Ted Nebbeling, the B.C. minister responsible for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Bid, said that major hurdles face the federal government’s idea of using a national lottery to pay for Olympic Games. “I think it is going to be more complicated than it appears on the surface”.
He was referring to recent comments by Heritage Minister Sheila Copps that the federal and provincial governments were working on the concept of a national lottery.
Pique News Magazine reports that according to Nebbeling, the greatest hurdle will be to get all the provinces to buy into the idea.
Traditionally lotteries are under provincial jurisdiction and the provinces receive millions in revenue from them annually, reports Pique.
If the provinces accept the idea, Nebbeling said the federal government faces the challenge of deciding what kind of lottery to run.
Nebbeling suggested informally to federal colleagues that a lottery similar to ones run in several European countries would be considered.
In those lotteries purchasers buy one ticket good for several draws over a period of months. As long as no one wins, the jackpot continues to grow.
He said, “I don’t think the provinces want to give up the revenue they derive from lotteries today by just adding another scratch ticket.
“It has to be something new and appealing”.
Nebbeling told Pique he is waiting for a more concrete plan to be forwarded to him from Copp’s ministry.
Sam Corea, spokesman for the 2010 bid, said he welcomed the idea that the federal government is considering a lottery to help with funding.
He said, “as far as the bid is concerned, we are thrilled that the minister is looking ahead and showing confidence that we are going to win so she is now thinking ahead to how we are going to build the facilities. But really it is not for the Bid Corporation to determine what a lottery would look like, should there be a lottery”.
