A CASINO FOR WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP?

Today's Waterloo Region Record has an excellent Opinion column by Luisa D'Amato titled "Casinos aren't worth the gamble". At least that's the title in my morning edition. It seems as if the Record routinely change the titles of their articles either during the day or for their on-line version.

I realize that I'm becoming jaded when I no longer take the word of for example the Region of Waterloo's chief medical officer of health. She has alarming statistics that show the probable increase in moderate to severe problem gamblers when a new casino comes to town. Her logic (and Luisa's) is unassailable but again I've seen this same medical officer of health dismiss public health concerns in regards to both air and water, courtesy of highly contaminated industrial site in Waterloo Region. Some day when our politicians grow up or become honest (both unlikely) they will understand why the public have less faith and trust in them than even in lawyers.

Contrary to the presentation I attended at the Woolwich Memorial Arena a few weeks ago; it seems as if casinos actually rely on the business from problem gamblers to substantially increase their profits. Wow and the nice men from OLG told us a completely different story. They were smooth, slick and professional. Mind you after your first couple of hundred presentations by bought and paid for consultants, experts and professionals of every stripe and flavour; you tend to become just a tad disenchanted. Don't forget this is Elmira the home of more credentialed experts per square block than just about anywhere. Actually they don't live here so much as they parachute in when required by their masters. Heck I'm so jaded from being lied to by so many for so long I actually expect to see high school guidance counsellors promoting careers as professional liars, to our young people.