Letter to Diane "Of Ottawa" Deans

And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
Mark 15:24 (King James Version)

Dear Councillor:

Let it be known by one and all that the Oracle of Ottawa holds you in the highest regard, for your immediate questioning of allowing yet more gambling in our fine City. When I saw your clip on the local, old vulgar media, (CTV) I swear I could hear the groaning of every degenerate gambler and all the radio talk show hosts. But don't let them get you down. Perhaps at the next council meeting you could suggest to Gentleman Jim that he should heat the bus shelters in the Market so the addicts won't go to Hull to buy their crack! That will get you "exposure" for sure! But seriously....

Roman Dice

The problem is, unfortunately, that gambling is legal and if it were not for it, certain ethnic and other groups, resident in the confines of our fair city would pay no tax's at all!  No sense at the end of the day losing this rich stream of "derivative" tax revenue...to the "evil empire" (i.e. Quebec). And more importantly where would the City of Ottawa Tax Department hold their Christmas Party? The high life of Ottawa...Oy!

William Blake, Casting Lots for Christs Garments...

But I have a plan councillor! You could go along as you will be, no doubt, pressured to do so, but you could throw the spanner into the open gear box. (No I am not referring to Jan Hardon...) But rather for your vote on this you must have something in return. Perhaps a pilot project, study, feasibility study, why hell, all the above mentioned! What you ( I ) want is Thoroughbred Racing ( ! ) in Ottawa! Point out that the posh people of Ottawa want something in return for their amusement, if they are going to have to tolerate the skidmarks having their " Table Games" which 99% of them couldn't play if their meager lives depended on it!

All Excited says; Bring me to Ottawa!

 Remind Gentleman Jim and your peers that the track (Rideau-Carleton) is presently located very close to an International Airport! And that the sport of horse racing is the Sport of Kings! (Pound your small but vital fist on the table at this point for emphasis....) And remind the council that if you thought you saw a lot of a certain ethnic group go nuts around a slot machine, just wait for the steady bottomless pocketed throngs that will show up for thoroughbred racing! You could research this yourself. Check out the attendance at a Hong Kong track! 

Race Day at Beverly, U.K. Why not here?

Now of course you need an event, internationally sanctioned, for all those Arabian, Asian and European racing farms to load up their cargo aircraft, with their many mounts, to come to!  May you suggest The Ottawa Derby that will be held on the Ontario Civic holiday? An annual event; of course!  An event such as this will require an infield Queen of The Derby... Why I couldn't think of anyone better then the founder of this great International event than Diane "of Ottawa" Deans!....

Respectfully Yours;
Oracleofottawa...

Secretariat; 1973 Kentucky Derby, Jockey; Ron Turcotte, Drummond, New Brunswick, CANADA!
( The record set on this day STILL STANDS!!)