Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Games Of Chance


I am learning a new skill.  With i-pad and keyboard. Bear with me .I am doing it out of necessity.



 Latest figures from an “outside expert” of cancellation cost of gas-fired hydro generating plants
are 828 million dollars.

That sound likely.

The figure could be easily contradicted or affirmed by the government responsible . The contract was 
signed by The Honorable Dalton MacGuinty the same who  cancelled the contracts.

The Honorable Kathleen Wynn has been Premier long enough to  know the answer. 

Yet it is not forthcoming.

Yesterday a headline notes the government acknowledges the initial figure given of $40 million may not have been correct. 

The stickhandling on this one will be interesting to watch.
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On Saturday, Premier Wynn, jumped  in with both feet to quell a quarelsome   yelp from the Mayor of Ottawa.

A spokesperson from the Ontario Liquor and Games and Lottery Board had announced the funds thhat would be available if Toronto was to approve  a casino resort at the waterfront.

As well it would mean ten thousand jobs and a hundred million dollars  annual revenue  to the city.


Like a leprechaun guarding the pot of gold, the Premier immediately  assured all and sundry no city would receive more than another.

Really.

To those of us who live within Toronto's orbit , it seems  a number of differences exist betwen the cities.

Population for a start. The GTA has a market of millions.

Lake Ontario waterfront  is well-served by  air ,train.expressways and even by ferry across the lake.Millions are needed to extend subway and light rail transit.

Ten thousand graduated job  applicants ,with student debt to pay , would be  readily sourced from  within the  area.

Toronto and Ottawa are not  the same.

Is Toronto the economic hub of Ontario? Or is it Ottawa?

Should a Premier of Ontario not know these facts?












The Premier's speedy intervention raises the question of authority.
The Ontario Gaming and Lottery Commission is governing authority in matters of Gaming and Lotteries.

They function at arm's length from the political body.

The commitment of lucrative aspects of a casino in Toronto was clearly made by a person with authority to do so.

His intent was clearly to inform public opinion in the city.
Ten thousand jobs with a pay average of $60,000 would certainly present as a positive to most people

7 comments:

  1. "Lake Ontario waterfront is well-served by air ,train.expressways and even by ferry across the lake."

    Ferry???? Where is there a ferry? They tried it - to Rochester of all places but it failed badly.

    To say that the waterfront is well is a bit of a stretch. The expressways are far from adequate. You tend to spend more time stopped than going. And then there is the parking. Let's say you want to fly out of the island airport. Where do you park with costing a small fortune or miles away?

    However, what you are forgetting in your thesis, is that Wynne is the Premier of Ontario... not Toronto.

    As someone once said, politics is a game.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a relocated former Auroran to Ottawa, I've watched Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson on this file in the past 6 months.

    The City Hall Columnist of the Ottawa Citizen (ironically OLG's President Paul Godfrey is the President) Joanne Chianello explains it best in today's column that Jim is merely stickhandling this issue with the letter instead of picking up the phone and calling someone he knows personally.

    Joanne is correct considering before Jim Watson was Mayor, he was a Provincial Cabinet Minister in McGuinty's government and thus would have worked with Wynne.

    Full Column: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Chianello+Special+casino+deal+Toronto+news+only+Ottawa+city/8117092/story.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Off topic
    I have heard that you were ill. Please take all the time you need before jumping back into our fray. First things first & your health must be first. Sorry to be such a nag, but that won't stop me from trying. Do your own due diligence for yourself, please.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I suspect that the Premier finds some issues more interesting than others. She will pounce on the casino item because everyone stands to gain. Far less inclined to visit the generating plants. The new Pope seems much more motivated and enthusiastic about digging into ALL the files awaiting his attention.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1:04 PM
    You can grumble all you like about the island airport. It has proved to be a great success. There is a ferry to the island. It's not just for Caribana.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 5:12... I know that there is a ferry to the island. Evelyn talks about a ferry across the lake. That was my point.

    How many people from the 'burbs travel from the island airport? It is a pain to get to. Pearson is not a picnic either but it has better access.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 7:58 AM
    We know plenty of people from outside the GTA who are delighted with the island airport. Always reluctant the first time - then totally sold.

    ReplyDelete

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