Quebec Lawmakers May Impose Gambling On Unwilling City

The government in Quebec is facing much scrutiny over a proposal for the Montreal racetrack. They are attempting to turn the track into a gambling complex, and the city feels that the government is breaching a prior agreement by doing so.

According to City Councillor Marvin Rotrand, the government had promised that the racetrack and all gambling activity would be moved out of the area. In its place would be the development of a residential neighborhood.

"It (housing) would not only give young families the opportunity to remain in the city, it would attract suburbanites back in the city. It's nonsense for a valuable piece of land of this size and scope so close to downtown, so close to the airport, across for the metro, near to several autoroutes to lie empty year after year," said Rotrand.

The government has proposed the gambling complex as part of a bigger bailout package. The opposition to the package has come fast and furious and on Monday several groups are expected to publicly oppose the bail out.

"The government would have to impose this on us," said Rotrand, who has been a city councillor for a long time. He believes he has enough support to stop the governments efforts and use the land for what it was intended for.

There is still a possibility that the bail out package for the racetrack could fall through. Breeders and horsemen are against the current version of the bail out, which could cause it to fall apart all together. source>>>>

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