By Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle
It’s really disturbing when I hear about one individual winning the $70 million Lotto Max draw, or worse, the latest $2 billion Powerball in the US.
That is a ridiculously insane amount of money for one person to spend. If you’re an average Joe, you probably couldn’t even spend the interest.
Why any lottery corporation would allow that much money to be won by a single person is beyond comprehension.
Lotteries should be set up whereas at least half of the money won in any draw goes to charity, such as food banks that are constantly struggling to keep their shelves full.
Imagine what $70 million or half of that could do for the poor in Canada . . . for the homeless . . . the hungry . . . the mentally ill. Imagine what one billion dollars could do for the destitute in America?
At a time when countless people are struggling to survive on this planet, we are selling draw tickets for massive payouts to single individuals. Yes, I know, BC lottery funds go to healthcare and other services via gaming grants, but does one person really need 20 million, 50 million, 70 million dollars?
This is where the system needs a serious overhaul. A law should be enacted to funnel at least 50 per cent of all lottery winnings to special banks. I don’t mean our greedy financial institutions, I mean banks that reserve money for “truly affordable” housing, emergency shelters, food centres, drug rehab for youth, and facilities for people struggling with mental health problems.
I am astounded there are no facilities for the mentally ill, many of whom are left to wander the streets without treatment.
What a tragedy that befell RCMP Cst. Shaelyn Yang, a mental health outreach officer who was fatally stabbed by a homeless person last month. These heartbreaking incidents should never happen. Hence, the push by RCMP for more mental health support (escorts) during calls for service. Ten million dollars would go a long way here.
It’s time to end a lottery system that makes people instantly (and filthy) rich while so many others are suffering.
Shame on our government for allowing this to happen. Many of our social ills could be addressed with better management so that our most vulnerable no longer fall through the cracks.
