 | Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark says the McGuinty government’s decision to unilaterally scuttle an agreement with the province’s horse-racing industry is yet another attack on rural Ontario. Clark made the comments in the wake of news the government’s move to cancel the Slots at Racetracks agreement has led to the closure of slot facilities in Fort Erie, Windsor and Sarnia. | |
Brockville - March 22, 2012 - Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark says the McGuinty government’s decision to unilaterally scuttle an agreement with the province’s horse-racing industry is yet another attack on rural Ontario.
Clark made the comments in the wake of news the government’s move to cancel the Slots at Racetracks agreement has led to the closure of slot facilities in Fort Erie, Windsor and Sarnia.
“We know this is only the beginning of what’s to come,” stressed Clark. “Industry leaders I have met with here in Leeds-Grenville have told me that cancelling this agreement could result in 60,000 people in Ontario being put out of work.”
Clark said the job losses include not only employees at race tracks and on farms, but in the businesses that exist to support the industry such as feed stores, veterinary clinics, farm equipment suppliers and tack shops.
“This is devastating to communities in rural Ontario already reeling from this government’s economic mismanagement,” said Clark, who has been contacted by many who work in the industry in Leeds-Grenville.
He noted the horse-racing decision is part of a pattern of bad news from the McGuinty government for rural ridings, including refusal to support efforts to give municipalities more say over massive solar farms and industrial wind turbines.
Among the many constituents who have written to the MPP over the past few weeks is Gerard Vaillancourt, a horseman from North Grenville.
In a letter, Mr. Vaillancourt wrote: “If the government passes legislation to remove the slot revenues from our industry, this will have a devastating impact on me, my family and the people that I support. The partnership between the horse racing industry and the province has been a very successful one. Does it make sense to destroy the lives of all these taxpayers with the expectation of making more money when the established arrangement has already proved successful?”
“I’ve heard the same thing over and over from my constituents who are making a living in the horse-racing industry,” said Clark. “I simply can’t understand why the government wouldn’t even listen to those affected by this unilateral decision.”
Clark said if the government had an issue with the existing agreement - which was signed in 1998 - it should have sat down and negotiated with the industry.
“Instead they’ve just suddenly pulled the rug out from underneath them by announcing the closure of slot facilities and relocating them to where they can get a bigger share of the revenue to feed their out-of-control spending habit,” explained Clark.
“It’s nothing more than a desperate cash-grab.”
Clark also condemned the government’s claim that it is “subsidizing” the horse-racing industry.
“It’s not a subsidy. Under the agreement, for every dollar spent at a slot facility the government pockets 75 cents, with the industry receiving 10 cents, the racetrack taking 10 cents and the host municipality 5 cents,” stressed Clark.
“The bottom line is the provincial government takes in more than $1 billion from these tracks every year.”
Clark noted Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak has suggested that rather than suddenly cancelling the agreement and throwing people out of work, the government could have explored another option to allow the private sector an opportunity to partner with the racetracks.
The government would have maintained its regulatory role, while giving the horse-racing industry at least a chance to make a go.
“But Dalton McGuinty wouldn’t talk to the horse industry or even let them know what was coming until they had this agreement in their sights,” said Clark. “Consultations never even got out of the starting gate.”
The Ontario PCs will host a horse industry rally on the front lawn at Queen’s Park on Monday, March 26 at 11:30 a.m. to keep the pressure on the government.
Clark urged horsemen from Leeds-Grenville and across Eastern Ontario to attend the rally if they can or, if not, to continue writing to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Finance Minister Dwight Duncan to share their views.
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