Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm actually going to pick up where Mr. Waugh left off.
Mr. Lewis, I have some questions for you. The premise that it happens anyway, that argument, can be applied to a whole bunch of different things. As you point out, it was used in the introduction to the legalization of cannabis legislation. It's a big part of the discussion here. You could apply it to all kinds of things. The reality is that you have to temper that with issues like safety, morality and other concerns. That's really what this is about. You'll agree with me that this law isn't going to solve the crime problem, because bad guys will find ways to do bad things.
Right now you can go to a bookie in Toronto, or anywhere, and place a bet, and he'll carry you for a while. You're not going to be able to do that with a legalized single-event sports betting facility. I don't think you'll eliminate it on that basis.
There are also going to be restrictions on the amount of money you'll be able to bet in a legalized system, which I don't think exists, at least not to the same extent, in an illegal one. On the flip side, you have good guys who are now trying to get into this business, because they want to get rid of the bad guys, but their motivation is making money and greed. You're seeing that now with some of the professional sports organizations. They're jumping all over this thing, because it's another revenue stream for them.
I'm in favour of the bill, just so you know.
Have all of these things been discussed, to your knowledge, with provincial authorities, who are going to be the ones regulating all of these things after the fact to make sure these safeguards are in place?