http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/OttawaSun/News/2004/11/03/697944.html

Dalton McGuinty's legion of hypocrites.

quote: "There's no doubt about it, we've come to rely on gambling revenues," said Premier Dalton McGuinty. "Perhaps in a better world we wouldn't, but the fact of the matter is, it's here, it's here to stay."

Gambling addiction contributes to theft, embezzlement & fraud. The health implications are serious, including mental breakdowns, anxiety attacks, addiction and suicide. Gambling contributes to the degration of society and Dalton McGuinty's family values include children not having food to eat because of the gambling addictions of their parents. His solution to this is that it is here to stay, and he will tax you at every opportunity. Let us not forget Health Minister Boy George Smitherman, who would like to ban tobacco in public places but will never ban the sale of tobacco.

The zealots are determined to destroy the Ontario economy, counting on more taxes from you to substain their hypocracy.

How's it going?!

Let's see now, where do I start?

Inspectors tell me that in the last year and this year they've been going to do food inspections only to find that the place has disappeared and gone under. Usually, it's a small independent place, but I'm told that even the big guys are having trouble. One inspector remarked: "Gee, you were right, places ARE going under after a ban."

Hello?

Needless to say, any bartenders I know have become servers and many people who were in this business have gotten into other areas of employmet not related to hospitality.

A major tourist district (which will go unmentioned for obvious reasons, I don't want to make it worse for them) is in trouble. Salemen from different suppliers have told me that they don't (can't) pay their bills. They default on an account with one company, and when they can't pay, they switch to another. They have been, essentially, blackballed. Many close for one or two days a week in the winter as business is THAT bad.

A new study by the Canadian Urban Institute is claiming that business, people and jobs have been moving out of Toronto to the 905. Since 1994, Toronto has only constructed 7 office space buildings while the 905 has constructed 104.

Toronto is SO over. It's dying, like Montreal did in the seventies and eighties.

I have now lost a total of 100 or so middle class customers to the 905. Yes, I'm still here because if I sell my business, I can only get half of what it's worth because of the bankruptcies. Why buy a place when you can pick one up for nothing? I have to move it. Niagara Falls is looking good. There has been a ton of development but I'm worried about a ban on smoking in the casinos. NY has casinos that are Native owned so they are exempt from any ban. 80 percent of visitors to Niagara are from Ontario so Niagara is concentrating on attracting international business. American visits to Canada are way down because of our virulent anti-Americanism and considering that only 1 in 4 Yanks has a passport, the price of gas and the new security rules that are in, I suspect that visits will go down even lower.

Some of my younger (30's) customers are thinking of heading to Alberta. One is out there right now looking for work. There's lots of it. If Niagara takes a hit, which is what I'm waiting to see, I might be Alberta bound myself. My specialty is Brunch, so I might do well in Niagara in the tourist area, even with the ban.

At least, that's what I'm hoping.

Anyway, hope you're well...Go Harper!
See ya!
Trawna.