JANUARY
      11,
      2005
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Racino.
     
    

    
     
      The
      elected
      officials
      of
      our
     
     
      province
      have
      decided
      to
      flirt
      with
      lofty
     
     
      government
      and
      _
      potentially
     
     
      questionable
      revenues
      at
      the
      expense
     
     
      of
      the
      people.
      Is
      this
      move
      motivated
     
     
      by
      increasing
      government
      deficits,
      fiscal
     
     
      mismanagement,
      poor
      policy
      and
      a
     
     
      severe
      lack
      of
      cost
      controls,
      Mr.
      Editor?
     
     
      It
      seems
      as
      though
      this
      move
      is
      less
      of
     
     
      amove
      to
      revitalize
      the
      harness
      industry,
     
     
      and
      more
      to
      increase
      cash
      flow
      into
      the
     
     
      pockets
      of
      the
      government.
     
    

    
     
      On
      a
      tired
      and
      cold
      December
     
     
      day,
      City
      Council
      held
      a
      public
      inquiry
     
     
      as
      a
      means
      to
      step
      toward
      a
      cleaner,
     
     
      more
      transparent
      government.
      They
     
     
      spoke
      of
      the
      Racino
      and
      many
     
     
      advocates
      of
      either
      side
      voiced
      their
     
     
      opinions.
      However,
      the
      meeting
      was
      but
     
     
      a
      show
      for
      Lee
      and
      his
      companions.
     
     
      Everything
      had
      been
      decided
      prior
      to
     
     
      the
      meeting,
      thus
      making
      efforts
      futile
     
     
      well
      after
      construction
      has
      taken
      place.
     
    

    
     
      Mr.
      Lee
      is
      wrong
      if
      he
      believes
     
     
      he
      can
      pull
      the
      wool
      over
      our
      eyes
      and
     
     
      arbitrarily
      call
      his
      government
     
     
      transparent
      while
      at
      the
      same
      time
     
     
      holding
      secret
      meetings.
      How
      can
      Mr.
     
     
      Lee
      expect
      to
      keep
      our
      vote
      and
      at
      the
     
     
      same
      time
      not
      ask
      for
      consent,
      or
     
     
      support
      at
      bare
      minimum.
     
    

    
     
      However
      there
      is
      a
      resistance.
      I
     
     
      want
      to
      congratulate
      the
      Leo
     
     
      Brodericks
      in
      Charlottetown
      for
      his
     
     
      spirit
      and
      heart;
      a
      true
      delegate
      of
      the
     
     
      people
      looking
      to
      protect
      and
      conserve
     
     
      our
      precious
      level
      of
      society
      from
     
     
      corruption.
      Some
      have
      said
      that
      Mr.
     
     
      Broderick
      has
      moved
      too
      far
      on
      the
      left,
     
     
      and
      that
      his
      platform
      is
      now
      blurred
     
     
      because
      of
      the
      volume
      of
      issues
      he
      goes
     
     
      through.
      Mr.
      Editor,
      I
      disagree
      with
     
     
      those
      humbugs,
      and
      would
      venture
      to
     
     
      say
      that
      its
      not
      Mr.
      Broderick
      who
      is
     
     
      straying
      to
      the
      left,
      but
      it
      is
      the
      rest
      of
     
     
      our
      elected
      provincial
      and
      municipal
     
     
      politicians,
      save
      a
      few,
      who
      are
      bending
     
     
      toward
      the
      right.
     
    

    
     
      In
      September
      shareholders
      of
     
     
      the
      Hillsborough
      Trotting
      Association
     
     
      has
      voted
      to
      approve
      a
      plan
      to
      put
      225
     
    
   
   
    
     
      video
      lottery
      terminals
      at
      the
     
     
      Charlottetown
      Driving
      Park.
      But
      it
     
     
      seems
      that
      few
      stakeholders
      were
     
     
      approached
      when
      cutting
      the
      deal.
      I
     
     
      would
      venture
      to
      say
      that
      City
      Council
     
     
      has
      pushed
      this
      project
      through
      the
     
     
      queue,
      unfairly
      and
      without
      public
     
     
      consent.
     
    

    
     
      Mayor
      Clifford
      Lee
      refused
      to
     
     
      debate
      the
      morality
      of
      gambling
      during
     
     
      the
      public
      meeting,
      saying
      city
      council
     
     
      only
      has
      the
      power
      to
      deal
      with
      a
     
     
      request
      for
      a
      building
      permit
      for
      anew
     
     
      Racino.
     
    

    
     
      Mr.
      Lee
      cleverly
      delivered
      the
     
     
      line,
      “I
      don’t
      want
      to
      present
      to
      the
     
     
      community
      the
      idea
      that
      we
      have
      all
      this
     
     
      power
      in
      city
      hall
      to
      deal
      with
      this
     
     
      specific
      question.
      The
      reality
      is
      we
      don’t.
     
     
      Legislation
      covering
      that
      activity
      is
      a
     
     
      piece
      of
      provincial
      legislation.”
      Dodging
     
     
      the
      blame
      he
      looked
      up,
      as
      all
     
     
      governments
      do,
      toward
      his
      superior.
     
     
      What
      Mr.
      Lee
      needs
      is
      a
      strong
      set
      of
     
     
      values
      and
      a
      bag
      of
      leadership.
      He’s
     
     
      become
      a
      politician
      too
      quickly
      and
     
     
      knows
      how
      to
      avoid
      the
      questions.
     
     
      Indeed,
      the
      buck
      stops
      at
      the
      Premier
     
     
      but
      Mr.
      Binns
      has
      barely
      been
     
     
      approached
      on
      the
      issue.
     
    

    
     
      Premier
      Binns,
      or
      sometimes
     
     
      known
      as
      ‘Teflon
      Pat’
      because
      nothing
     
     
      seems
      to
      stick,
      has
      been
      virtually
      silent
     
     
      in
      the
      public’s
      eye.
      Mr.
      Binns
      made
      sure
     
     
      to
      protect
      the
      island
      by
      keeping
      a
      close
     
     
      eye
      on
      exotic
      dancers
      who
      are
      coming
     
     
      to
      corrupt
      society,
      yet
      he
      turns
      a
      blind
     
     
      eye
      to
      a
      severely
      dangerous
      gambling
     
     
      incentive
      in
      the
      works.
      What,
      Mr.
     
     
      Editor,
      has
      the
      Tory
      caucus
      been
     
     
      discussing
      in
      regards
      to
      the
      well-being
     
     
      of
      the
      people.
      How
      can
      this
      be
      justified,
     
     
      and
      how
      did
      it
      get
      pushed
      through
      our
     
     
      twisted
      bureaucracy
      with
      such
      haste.
     
    

    
     
      The
      thought
      of
      a
      Racino
      in
      our
     
     
      neighborhood
      poisons
      our
      island
      in
      the
     
     
      worst
      way.
      Gambling
      breaks
      up
     
     
      families,
      leads
      good
      men
      into
      the
     
     
      poorhouse
      and
      overall
      steals
      money
     
    
   
   
    
     
      from
      society.
      And
      although
      I
      consider.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      myself
      a
      formidable
      poker
      player,
      until
     
     
      today
      I
      have
      yet
      to
      gamble
      in
      a
      casino.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ihave
      neither
      the
      time
      nor
      the
      energy
     
     
      to
      accurately
      describe
      the
      feeling
      that
     
     
      casino
      attire,
      big
      payouts
      and
      the
      charm
     
     
      of
      the
      VLTs
      has
      on
      a
      reasonable
      man,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -
      but
      I
      will
      briefly
      state,
      that
      since
      these
     
    
   
   
    
     
      VLTs
      are
      allegedly
      programmed
      to
      pay
     
     
      out
      roughly
      one
      third
      of
      the
      input,
     
     
      believing
      that
      we
      can
      come
      out
      even
      is
     
     
      almost
      pipedream.
     
    

    
     
      Mr.
      Editor,
      we
      are
      all
      tired
      of
     
     
      coming
      up
      short
      in
      the
      games
      of
      the
     
     
      government.
      Mr.
      Lee,
      your
      insult
      to
      our
     
     
      intelligence
      will
      be
      felt
      for
      a
      long
      time
     
     
      and
      you
      are
      quite
      lucky
      it
      is
      not
      an
     
     
      election
      year.
      We
      ask
      that
      you
     
     
      immediately
      admit
      fault
      or
      resign.
      As
      for
     
     
      Mr.
      Binns,
      living
      as
      we
      do
      in
      an
     
     
      intelligent
      country,
      we
      deserve
      better
     
     
      treatment
      from
      our
      statesmen.
      Please
     
     
      make
      your
      stance
      clear
      so
      we
      can
      see
     
     
      your
      government
      for
      what
      it
      really
      is.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Matt
      Campbell
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tsunami...
      Continued
     
     
      from
      page
      I
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Emergency
      Relief
      Co-ordinator
      vowed
     
     
      last
      Thursday
      that
      the
      UN
      would
      ensure
     
     
      a
      full
      audit
      of
      the
      monies
      promised.
      This
     
     
      comes
      after
      $1
      billion
      (USD)
      was
     
     
      pledged
      by
      various
      nations
      after
      a
      2003
     
     
      earthquake
      in
      Bam,
      Iran,
      which
      killed
     
     
      40,000
      people,
      and
      only
      $17.5
      million
     
     
      (USD)
      was
      actually
      received.
      Topping
     
     
      the
      list
      of
      donors,
      Germany
      has
      pledged
     
     
      $831
      million
      and
      Australia
      has
     
     
      promised
      $1
      billion
      in
      aid
      and
      continued
     
     
      support
      throughout
      the
      re-building
     
     
      process.
      Governments
      have
      ear-
     
     
      marked
      over
      $4
      billion
      in
      total
      for
     
     
      disaster
      relief.
      Private
      citizens
      have
      also
     
     
      contributed
      and
      raised
      funds
      for
      victims
     
     
      of
      the
      disaster.
      Michael
      Schumacher,
      a
     
     
      Formula
      One
      driver
      has
      donated
      $12.5
     
     
      million
      of
      his
      own
      money
      in
      support
      of
     
     
      relief,
      while
      NBA
      players
      have
      decided
     
     
      to
      donate
      $1000
      (USD)
      per
      point
      that
     
     
      they
      score
      in
      upcoming
      games.
     
    

    
     
      For
      Canada’s
      part,
      the
      federal
     
     
      government
      has
      donated
      $80
      million,
     
     
      an
      amount
      that
      Martin
      said
      last
      week
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      ¢
      14
      os
     
    

    
     
      could
      be
      ‘much
      greater’.
      The
      provincial
     
    

    
     
      governments
      have
      collectively
      raised
     
    

    
     
      $18.5
      million
      while
      among
      the
      charitable
     
    

    
     
      organizations
      offering
      support
      in
     
    

    
     
      stricken
      regions,
      the
      private
     
    

    
     
      contributions
      of
      Canadians
      now
      total
     
    

    
     
      upwards
      of
      $65
      million.
      Last
      Thursday
     
    

    
     
      the
      federal
      government
      mobilized
      the
     
    

    
     
      DART,
      (Disaster
      Assistance
      Response
     
    

    
     
      Team)
      a
      group
      of
      about
      200
      military
     
    

    
     
      personnel
      who
      will
      provide
      engineering,
     
    

    
     
      medical,
      security,
      logistical
      and
     
    

    
     
      administrative
      support.
      The
      government
     
     
      has
      also
      initiated
      a
      debt
      moratorium
      for
     
    

    
     
      affected
      countries,
      a
      move
      which
      seeks
     
    

    
     
      to
      relieve
      the
      governments
      of
      those
     
    

    
     
      countries
      from
      incurring
      more
      debt
      as
     
    

    
     
      a
      result
      of
      interest
      owed
      on
      loans
      to
     
    

    
     
      Canada.
      This
      initiative
      is
      expected
      to
     
    

    
     
      be
      discussed
      at
      the
      up-coming
      Paris
     
    

    
     
      Club
      (a
      group
      of
      Western
      nations
      to
     
     
      which
      the
      affected
      countries
      owe
     
    

    
     
      hundreds
      of
      billions
      of
      dollars)
      meeting
     
     
      on
      January
      12".
      Canada
      has
      also
      sent
     
     
      a
      contingent
      of
      12
      forensic
      scientists
      to
     
     
      Thailand
      to
      gather
      evidence
      to
      identify
     
     
      bodies
      recovered
      after
      the
      disaster,
     
     
      some
      of
      which
      may
      include
      150
     
     
      Canadians
      that
      are
      still
      missing.
      Over
     
     
      30
      countries
      have
      sent
      similar
      teams
      to
     
     
      Asia
      to
      help
      in
      the
      identification
      of
      those
     
     
      bodies.
     
    

    
     
      While
      various
      organizations
      and
     
     
      governments
      mobilize
      their
      resources
      in
     
     
      a
      scramble
      to
      aid
      the
      millions
      that
      have
     
     
      been
      left
      homeless
      and
      without
      food
      or
     
     
      water,
      residents
      struggle
      to
      survive
      and
     
     
      to
      gather
      what
      remnants
      of
      their
      lives
     
     
      remain.
      The
      need
      for
      donations
      and
     
     
      support
      are
      desperately
      needed
      and
     
     
      organizations
      such
      as
      the
      Red
      Cross
      are
     
     
      seeking
      funds
      to
      continue
      to
      aid
      those
     
     
      affected
      and
      to
      mitigate
      further
      tragedy
     
     
      brought
      on
      by
      diseases
      such
      as
      malaria
     
     
      and
      other
      waterborne
      afflictions.
      The
     
     
      rebuilding
      process
      is
      projected
      to
      take
     
     
      years,
      while
      the
      short
      and
      medium
      term
     
     
      goals
      include
      restoring
      some
      level
      of
     
     
      normalcy
      while
      providing
      immediate
     
     
      care
      for
      those
      left
      homeless
      or
      injured
     
     
      by
      the
      tsunami.