The committee just passed Bill 55- the NDP didn't just soften, they melted into a puddle. I guess all the talk about listening to the people of Ontario was just that- talk. In my opinion, the NDP should just pack it in and go home, they don't count for much now and will be even less popular next go round. How sad this has all turned out.

And, get your letters to the editor of the Toronto Star in, flood their box also. Send to [email protected]. Get them in today.

A case of Andrea putting her own interests in front of what is good for the people that elected her!!....Cowardice!

She hasn't changed her stance. She is trying to achieve as much as possible without costing the taxpayers of the province 150 million dollars for an election. Help for horseracing is still on the table but the slots at racetracks program is not part of the budget, it is in the hands of the OLG. Did anyone or any group make donations to NDP so they could afford an election. I certainly asked that they do that (OHRIA) Never got an answer.

Is the NDP going to wait until all Of the Liberal insiders get slot-like bingo parlors before they get rid of them, which the government gets less and the supporters keep more profit. Never mind Houston, Toronto we have a problem, and the NDP can stop it, if they so choose.

Thank you for the e-mail address Sean, below is a copy of the e-mail I have just sent to Andrea, using the address you provided. Let's hope everyone follows suit!

Andrea;
I am pleading with you to do the right thing, and stop this Liberal Government from completely bankrupting Ontario!

Pretty scary if this Liberal Government is given the unconditional right to sell off Government Services such as Hydro One, LCBO and OHIP. I cannot imagine what a nightmare we would face if our Health coverage here in Ontario was given over to an American HMO, which Duncan and McGuinty would do in a heartbeat if they were the highest bidder.

They have shown they have absolutely no business sense, when they place the future bail-out of this province in the hands of Gamblers. I ask you, what kind of a business plan is that?

They are throwing away 1.1 billion dollars annually as well as the taxes paid by approximately 60,000 rural Ontarians, including farmers, small business in support of the horse racing industry, such as farriers, veterinarians, feed suppliers, equipment dealers, truck dealers, trailer dealers, harness makers, tack shops, and the trickle down effects from these businesses, by ending the Slots-at-Racetracks program. Why on earth would you throw out that kind of annual income, and continually lie to the people of Ontario, if there were no underlying hidden agenda. Duncal continues to call the Horsepeople's share of the slot revenue a "subsidy", when he knows full well it is not. Not one cent of Tax-Payer's money goes to Horse Racing. The only money the Horse Racing community gets is 10 cents of each dollar gambled in the slot machines at the Racetracks. The Government gets the biggest share, 75 cents, without investing one dime in capital.

Rural Ontario now know full well that their future lies directly in your hands, and the decision to either save the Horse Racing Industry or throw us all under the bus, lies directly on your shoulders, and the shoulders of your NDP MPPs. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.

It is absolutely not true that we in Ontario don't want a summer election. The truth is that McGuinty is bluffing. HE DOES NOT WANT AN ELECTION, because the polls indicate that they will hold very few seats after a summer election.

Horse Racing Ontario are not the only ones fed up with this Government!. Check with the Doctors, Teachers, Nurses, Auto Workers, spin off Manufacturing Industries of Ontario, and you will find a very strong support for your Provincial NDP party.

Take a stand now Andrea, and force the summer election.

PLEASE ANDREA PLEASE!

Sincerely,

Carolyn M Rae

Mr. Leber is 100% correct

Mr.Hudak, if you and the conservative leadership are legitimately fighting with us, for us and are in full agreement with the slots and horse racing arrangement, you must call a press conference and state the following words, we will return to the Slots and Racetrack Program that is currently in place when elected back into power. Without those words no one should be praising or taking pictures with them or showing support for a party that has not yet stepped up and taken a hardened position that would be a game changer.

Mr. Hudak has made it a point of saying that he was in the Harris Government that helped implement this program; that is not an example of Leadership, but one Mr. Hudak hopes will satisfy the people enough to assure he can avoid taking a concrete stand. Mr. Harris would not have backed down and you should show some respect by having the same internal fortitude that he did. Be a Leader take a 100% stand..

This is the very reason why I have often stated that racing desperately needs to find a way to not have to rely on slots. Because relying on slots means relying on politicians and political parties and we all know how reliable they are. They will cancel programs, increase taxes, change their minds on anything and everything. Because in the end most politicians will only do what's best....for themselves.

To everyone involved in racing;

[email protected]

email her today! Show your support of the SAR program and 60000 of your peers!

I emailed her 15 mins ago and if 30-60000 people flood her email box today and tomorrow she has no choice but to read a few and maybe support the budget if he leaves horse racing alone.

In an earlier post here someone suggested McMeekin cross the 27' floor and do what he should to support Agriculture. He has not decided to do so but Horwath should cross the 27 feet of the floor and call herself and her party LIBERALS now. They have demonstrated that they have a LIBERAL mentality.
It would be nice to hear that the PC's are still in favour of Slots@Racetrack program.

Imagine that, another politician talking out both sides of her mouth

I suspect that most of us are Psychic.

Quite frankly the NDP don't have much of a chance to increase their number of seats and there is always the possibility they will lose their post (including Andrea Horwath). What's in it for them to cause an election?

Politics is a game for most and that game is keep your job. I see Bill Stanton make posts here and I appreciate that. However, Bill has a super majority in his riding so is in no danger of losing his seat.

What I would like to see is a proactive statement. I would love to see the Conservatives (are you listening Bill) come forward and categorically state once and for all that "IF WE ARE ELECTED, WE WILL REINSTATE THE SLOTS AT RACETRACK PROGRAM". Until they do that, they are no better than the Liberals and NDP.
Instead we just see posturing which is a joke and the politics we have come to expect in Ontario and in Canada.

Georg Leber ICR Racing

Horwath has lost all credibility as a Principled Political Leader and has become like most others these days, a feeble follower unable to handle the pressure of doing the right thing.

What else did we expect from Andrea....she did what was politically correct and to heck with the people who voted for her...

Andrea.. are you afraid that if another election happened that you could loose your job!!! Think about it!!! You might have improved your parties standings and gained a ton of respect...

Of course she changed her mind.......she does not want to be out of a job

I guess no one is surprised by this bit of news. We all knew that the NDP were pretending to support the people all along. It was evident when they backed down the first time. I guess they and the Liberals are afraid of an election and turning this over to the people.

If I were a psychic I would have been rich because I knew this announcement would be forthcoming when I woke up this morning. It should not be a surprise to anybody that Horwath has all of a sudden, changed her stance...... AGAIN !! I guess the election campaign fundraising hasn't been going well enough for her to have a spine and do the right thing and squash this budget like any person who is sound of mind and cared about the people of this Province would and squash this budget.

I am so tired of Horwath's media grandstanding. She states that she is for the people and from my end the people have spoken and want rid of the Liberals. The Liberals are the most inept form of Government ever to govern this province and they're track record, would resemble a horse that has been on the qualifying list forever. Horwath has thrown this industry under the bus in the past when she had a chance to take a stand and all she did was throw herself and her party into the media limelight with comments to appease the people of Ontario into a false hope that she and her party actually cared and would fight to do something to change this Province for the better.

The NDP read the Province their pedigree when they abstained from voting the first time. Whats the party going to do this time, actually vote for this budget, which says they really don't care about this industry or will they take the high road again in another spineless act !!!!!!