"For many First Nations people, gambling is considered a social activity"--First Nation Addiction Rehabilitation Foundation[2]

We live in a culture of GREED, and this greed is camouflaged under the preaching of the Free Market according to the Bushes and the Albrights of this world. We have lost our capacity to think for our own good and therefore our own elite is free to screw us one more time every time. We have lost our capacity to think even in Saskatchewan, the cradle of Medicare.

I understand that our provincial gambling business is being expanded and journalist Randy Burton is asking when enough gambling is enough.[3] With more gambling in Saskatchewan, we experience a more regressive redistribution of wealth, and this regressive redistribution of wealth is further exacerbated by the fact that aboriginal run casinos cause more aboriginal people to become addicted to gambling.[4]

The Aboriginal population is increasing at a much higher rate than the rest of the population,[5] and now figure this: Aboriginal people have their own gambling addictions treatment centre in Prince Albert where we have a recycling one stop shop for gambling services: going to the casino, entering the treatment centre and going back to the casino. I wonder how we can ever sustain a public health care system which sustains increasing gambling life styles in accordance to both the governmental and the Aboriginal elite.[6][7]

By the way, Saskatchewan experiences the highest juvenile crime rate in the country.[8] We, in Saskatchewan, experience systemically the longest waiting time for medical care than anyone else in the country, and the paradox is that the province has been channeling systemically more money to reduce these waiting lines.[9] Now, maybe, we can figure out why we have the longest waiting times.

I understand that the US Congress has recently turned down a bill to increase the minimum wage.[10] I also understand that executives, unions, professionals and politicians they all compete within and beyond themselves to have a higher pay compensation package. I had a laugh few days ago as I read some details of the new contract including a base salary of $143,524.56 to retain the services of Saskatoon City Manager Phil Richards.[11] Anyhow, what I found relevant is that councilor Tiffany Paulsen commented that in accordance to this contract poor Phil Richards is underpaid since the city manager position in Regina pays $25,000-$35,000 more than Richards’.

Yesterday I asked a question to my son James: "what happens to an economic system where we have a ‘competitive’ race for higher compensation while we keep the minimum wage stagnant?" James understood fully the implications of this economic phenomenon: the gap between the rich and the poor widens. Now to increase this gap between the rich and the poor we have the official opening of the Synchrotron in Saskatoon. Federal Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale has stated that the building of the Synchrotron has required investments of $173.5 million in bricks and mortar, and he added that "we will succeed in the future through the quality of our brains."[12] Further, journalist Les MacPherson has commented that the Synchrotron "will attract smart people and all those smarts will rub off on the rest of us." However, there has been speculation that this Synchrotron will analyze the brains of dead people rather than increase the quality of our brains.[13] Also, this supposed increasing smartness created by the Synchrotron reminds me of the myth that "a rising tide is lifting all boats."[14] In the meantime, as the vision of the University of Saskatchewan is being brightened up by the Synchrotron so young smart people continue to be driven away from the regressive conservatism of this province.[15]

References

Pertinent articles published in Ensign

1. MacPherson, Les I can feel myself getting smarter already October 20, 2004 The StarPhoenix, Page C3

2. First Nation Addiction Rehabilitation Foundation http://www.clearinghouse.fsin.com/Departments/Health/fnarf.html

3. Burton, Randy Gambling saturation point October 19, 2004 The StarPhoenix, Page A2

4. deSantis, Mario Studies conclude that natives are vulnerable to gambling addiction July 24, 2000 Ensign

5. deSantis, Mario A Dramatic Scenario Of Saskatchewan Changing Demography: The Aboriginal People Are Our Forgotten People January 20, 2001 Ensign

6. deSantis, Mario Asserting Human Rights by Changing Attitudes in a land for the Few and Privileged June 20, 2000 Ensign

7. CBC Saskatchewan Government approves Swift Current casino October 20, 2004 http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/casino_approved041020.html

8. Kyle, Anne Sask. leads in jailed youth October 15, 2004 Saskatchewan News Network; Regina Leader-Post http://www.injusticebusters.com/04/Youth_jail.shtml

9. CBC Saskatchewan Sask. has longest wait times: study October 19, 2004 http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/wait_times_fraser041019.html

10. Economic Policy Institute ECONOMISTS, INCLUDING 4 NOBELISTS, SUPPORT MINIMUM WAGE RAISE October 7, 2004 News Release http://www.epinet.org/newsroom/releases/2004/10/041006MinWageLtr.pdf

11. Bernhardt, Darren City offers new deal to Richards October 16, 2004 The StarPhoenix, National Page A12

12. Klein, Gerry Canada’s flagship research facility: Synchrotron officially opens on Friday at U of S (pdf) October 20, 2004 The StarPhoenix, Page A1 http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/news/story.html?id=db13bfa0-d53f-4ec9-b63b-bf33922cde42

13. deSantis, Mario The U of S Synchrotron: A Mausoleum for a Museum Mentality November 17, 1999 Ensign

14. Farrell, Christopher Fast Growth Is No Cause for Alarm May 5, 2000 BusinessWeek http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2000/nf00505b.htm

15. Lo, Aylwin Sask’s conservatism big turn off for youth October 21, 2004 The StarPhoenix, page A15