In Canada, the troubled Ontario Lottery And Gaming (OLG) Corporation has had businessman and former politician Paul Godfrey appointed as its latest Chairman along with five new board members.
The Crown corporation controls the province’s lotteries, slot machines and horseracing tracks along with its commercial, charity and aboriginal casinos. However, it has suffered recently after a report published last year found that $159 million in insider fraud wins had been claimed between 1995 and 2008.
Godfrey was appointed by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Finance Minister Dwight Duncan with Dale Lastman, son of former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman, also taking a seat on the board.
In addition, the Chief Executive Officer for Toronto Lands Corporation, Shirley Hoy, was also named to the new board alongside former Onex Corporation executive Anthony Melman, PricewaterhouseCoopers tax expert Thomas O'Brien and chartered accountant William Swirsky.
“The government clearly saw the need to put a capable, experienced and business-savvy board in place,” said Godfrey, who served as President and Chief Executive Officer for the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team from 2000 to 2008.
“They’ve done just that with the appointment of five highly accomplished individuals and I congratulate and thank Premier McGuinty and Minister Duncan for that. This board represents an excellent mix of business and social leaders in the province. It’s a board that can work at raising levels of accountability, responsibility and integrity at OLG, turning the page on events of the recent past.”
The new board still has several empty seats with Godfrey stating that the body would use its first meetings to select a new Chief Executive Officer.
“While my appointment was just made official yesterday, I have been meeting with employees here for the past few weeks and I’m happy to report the level of commitment, the understanding of the importance of the work being done and an appreciation of what still lies ahead exists throughout the agency,” said Godfrey.
“OLG is an accomplished organisation. Clearly a lot of things are being done right at this agency. There are challenges ahead but I’m optimistic and I look forward to working with this government and my new colleagues on the board.
“We have a responsibility to examine all possibilities and opportunities to build on the profits provided to the government by OLG and making recommendations that fit within a framework of responsible gaming.”
