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Roland Butler, MHA for the District of Port De Grave,
says while the gambling prevalence study announced by the provincial
government this week is an important piece of research, it should not be
used as an excuse for inaction on the video lottery terminal (VLT) issue.
"We have seen this government use studies in the past to
defuse public criticism and then not implement any real changes after the
report is completed," said Butler. "For example, the Minister of Health and
Community Services has been very slow to implement the recommendations of
the Oxycontin Task Force Report despite the importance of taking action on
that issue."
The Liberal MHA says there are specific actions which
the government could have taken immediately. "As an interim measure, the
government could have frozen the number of video lottery terminals in the
province and made more funds available to help those with addiction
problems.
"We have all heard reports of lives that have been
destroyed by these machines, but the government seems intent on dealing with
it as if it were just another public relations problem, rather than an
urgent matter of life and death. While in opposition, the Minister of
Finance committed to investing in addictions treatment, yet government
refuses to live up to that promise."
The opposition member says he intends to follow this
issue very closely to see what actions government takes as a result of this
study and will hold the Minister responsible for anything that happens in
the time it takes to prepare this report.
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