On Sunday, March 25 at Rideau Carleton Raceway, horsepeople took to the track between races to protest the inexplicable and devastating decision by the Ontario Liberal Government to cut the provincial horse-racing industry out of the mutually-beneficial slots-at-racetracks program
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A report by CTV.ca has quoted horsewoman Julie Ferguson as saying that the government's decision is "devastating, absolutely devastating."
The current slots-at-racetrack program allows the provincial horse-racing industry to employ up to 60,000 Ontarians and create a $2-billion annual economic impact on the provincial economy.
The current slots-at-racetracks program has allowed the Ontario Government to annually reap roughly $1.1-billion in direct revenue from racetrack slot machines, and has paved the way for the provincial horse-racing industry to annual pump $261-million in direct taxes to the Ontario Government each year.
To view the video of the Rideau mid-card protest, click here.