"Reconsider This Outrageous And Totally Illogical Decision"

"The reality is that revenue from the horse-racing partnership has been steady and, in most years, shown a slight increase in revenues, while the casinos have gone from generating $1.3 billion, per year, when Mr. McGuinty was elected, to only $100 Million profit last year – yet THIS is the part of the gaming industry Mr. McGuinty thinks should be expanded.

"

In an open letter to his constituents, PC MPP Rob Milligan urges residents of his riding in Northumberland - Quinte West to support the horse racing and breeding industry. Milligan's letter apears in its entirety below.

The Liberal government has recently announced the premature cancellation of the Slots at Racetracks Partnership with the horse breeding and racing industry. Let me be crystal clear on my reaction to this decision - I stand in complete opposition to the Liberal attack on the equine industry!

Since the day that announcement was made, my PC colleagues and I have been giving speeches, asking questions in the Legislature, meeting with constituents from the equine industry - doing whatever it takes to ensure that this government knows that rural Ontario is furious with the decision to scrap the slots partnership - a decision which will cost the government more than three dollars for every dollar they claim they will "save". The fact is that scrapping the partnership will cost the government more than $1.1 billion each and every year, money that will have to be replaced by higher taxes or offset by reducing public services.

Many people in this riding remember how the NDP government devastated the horse racing and breeding industries in the early 1990’s by adding an oppressive tax. That problem was fixed by the PC government which then went on to create the slots partnership and, in so doing, ensured the prosperity and growth of this important agricultural sector. The root of the problem is that the Liberal government just doesn’t care about rural Ontario. They are comfortable firing 580 people at racetracks in small towns like Fort Erie and Sarnia (and even larger cities such as Windsor) while claiming that building another casino in Toronto will, magically, generate hundreds of millions of dollars of new revenue. The reality is that revenue from the horse-racing partnership has been steady and, in most years, shown a slight increase in revenues, while the casinos have gone from generating $1.3 billion, per year, when Mr. McGuinty was elected, to only $100 Million profit last year – yet THIS is the part of the gaming industry Mr. McGuinty thinks should be expanded.

You can rest assured that I will continue to speak out against this assault on our riding, and all the other ridings where horse breeding and racing create a total of 60,000 jobs. I participated in the press conference and two public rallies at Queen’s Park– anything to show the government just how unpopular a move he has made and how dire the impact will be on rural Ontario. The good news is, because of the minority situation, there is every reason to believe the next election could be as soon as next spring – or even earlier – and voters will be given another chance to pass judgment on the Liberal government. My PC colleagues and I will be voting against the Budget because of this, and several other, utterly unacceptable provisions it contains. In the meantime, I encourage you to get as many friends and colleagues to write to the Premier and demand that he reconsider this outrageous and totally illogical decision.

Please take the time to download a copy of the petition and get as many of your friends, neighbours and co-workers to sign it. When you return them to me, I will ensure that they are read at Queen's Park and presented to the government. When you consider just how many people in this riding earn their living, directly or indirectly, from the equine industry, it is essential that we demonstrate how widespread the opposition is to this expensive and ill-considered decision by the Liberal government.

In the past fifty years, only one political party has demonstrated an unswerving support for the equine industry - the second largest component of the agricultural industry in Ontario. You have my personal commitment that that support will continue as long as I'm your MPP.

Thank you.

Rob E. Milligan, MPP