Gaming decision should be left to communities

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Ottawa spends a lot of money every year funding band councils, schools, housing and economic development projects on reserves in Canada. But for an annual investment estimated at $5 billion, first nation communities still struggle against poverty and poor social conditions.

Self-government has been a leading national debate over the last 12 months. Under a lot of pressure from communities and political leaders, the federal government

has decided first nations might be better off looking after their own affairs.

In this climate of increasing acceptance of Native responsibility, it is hard to imagine why a political battle is emerging over the issue of on-reserve gaming.

Bands need new revenue sources for community development and business foundations if they are to grow. But in a climate of spending cuts in the name of deficit reduction and the transfer of programs from Ottawa to the provinces, one thing is certain: The feds cannot be relied on to subsidize on-reserve development that fulfills the potential of so many communities.

Gambling might not be the cleanest way to get money and business moving in Native communities. There are potential social problems.

But it is Native communities themselves that have done the most to combat the poverty-induced alcoholism that plagues many communities. There is no reason to believe social concerns that may arise from gambling cannot be handled by local professionals. Who knows, the increased employment from casinos could go a long way towards reducing current social problems.

Some people will question the ethics of investing in gambling, which has historically been seen as a social vice. Some communities may choose not to go into the casino business for this very reason. But these decisions are based on the values of a group of people. Government can't and shouldn't legislate community standards.

Finally, governments set a double standard when they actively oppose on-reserve gaming. Millions of dollars have poured into federal and provincial coffers through the sale of lottery tickets. Manitoba runs a palatial gambling house in downtown Winnipeg. Bingo halls and smaller casinos are popular in many provinces.

Instead of blocking casino development, governments should be sitting down with first nations to look at how to develop the casino business. It is possible that joint ventures could be profitable for everybody.