Great news from the BCLC! In a news item on CBC radio this morning, a spokeswoman
for the corporation defended their latest contribution to the misery of problem gamblers and their families. Now people so inclined can lose a ‘limit’ of $10,000 a week, up from the former limit of $150 in on line gambling.
Listening to the reasons for this move puzzled me! It was a short clip, and perhaps I missunderstood what she said, but I think the gist of it is that 'People must know their limit and play within it, (as their catchy little disclaimer says at the bottom of their web site) and the larger that limit is, the more likely they will stay within it.
How can a government agency defend a move like this? They have must advisors who can inform them about problem gamblers and that they are the ones who are going to lose much larger amounts that before. The news item also had a comment from an addiction counselor who said that this is a very bad move.
The only possible explanation I can think of is that the Government needs money, and for their own reasons they are going to get it from the most vulnerable.
When an addicted person made a mistake in the past it may have meant the loss of a paycheck of two and a few weeks of misery and want for their dependents, but now, from the comfort of home, in a month or so, with a couple of credit cards and no control, the problem gambler can lose it all.
To my mind the first roll of government should be to protect it’s citizens, but in the past few years all I have seen from both the Provincial and Federal governments is arrogance and corruption!
So now it looks like the Lottery corporation will have to amend their disclaimer:
KNOW YOUR LIMIT AND PLAY WITHIN IT
(Check our website weekly for your new limit)
FUN IS GOOD!
Yep, add on the cancellation of the Smart program and the implementation of the upcoming HST and you have yet more evidence that our provincial government does not care about us.
The BC government also froze the so called Direct Access Gaming grants. Those are one time grants non profit organizations can apply for. The soon to be completed new Westview School playground, for example, received a one time grant of $20,000.
The government now no longer accepts applications for those funds from sports and cultural organizations . However, groups receiving ongoing financial support from gaming funds live school PACs, etc. are not affected yet.
That’s the liberal government, trying to take in more money and giving less out.
Gordo and his band of Merry Men have just gone too far now and it is time for the Carol James team to let them know this and to look around this province to see what damage they are causing. From $150.00 to $10,000.00 that is outright evil and where is the support for the addicted gamblers. This man Gordo should be taken out and put in the skids so he may enjoy a taste of his insanity. The ones who voted him in should also be held accountable.
Well Gordo wasn’t honest about his plans before the election. He mentioned nothing about the HST during the campaign. I suspect many people would have voted for another party had they known about the HST. Gordo knew exactly what he was doing.
Well, we’ve come to expect it. What I find really funny is those that are in denial about the promises.
For example, on the taxes thing, I spoke with a local BC Liberal today who went from “the government isn’t raising taxes” to “we didn’t promise lower taxes, so it’s ok to raise taxes” to “we never said cutting taxes was a good idea” and “we didn’t promise to stimulate the economy.”
Some people are in serious denial. You should hear how he tried to justify paying the head of BC Ferries a million dollar salary.
Okay not that politcally savy but can someone explain to me how we went from a supposed surplus budget pre election to ( I may have the # wrong but you get the idea) $54 billion in the red less tahn 3 1/2 months later!!! Adding HST and taking away the gaming revenues and increasing the online gambling etc AND all the MLA"s are due a Cost of Living pay raise in April 2010! What the heck are they thinking … that may be a rhetorical question.