From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit
To: legal@pokerpulse.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 8:47 AM
Subject: Correspondence from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Dear L. M. Murray:

Thank you for your correspondence concerning Internet gambling. I regret the delay in responding.

The general scheme of the gambling provisions of the Criminal Code is to prohibit all forms of gambling, except those specifically permitted by the Code.

While Parliament enacts the gambling provisions found in the Code, the prosecution of these offences is the responsibility of the provincial attorneys general. If you have not already done so, you may wish to write to Mr. Jacques P. Dupuis, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Quebec, who is responsible for the administration of justice in Quebec. His office is located at Louis-Philippe-Pigeon Building, 1200 route d’Église, Floor 9, Québec, Quebec G1V 4M1.

As you know, Canada, unlike the United States of America, is not a signatory to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provision that relates to gambling. The concerns you raise regarding the United States of America’s ban on cross-border Internet gambling fall within the purview of my colleague, the Honourable Michael Fortier, Minister of International Trade. I have therefore taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your correspondence to Minister Fortier for his information and consideration.

Thank you again for writing.

Yours truly,

The Honourable Rob Nicholson

c.c.: Senator the Honourable Michael Fortier, P.C.
Minister of International Trade

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