Jeff Burgar
In a move that should be welcomed by local charities which rely on what is called “casino money,” the Camrose Casino will be allowed to relocate to south Edmonton.
Why welcome? Even though the casino itself will be inside Edmonton boundaries, gaming revenue will stay with the rural pool. This means the gaming pot of cash that all eligible rural charities share will get bigger. Good news for everybody outside of cities.
Of course, it will still be a few years to build the casino. And that is if all the city permits and approvals, and even neighbourhood reviews, pass.
Already, Edmonton charities and community leagues are on the bandwagon blasting this decision by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis. Well of course they are! The new casino will very likely pull money out of the Edmonton pool and put it into the rural pool. Meaning each Edmonton charity is going to lose maybe a couple thousand dollars per year.
Horrors! Benefit rural Alberta?
Already, CBC is doing their “news job,” interviewing the executive director of the Edmonton Federation of Community Groups, Laura Cunningham- Shpeley. She has a long story how all the Edmonton charities will be so hurt by the new casino because this new one will cut into “their” money.
She has no concern how unfair the present system in which rural charities are being short-changed big time. Instead, it’s “Our Edmonton charities are going to be hurt so, so badly by this change.” Rurals? Go pound sand!
And to boot, ignores that very likely most of the money earned by the moved casino will still come from rural players. That’s a story yet to be seen.
Having to get into the act is Edmonton’s mayor. He basically says the same thing. Meaning, it’s OK rurals are being hurt right now. But if anybody touches a penny of what our hometown charities are hauling home, which will of course impact all their services badly don’t cha know, then it should be hands off!
Both positions are basically understandable, That’s crap politics. It fails at basic humanity and fairness. But in this, for one person, the mayor, maybe it is just his politics as usual. The other person is being paid to say things. An excuse for failure in our books.
Another fault here is CBC pandering to its own internal politics, which usually favours city folks over rurals. Plus, its easier. You know, who cares what most of Alberta towns and counties and MDs think? Plus, does CBC care at all about anything outside Toronto or Ottawa or any big city?
Hats off to the AGLC, and in particular, the UCP government, for finally listening to Alberta Municipalities and rural charities about levelling the playing field between cities and rurals.
Any worthwhile politicians of any sort outside of Edmonton or Calgary should be paying attention. There is much more that can be done. For sure, if this casino action over the years is any indication, nobody in Edmonton or Calgary is going to suggest, or support, any idea or policy or action that isn’t going to pay off big time for their own ‘centers of the universe.’