HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-06-22, Page 5Wednesday, June 22, 2016 • Huron Expositor 5
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Ontario's lotteries gambling on youth
Data released
Wednesday by
Elections Canada
show a sharp surge in the
number of young people
who voted in last year's
federal election -- evi-
dence, many argue, of the
deep engagement youth
feel for national politics.
As Jane Hilderman of
Samara Canada argues,
political parties can no
longer ignore the 18 -to -
24 demographic when
developing platforms and
election strategies.
Ensuring young people
are more fully included
sounds like a wise lesson
for those involved in pub-
lic life. But we're not sure
of the wisdom behind
another public body's
sudden interest in youth.
The Ontario Lottery and
Gaming Corporation, in
its annual report released
this week, says it has been
neglecting sales to the
younger demographic --
and plans to rectify that
problem.
OLG's total revenues
from lotteries were down
about $260 million in
2014-15 from what was
budgeted, even though
Ontarians can buy lottery
tickets both in stores and
online. But, alas, "the vast
majority of Ontario adults
under 35 years of age fre-
quently visit supermarkets,
big box stores and retail
locations where OLG
products are not conveni-
entlylocated or are cur-
rently not offered for sale,"
says the annual report.
About 45 per cent of
Ontario adults play the
lottery regularly, but only
seven per cent of those
under age 35 do. OLG
wants to tackle this
demographic challenge"
by expanding where tick-
ets
ickets are sold, to ensure its
customer base "includes
the younger generation of
adults as well as new
Ontarians."
We're hardly against
OLG; after all, its gambling
revenue is a voluntary sin
tax, and a huge revenue
generator for the province.
That money goes to "sup-
port provincial priorities
such as the operation of
hospitals and funding for
charitable and not-for-
profit organizations,"
writes CEO Stephen
Rigby.
But we're less enthusi-
astic about the prospect of
deliberately targeting
young Ontarians with a
message that gambling is
good. The same govern-
mental minders who hide
cigarettes behind counters
appear to see nothing
wrong with endorsing a
more targeted sell of gam-
ing to those who are just
starting their wage-earn-
ing years. Lottery tickets
Nothing like watching the grandkids grow
For Such A
Time As This
Pastor Laurie Morris
Since the last day of May I
have been heavily involved
in `grandfathering'
responsibilities.
In my first column I wrote
that we have four daughters
and their families spread
around the globe. Well, one
of them in Edmonton called
upon `grannie' and 'papa' to
help out for 11 days at the
start of the month.
They have two wonderful
boys six and three that they
are finally going to be able to
adopt this fall, so of course
granny and I said yes and
headed out.
Mom and dad had an
opportunity to go overseas to
visit his brother and family
for a week, so we had full
responsibility.
It was fun to read stories
again, and to watch count-
less episodes of `Paw Patrol'
with the three-year-old.
Each morning I would walk
the older one to his school
across the park and then
pick him up later in the
day.
A few times we all went to
the playground that was
beside the school and papa
had to give underduckies on
the swings, and catch them
at the foot of the slides.
Sometimes I would sit on
one of the observation
benches [I was still recover-
ing from my surgery after
all] and I thought about all
those times when our four
were young and we spent
times at the parks and
playgrounds.
And as I am writing this
on Father's Day, I was
already reflecting of the spe-
cial priviledge it is to build
into young lives when they
are just beginning to
develop and have such
potential.
Grannie and I went to
bed each night all tuckered
out, but we sure missed
those two little gaffers
when it came time to leave
and return back to
Woodstock.
However we didn't have
much of a reprieve because
our youngest daughter and
her husband and two little
girls arrived from Saudi Ara-
bia four days later.
Now we have these two
little ones - one turning
three next week and the
other born last fall and their
mom with us, so the joy of
seeing the family heritage
continuing comes close by
again.
There was a time when it
seemed like being a chauf-
feur to get our kids to a
variety of commitment and
events was a regular part of
life. Well, going to airports,
getting our daughter and
kids to a variety of friends
while she is home, and
then down to a wedding in
Pennsylvania where she
will meet her husband who
has flown out to a confer-
ence in the Western United
States related to his studies
is part of the scenario
between last week and
Canada Day.
But I wouldn't have it any
other way.
The Bible tells us that
children are a heritage from
the Lord. It is my hope that
each of these families will
leave a significantly positive
mark on this world over the
course of their lifetimes.
And while my wife and I
LET'S ALL
DO OUR
PART!
PLEASE
RECYCLE.
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are already available at
9,700 retail counters in
Ontario. Chances are
young people can find
them if they want to direct
their money this way.
It's up to young adults, of
course, to assess whether
such spending suits their
lifestyle -- just as they
alone can decide whether
to actively engage in vot-
ing. They no longer appear
willing to gamble on who
will govern them; how will
they react when a govern-
ment agency encourages
them to gamble?
have breath we want to be a
part of that continuing
heritage.
But, early to bed to keep
up with them during this
period of time.
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