Report: OLG, Ottawa Discussed Casino Process At Length Out Of Public Eye

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According to a report by the Ottawa Citizen, facts released to the publication via access-to-information legislation shows that there was much correspondence between the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. and the City of Ottawa while crucial City Council votes were taking place on whether or not Ottawa would deem itself a willing host municipality for downtown casino expansion under the OLG's controversial gaming modernization plan.

The Ottawa Citizen report states that Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's chief of staff, Serge Arpin, was in contact with OLG Community and Municipal Relations Manager Giacomo 'Jake' Pastore and allowed him to be privy to the contents of key documents before they were made available to City Council.

The Ottawa Citizen report states that the access-to-information process into the situation has unveiled evidence that the mayor's office worked very closely with the OLG in co-ordinating its 'sales job' for the green-lighting of gaming expansion while leading up to a pivotal October 2012 vote by the City of Ottawa's financial committee.

The report also states that Arpin and Pastore had been in contact with each other about resolutions and motions that were presented (or, in the case of Ottawa, going to be presented) in regard to municipal positions on raceway slots.

The report also states that Mayor Watson and OLG Chairman Paul Godfrey spoke on the telephone a day before Ottawa City Council signed off on declaring the City of Ottawa a host municipality for downtown casino expansion.

The Ottawa Citizen report concludes by stating that Godfrey is also the chief executive of Postmedia Network Inc., which owns the Citizen.

(With files from the Ottawa Citizen)

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