-Poverty and Housing Roundtable. There are a tremendous number of organisations in Moncton, like the two mentioned above, all doing phenomenal work in combating poverty and its effects, but it’s not always a co-ordinated effort. I feel we could accomplish so much more if we brought the stakeholders together and hammered out some directives that I could then take to council to achieve some concrete results, whether that be a standing committee on housing, desperately needed funding, or an action plan to give more people a chance to improve their situations.
Together we are stronger, and in turn can do better for our city and our fellow citizens.
It’s a great way to raise awareness for a sadly growing problem in our community. More and more people are living at or below the poverty line and are a missed payment away from living on the street (indeed, some already are).
That’s why I’ve been calling for an Anti-Poverty and Housing Roundtable. There are a tremendous number of organisations in Moncton, like the two mentioned above, all doing phenomenal work in combating poverty and its effects, but it’s not always a co-ordinated effort. I feel we could accomplish so much more if we brought the stakeholders together and hammered out some directives that I could then take to council to achieve some concrete results, whether that be a standing committee on housing, desperately needed funding, or an action plan to give more people a chance to improve their situations.
Together we are stronger, and in turn can do better for our city and our fellow citizens.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Putting in a Little Face Time...
We're now live on Facebook as well. Come visit our group here:
David Hackett for Moncton City Council
David Hackett for Moncton City Council
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
We're Live and Ready to Roll....
Dear Friends,
It is with great pleasure that I'm able to open this blog again and present myself as your candidate for Moncton City Council.
Our community still needs a progressive voice, and still needs someone to ensure that our cities growth is managed responsibly both in an environmental sense as well as an ethical one.
Over the coming days, I'll be laying out my platform dealing with issues such as accountability, parkland protection, initiatives towards carbon reduction, upgrades of the Moncton Sewage Treatment Plant and a more active role at the municipal level in combating poverty and its effects.
In the meantime I'll see you on the doorstep, and I hope you'll drop me a line if you have any questions or would like to get involved.
-Thanks
(P.S. I'm leaving my video links from the prior election up, as they are all still relevant issues. Look for more updates in the coming days)
It is with great pleasure that I'm able to open this blog again and present myself as your candidate for Moncton City Council.
Our community still needs a progressive voice, and still needs someone to ensure that our cities growth is managed responsibly both in an environmental sense as well as an ethical one.
Over the coming days, I'll be laying out my platform dealing with issues such as accountability, parkland protection, initiatives towards carbon reduction, upgrades of the Moncton Sewage Treatment Plant and a more active role at the municipal level in combating poverty and its effects.
In the meantime I'll see you on the doorstep, and I hope you'll drop me a line if you have any questions or would like to get involved.
-Thanks
(P.S. I'm leaving my video links from the prior election up, as they are all still relevant issues. Look for more updates in the coming days)
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