On Monday, July 8, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex Progressive Conservative MPP Monte McNaughton issued a press release in which he stated that the government of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is continuing to 'gut' the provincial horse racing industry.
McNaughton's release stated that only Tim Hudak and the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party are willing to make the decisions that will put the Ontario horse racing industry and the province back on track towards prosperity.
The contents of McNaughton's release appear below
McGuinty-Wynne Liberals Gutting Ontario’s Horse Racing Industry
Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government is continuing to gut the province’s horse-racing industry, said Lambton-Kent-Middlesex PC MPP Monte McNaughton.
McNaughton’s comments came as Liberal plans to cut the number of standardbred racetracks from 12 to five threaten to force drivers, groomers and other industry employees into unemployment.
“The horse racing industry can’t afford any more Liberal ‘help,’” McNaughton stated. “This industry is in complete and total chaos thanks to Liberal policies. Kathleen Wynne is risking thousands of jobs to finish-off what Dalton McGuinty started.”
This afternoon, the horse racing transition panel hosted the first of four public meetings to discuss their draft plan for a sustainable Ontario horse racing industry; called a ‘path to failure’ by some. Today’s meeting was at Western Fair Raceway in London. The panel will also host public meetings on Tuesday at Woodbine, Wednesday at Ajax Downs and Thursday at Rideau Carleton.
“Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne have pulled the rug out from under this important industry,” McNaughton said. “And by helping them pass the budgets that killed SARP, the NDP has done nothing for Ontario’s horse racing industry and the 60,000 jobs across the province.”
Only Tim Hudak and the Ontario PCs are willing to make the decisions that will put this industry and our province back on track towards prosperity, McNaughton concluded.
“People employed by the horse racing industry deserve better. Ontario deserves better,” said McNaughton. “We’ve got a big problem, and the Liberal-NDP coalition is only making it worse. To change Ontario’s direction we need to change the team that leads this province.”
Mr. McNaughton's assessment
Mr. McNaughton's assessment of the Liberal's attack on the horse racing industry and Mrs. Horwath's complacency towards ending this government is bang on. However, Mr. Hudak has only committed to privatizing the race tracks as a fix. With the current state of the industry, trying to entice private ownership is likely a pipedream. Privately owned tracks are riddled with problems. Do we need more of that?
In reply to Mr. McNaughton's assessment by Lynne Magee
Correction Lynn, our race
Correction Lynn, our race tracks are already privatized. He wants to privatize the gaming industry (OLG) just like in Ohio where private operators run the slots at tracks. He finds that 18,000 employees at bloated salaries and pensions is too much for the taxpayer. Between marketing boards that control prices, government monopoly's that don't run lean and unions that are NOT reasonable we have little control on spending in this province. Supply and demand should dictate prices in this province NOT marketing boards unions and monopoly's.
What are the Tories going to
What are the Tories going to do for racing? If they have a plan let them articulate the plan.