Newfoundland Labrador Premier Says No to Internet Wagering

Canada has been toying with the idea of providing online casinos and gambling to it's resident and a few of the provinces have actually committed to the activity.
Ontario is in the process of getting it's information package together to present to the legislature. Quebec is already going into the internet wagering business British Columbia has re-launched it's Play Now online gambling web site. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are still considering the options.
On the far eastern shores of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador's Premier, Danny Williams, says his province will not be going into the online casino business if he has things his way. When it comes before the provincial cabinet for consideration Williams, says he will cast his vote against any such proposal.
Newfoundland and Labrador were the last territories to enter confederation with Canada and are very independently minded. Newfoundland has resources from offshore oil and is making good economic progress following the collapse of the fishing industry in recent years.
An estimated $50 million is leaving the region and going to more than 2,000 offshore  gambling sites now online. This figure is enough to get some politicians motivated to capture some taxes from the action. Newfoundland and Labrador has been studying a proposal from the Atlantic Lottery Corporation to allow casino ambling on the net and gain taxes from it to balance some Atlantic provinces budgets.
Premier, Williams, said that he didn't feel that Newfoundland was in a position where it had to "scratch and claw" for every penny, confirming that Newfoundland was not desperate to turn to online gambling for extra revenue as the state already makes enough from the sale of alcohol and tobacco.
Nova Scotia's finance minister Graham Steele, commented that his province does not depend on the support of Newfoundland and Labrador on this issue.
Steele said,  "The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is a venture of the four Maritime provinces but they don't need unanimity on any particular item to move forward."