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.
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