Ai4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 19, 1997

Gov’t antes up the money
to hire gambling counsellor

_ PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT officials are keeping fair-
ly quiel about the hiring ofa gambling addictions counsel-
lor here.

Greg McQuarrie, a well-established drug and alcohol
counsellor with Northwest Drug and Alcohol Services, is
now to start working with a different kind of addict,

The move comes just as communities like Terrace are
giappling with the issue of whether t allow casino gam-
bling within their boundaries.

Eve Kusnick, Skeena area manager for the alcohol and
dug services branch of the Ministry of Children and

Families, which provided the money for McQuarrie,

refused to comment on whether there is already a problem
with gambling in Terrace. .

Nor would she give a response when asked if there is any
‘connection between the new position and gaming expan-
sion. “‘Lhave nothing to say,”’ said Kusnick.

But Cliff Ewasiuk, a spokesman from the miinisiry, said

the government is not anticipating an increase in gambling
addiction from expanded.gaming in the province.

‘It’s no secret that the government announced the $2
million program when it announced gaming expansion,”

said Ewasiuk. The $2 million refers to the amount to be

divided up between 20 regions across the province for
gambling addictions counseflors.
He said there is no evidence to indicate the number of

gambling addicts will increase with extra facilities.

But Helga Kenny from the Terrace Anti-Poverty Society

questions what she says is curious government timing.”

From front

“‘t’s almost as if it’s to mollify us into believing that

somebody really cares,”’ Kenny said of the new addictions -

worker position in an emotional speech to council Nov. 15.
“‘Gambling has been going on a long time, Addiction has
been going on a long time. And nobody’s been doing any-

thing about it,”? Kenny told city council who gathered to

hear opinions about expanded gambling.

Peter Clark, chairman of the Lotteries Advisory Com-
mittee — the committee responsible for evaluating the
proposals — was in Terrace (wo weeks ago at a council
meeting explaining the government's position on casio
expansion. eee

He said that gambling addicts are only a marginal part of
society, about 3.5 per cent of the population.

Of that figure, about 2.4 per cent fall into a problem
gambling category — those who experience negative con-
sequences — and the remaining 1.1 per cent are consider-
ed pathological, or compulsive gamblers. _

‘If we banned gambling tomortow, we would still have
gambling addicts,’’ said Clark, adding there is no correla-
tion between expanded gambling facilities and an increase
in the number of addicts, ; .

’ Jeannette Anderson, a manager at Northwest Alcohol
and Drug Services, the agency which got the gambling ad-
dictions money, said gambling is already well established
in Terrace. “People have been gambling in the community

’ for years,” said Anderson.

**We have been given an opportunity to provide a service
for people wha havea problem,’ explained Anderson.

Anti-poverty group adds voice
to casino opposition debate -

“There's going to be more
problems and nobody is
going to give me a grant to
do anything about it,” said
Kenny, adding her orpaniza-
tion will be the one to deal
with the problems resulting
from gambling.

While Terrace Anti-
Poverty Society is a regis-
tered charity with the local
bingo hall, Kenny argues
bingo is not the same as
casing gambling. ‘‘Nobody
is poing to put $500 and
lose it in a flip of the

Gambling backer wants
vote to settle issue

CITY COUNCIL should
call a local referendum on
whether lo aliow a casino to
open here, says one of the
backers of the idea, - -

‘Gordon Oates, who
represents Terrace Little
Theatre and other charities

that rely on gaming revenue,

called on councillors to put
the issue to a vote of the
people if they can’t put
aside their own personal.
views.

“Why not let the people
decide what they want in-
stead of a lot of political and
personal biases on coun-
cil?” he demanded.

Oates fears council will
reject a charity casino here
and a destination casino of

cards.”’

Among those supporting a
charity casino was chamber
of commerce past president
Skip Bates. Bates, a banker,
said one-third of chamber
members who responded to
a survey were 60 percent in
favour of a casino here.

Councillor Val George
asked Bates whether cham-

ber -members, realize ex-

panded gambling is “a zero
sum game’? that would like-
ly take money away from
their businesses.

no benefit to the region’s
charities would spring up
somewhere nearby,

He said he would hold

’ councillors accountable at

the polls in the next
municipal election if tbat
happens and local charities
lose much of the $1.4 mil-
lion they now take in
through bingo.

*T don’t think they can re-
place that money,’” Oates
said. “‘And come next elec-
tion 1’ll make sure every-

body knows bow each of’

them voled.”

- Oates argues the
government-imposed dead-
line of Nov, 28 to respond
should be ignored, predict-
ing the government will not

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‘year from a casino in this

Bates replied there are money from bingo, wants a
mixed feelings on the issue, charity casino to ensure the -
‘Our members represent charilies continue to get a
the community as a whole cut of future casino gam-

and the community as a bling revenue.
whole is divided on the is-. They're concerned that a”
sue,’ he said. different type of casino —
Terrace Bingo Association called a destination casino
president Pat Smith, who is —- might spring up else-
in charge of bingo revenues wher in the northwest.
for the Royal Canadian Destination casinos pay
Legion here, spoke in money only to their opera-
favour of a charity casino. tors and the provincial
That group, representing government -- not to
37 local charities that get charitics.

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light a

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eT he government stands standing.

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