On Thursday, January 29, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne broached the topic of Bill C-290, the stalled piece of single-game sports wagering legislation that Finance Minister Charles Sousa had commented on a day prior.
On Wednesday, Sousa commented on the bill that has been languishing in the Senate for years.
As an article by the CBC explains, Sousa said that passage of the bill is “something that the community is asking for." The CBC also quoted Minister Sousa as saying, “Much monies that would otherwise be held here in Ontario for the purposes of investing in hospitals and education is not staying here as a result of this.”
He went on to say, “I think the Senate should move on it, and that’s been the wishes of the federal government and all parties at the federal level. They should proceed.”
On Thursday, Premier Wynne addressed Minister Sousa’s comments, stating, “I think that Minister Sousa is just saying that it’s (Bill C-290) there and it would be to the benefit of the gaming industry for it to go forward.”
Wynne went on to state that Sousa is “not making a moral judgment,” but that “he’s just saying that’s the reality we are confronting.”
Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also commented on the situation on Thursday, stating, “I am sure that they (the Senators) are taking the responsible amount of deliberations, but I did say that I encouraged legislators of all different types to address issues in a responsible and forthright manner.”
(With files from the CBC and the Toronto Star)