FACE TO FACE: Is gambling good for B.C. or bad for British Columbians?
The recent kerfuffle about the new casino attached to BC Place stadium is irrelevant. If we can't get enough slot machines or tables there, we'll put them somewhere else, likely somewhere suggested by some BC Liberal insider.
The massive expansion of gambling in B.C., facilitated by this Liberal provincial government, will continue. It has to - the government needs the dough.
In his 2001 campaign, former premier Gordon Campbell sanctimoniously avowed: "A BC Liberal government will stop the expansion of gambling that has increased gambling addictions and put new strains on families."
After his election, his first order of business was to cut programs for problem gamblers. Next came cutting the traditional grants given B.C. charities. At the same time, from 2001 until 2010, Campbell's Liberals allowed a three-fold increase in gambling revenues in B.C., from $414 million in 2001 to $1.34 billion in 2009.
This falls a bit short of Campbell's promised exorcism of B.C.'s gambling demon. He preached like Elmer Gantry when in opposition but, in government, Liberal policy on gambling has been aptly described as "preach abstinence, bet the house."
My objection to this BC Liberal policy on gambling, however, is moral, not scriptural. I don't care if gambling is a sin against God or anyone else. I enjoy a good poker game and a trip to Las Vegas as much as the next recreational sinner. It is a real sin, however, to be so serially dishonest with the people of B.C.
The dishonesty and proliferation of gambling will continue. Like myriad fee increases, expanding gambling is a great way to increase revenues. Gambling is too lucrative to give up, especially for a right-wing government that preaches the evils of all tax increases.
The billion dollars-plus skimmed from gambling annually effectively increases taxes on those who Liberals think should pay the freight: the poor, the problem gamblers and the odd dumb rich guy (as long as we don't increase taxes on him or his company).
Gambling revenue makes raising taxes on the rich unnecessary. This keeps business happy, and we all know that this should be the main goal of any government.
Gambling - what a great way to raise taxes on the poor. And it dovetails so well with Premier Christy Clark's "family first" focus.
