WINNIPEG: On the eve of passing the provincial budget, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the government to abandon plans to purchase new VLTs, worth nearly $100 million and instead redirect those resources towards the province's ballooning debt.

"If this is the province's idea of an economic development strategy, then Manitoba is in a lot of trouble," stated provincial director Adrienne Batra. "With the province's debt spiraling out of control, a better use of these funds would be to make an additional $96 million payment to the overall provincial debt which has increased by nearly $2 billion since 1999."

Partially due to smoking bans across the province, VLT revenues are down by nearly $27 million, and are expected to fall an additional 10% in the 2005-06 fiscal year. Government officials claim that the money has to be spent on new machines in order to ratchet up profits.

"This is the ultimate in hypocrisy from the NDP government, who when in Opposition blasted the Filmon government for making gaming too high a priority," added Batra. "Now that they are at the helm they have increased taxes, increased Pharmacare costs, increased the debt and have already siphoned away a significant portion of Manitobans disposable income - now they want more."

The province of Manitoba has also embarked upon an aggressive "responsible gaming" advertising campaign, with radio ads and stickers on VLT machines promoting a problem gambling hotline. "The NDP government is trying to have it both ways, on one hand they claim to be concerned about families and the negative effect addictive gambling can have and on the other hand they are investing a great deal of money into the Cadillac of 'one armed bandits' - which is it Mr. Doer " concluded Batra.

The provincial budget will be voted on and likely passed in the legislative assembly today.