Meanwhile, in Canada…

Casinos are designed to keep people inside; to be absolutely timeless. If you’re with some friends and having a good time, this is a good thing. If you leave your toddler in the back seat of your van, this is a bad thing.

A man who left his toddler son in a freezing van while he gambled in a Calgary casino will not face a criminal charge of child abandonment. The court that heard his case withdrew the charge, provided he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. The man received a one year conditional sentence.

Now, I’m all for justice AND the freedom to gamble, but this makes my blood boil. Leaving a child or an animal in a car in ANY extreme weather is despicable. According to witnesses, the temperature was minus 9C, and the child was only discovered by casino workers who heard him crying. Firefighters were able to rescue him by breaking into the car.

Please, if you have a child and would like to gamble, find a babysitter. Casinos might be no place for toddlers, but freezing cars are quite a bit worse.