The prorogation of Parliament by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has led to another snag for a bill that would allow sports betting.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse, who has been working for about a decade to push through legislation that would allow single-sports betting in Canada, is irked by yet another delay in getting the bill to the floor of the House of Commons.
Masse told BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that the longer the bill is not acted upon, the more advantage organized crime will have.
"It's also going to stop revenue going from the province which could be used for our health care and education right now, which we desperately need," said Masse.
The bill had previously died in committee, and with Trudeau proroguing Parliament, it has stalled a third time. This time, though, Masse had another ally in opposition, with Conservative MP Kevin Waugh of Saskatoon-Grasswood. Masse said he had spent a lot of time in Ottawa lobbying his colleagues in the Liberal minority government for support, only not to have it come through.
"We don't understand why they [the Liberals] don't want to do this, because the money right now is going to nefarious and organized crime," said Masse. "We know right now with the pandemic, jobs are important, and we need to have a recovery, but also education and health care need funding."
Masse held a media event Friday outside Caesars Windsor, which has been closed since the pandemic was declared in mid-March. He also pointed out that had single-sports betting been allowed, the casino could have reopened its sportsbook at least on an online basis, putting some employees back to work.
Under prorogation, the prime minister can request the Governor-General to end a session of Parliament, thus stalling or killing any legislation that has not been given royal assent. Trudeau had asked Governor-General Julie Payette for prorogation until September 23, and it was granted.
