Lottery commission backs down on threat to seize store's lotto machines
Last Updated: Friday, May 29, 2009 | 2:20 PM CT
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A Whitehorse retailer has won a temporary reprieve in his legal dispute with the Yukon Lottery Commission, after the commission backed down on its threat to seize lottery equipment from his convenience store.
The commission has allowed the owner of Heather's Snack Haven to keep his lottery machines until a territorial court hears the store's legal challenge.
The Porter Creek-area retailer is fighting the commission's plans to revoke the store's licence to sell lottery tickets.
The temporary truce has allowed the store to cancel a court hearing, slated for Friday, calling for an injunction to stop the commission from taking the machines away while the matter is before the courts.
"The Yukon Lottery commission has told us that they're not going to remove his lottery equipment until after we hear the actual issue," Graham Lang, lawyer for the store's owner, told CBC News on Friday.
"I mean, an injunction is an interim matter to stop something from happening until a judge can hear your issues, and … the Yukon Lottery Commission has voluntarily agreed to not take out Heather's Haven's lottery machines."
The commission had initially threatened to remove the machines this week. Lang said a hearing has been scheduled for June 29.
Officials have refused to comment on the case or say why it wants to cancel the store's lottery licence.
Lang said despite the reprieve, he is still determined to fight for the retailer's rights.
"It looks like a bit of intimidation from the Yukon Lottery Commission, as they are going to quiet him up by pulling all of his lottery [business], which is a big part of his livelihood," he said.
"When they do revoke somebody's lottery licence, they've really got to have sort of a reason beyond, 'We don't like you.' I mean, with a monopoly comes responsibilities to the community."
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