Exploring Potential OLG Conflicts Of Interest

Published: March 18, 2013 02:24 pm EDT

Over the weekend, The Globe and Mail ran a pair of items showcasing how there are, potentially, an abundance of conflict-of-interest relationships at the highest levels of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

In a report entitled 'Paul Godfrey Rolls Up His Sleeves At Ontario Lottery And Gaming Corp.', the OLG Chair stated that he has never been accused of being the subject of a conflict of interest claim, even though he served many years in public life.

In regard to the way the upper ranks of the OLG is set up, the report has quoted Richard Powers, the academic director of the directors’ education program at the Rotman School of Management, as saying, “The perceived conflicts are all over the place here,” adding, “the problem is they are often in the shadows.”

To view the article, click here.

The second Globe article, entitled 'Casino Connections: How MGM, The OLG And Other Major Players Are Connected,' offers another breakdown of the interwoven nature of some of the principals.

To view the second Globe item, click here.

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HI EVERONE
Can i give you a fact did you know that LARRY TANNENBAUM & POUL GODFREY are NEIGHBORS. So the LIBERALS AND PAUL GODFREY (OLG) give BINGO HALLS slot machines that are owned by who YES lARRY TANNENBAUM .Now how about this OLG gets only 25% . INSTEAD of the SARP program OLG 75% & 1.5 BILLION A YEAR .

IS THIS CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR COLUSION

We have gone down this road before and it will only accomplish Godfrey's resignation, this won't help our situation. We should be focusing on a viable plan. The only thing that the Gov't appointed Panel has done is to put a temporary band-aid on to try to stop the bleeding! No long term solutions! What we need is long term stability for the future of the Horse Industry, made by us not by Politicians!!

The Govt. cleaned house once before at the OLG......maybe next time they'll get it right!! The Premier did not look to pleased when it was brought up again to-day during Question Period. Surely she must realize the damage that has been already done to the breeding industry which will have adverse affects (if we are still racing) for years to come. No responsible government does this to its citizens. Time to cut the cord.

The Ombudsman's office sincerely needs to have a very close look at the OLG and the inner circle of close relationships that make up the senior management team. There needs to be far more transparency and accountability with effective checks and balances to alleviate the perception of conflict and corruption. The math doesn't add up when considering the amount of money the horse racing agreement made, and the social benefit it yielded vs the bingo arrangement that is under way.

It wouldn't, surprise me to see Duncan and McGuinty on the payroll of OLG.

Lets look at the mathematics, OLG contributed two billion dollars to their owners the Ontario Provincial government. The horse industry contributed (slots at the racetrack program) one point four billion of this two billion dollars. The OLG employs 2800 people. By curtailing the horse racing and their portion of the net profit, we potentially loose approxiamately 50,000 jobs plus all the farriers vets, and related feed and tack services. None of this mess makes any sense what so ever. Just thinking Bruce T. Winning. Question: Is the ORC ever going to publish racing dates for the tracks that will remain open??????

Sorry folks I cannot let these articles go by without a comment even if they*re not printed! This article reeks of skulduggery at the top to the bottom! All the mainstream media seem to miss the most important item in here, so here goes! At the bottom of the article there is a corrected statement I will quote. OLG paid 2 BILLION dollars to it*s sole shareholder the Ontario Government! " NOTE " [ more than 50% came from SARP ] which is not mentioned. The horseracing industry should have this money making program reinstated with thanks and an apology from OLG and government of Ontario! As I*ve said before I won*t hold my breath!

And how about the media, does Godfrey not own part of Global (tv station that has never reported on the racing situation at all. How about absence of articles in newspapers? How about his connection with Tannenbaum and his bingo halls and ownership of Front street property? Let's ask for an inquiry.

Actually, Mr.Godfrey was accused of conflict of interest in the late 80's. As a board member of the Stadium Corporation of Ontario, he was also with a group lobbying for an NFL team for Toronto. He denied the accusation, but resigned from the corporation in 1989. Perhaps he is just having a slight memory lapse.

Ontario Ombudsmen's office....where are you on this??? Complaints were registered as far back as June 2012, hundreds have followed AND still no official position on the matter! Suspect, like everything else.

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