Casino claim off base: chief

Winnipeg - Canada - A Tory MLA was "off base" for suggesting a native casino was going to be built in East St. Paul, says a former chief.

Former Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Jim Bear, who now works with the Southeast Assembly of First Nations, said plans to build a $25-million casino on reserve land northeast of Selkirk have not changed. Bear, part of the organizing team behind the casino proposal, said there is no credence to Springfield Tory MLA Ron Schuler's claim the reserve would put a casino on land it purchased last month in East St. Paul.

Repeated calls to current Brokenhead Chief Tina Leveque were not returned.

Schuler had sent out 1,600 pamphlets to voters earlier this week suggesting the Doer government would allow such a move. The NDP said the move was a "scare tactic" used by Schuler to get votes.