Skip to content

Fedeli calls for referendum in communities of proposed casino builds

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli News Release ******************** QUEEN’S PARK - Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli issued a Members’ Statement in the Ontario Legislature today reiterating his support for a referendum in communities where casinos are proposed to be b
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli
News Release

********************

QUEEN’S PARK - Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli issued a Members’ Statement in the Ontario Legislature today reiterating his support for a referendum in communities where casinos are proposed to be built. The text of Fedeli’s statement is below:

Speaker, once again, communities across Ontario are being divided by the prospect of up to 29 new casinos to be built by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. The government prefers to spend more money on this and put up to 60,000 more people out of work in this province by killing the Slots at Racetracks partnership and Ontario’s horse racing along with it.

Communities in my riding are speaking out on the prospect of a casino in the City of North Bay. The Township of Chisholm has passed a resolution on this issue. It requests – quote – the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately pass Bill 76, the Ensuring Local Voices in New Casino Gambling Development Act to help ensure that local voices are respected prior to the development of any new casino.

Speaker, my party and I firmly believe a referendum must be held in each and every community in this province where a casino is proposed to be built. With the potential social implications, this needs to be a community decision, not a government decision.

And furthermore Speaker, with respect to turning to casinos for economic development – is this the best we can do??

********************