Pettapiece Targets NDP On Horse Racing
On Tuesday, November 19, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party issued a press release stating that the Ontario New Democratic Party has no credibility due to the fact that the Ontario NDP supported the Ontario Liberal Party when it decided to scrap the Slots at Racetracks Program.
Randy Pettapiece, the Ontario PC Critic for Rural Affairs and Horse Racing, said via release that, “None of this would have happened if the NDP had taken a stand against the Liberals when they had the chance,” said Pettapiece, in regard to the 2012 provincial budget.
Pettapiece went on to say, “The NDP are responsible for this mess.”
The contents of the Ontario PC release on the issue appear below.
ANDREA HORWATH HAS DEVASTATED HORSERACING INDUSTRY
“Andrea Horwath might be the only person with less credibility than Kathleen Wynne or Dalton McGuinty,” said PC MPP Randy Pettapiece, the Ontario PC Critic for Rural Affairs and Horse Racing.
Pettapiece was responding to an NDP motion calling for the Liberals to restore the Slots at Racetracks Program.
But the NDP propped up the Liberal government while it gutted the horseracing industry, beginning with the 2012 provincial budget. That budget suddenly ended the Slots at Racetracks Program with no plan to transition the industry.
Over 9,000 people have already lost their jobs, while thousands more remain at risk.
Earlier this month, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak unveiled a bold, five-point plan to put the industry on a sound footing.
“None of this would have happened if the NDP had taken a stand against the Liberals when they had the chance,” said Pettapiece. “The NDP are responsible for this mess.”
Pettapiece continued: “The NDP is late to the game on horseracing. Ontario deserves a government that will put the industry first—not their short-term political interest.”
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There is a reason the youth
There is a reason the youth of today don't go to the track!
Your product. Money isn't going to save this game.
Change the game or harness racing doesn't exist in 5 years. Bring one team sports betting in Ontario and harness racing won't exist 6 months after it's introduced.
The fundamental problem with
The fundamental problem with SARP was the fact that the Harris Tories failed to ensure that slot revenues weren't plundered. Now Hudak is proposing more privatization as a solution to a problem that started with the private sector in the first place. I say reinstate SARP at not-for-profit tracks and, if the private sector tracks want slots, require a reasonable reinvestment in the racing industry.
In reply to The fundamental problem with by realfreeenterpriser
The Liberals have been in
The Liberals have been in power since 2003, so in essence have been in charge of SARP for the last 10 years. The Sadinsky report was authored in 2008 and no action on it's recommendations nor any on the Drummond report. How any one can blame the Tories for SARP'S demise or lack of administration is beyond me.
The Liberals dropped the ball on this one and no one else is to blame.
Let's not forget that what started this was the Liberals plan to 'MODERNIZE' gaming in Ontario by handing it over to U.S casinos. Horse racing was to be collateral damage while our cities were inundated by lobbyist from these casinos.
Wynne put a stop to this plan and is now trying to right the boat, but let's not forget that the original intentions were not noble and did not pass the smell test.
That's rich The Conservatives
That's rich The Conservatives saying the NDP have "no credibility"! The only thing the three parties have is incredibility!!
If the PC party believe so
If the PC party believe so strongly in SARP then why are they not asking for a Reinstatement of SARP instead they want Privitization. We need to ask ourselves why?
Perfect timing for this, a
Perfect timing for this, a year and a half later. Tell us something we didn't know. These politicians must think we are not the brightest people, here in Ontario. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT !!