I agree with an NDP MP, for once

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=296c9119-27eb-4e88-9bec-336b76392c32

As someone with family ties to the Windsor area, Joe Comartin is one of the few NDP MP's I personally like, and I support his lobbying efforts to expand what forms of gambling are allowed in casinos.

The Windsor-Tecumseh MP estimates it could generate as much as $3 billion in gross wagering a year.
"It's very important for Windsor and Niagara Falls, in particular, because it will give us a significant competitive advantage over the casinos on the other side of border," Comartin said Wednesday. "Given our current economic situation here, there's a potential for a reasonable number of additional jobs, both at the casino and elsewhere in the city."

Spot on, I think. Comartin mentions that he thinks the Conservatives have been harsh towards the idea because increased gambling would rub the so-con element of the party the wrong way. I find it telling that of the Windsor area MP's to be in the news today, the NDP one is helping promote ways to improve the local economy, while the Conservative MP for Essex, Jeff Watson, is harping about Morgentaler and somehow finding a way to blame Paul Martin for it while insulting the Governor General in the process.

"Today, through his appointee for governor general, Mr. Martin has succeeded in politicizing the Order of Canada and in doing so diminishing its value and undermining our culture of life."

Isn't it comforting Conservative MP's are more concerned about settled social issues and playing the base then improving local economies? At least my socially conservative Liberal MP, Paul Szabo, serves Parliament well as Ethics Committee Chairman.