Duncan Denies Adler Again

Well done Kathy. The majority of industry people who are going to be out of work are self-employed and will not have T4s. Does that make them ineligible for transitional money from the government? I bet there will be so many conditions to access to this money that the government will manage to hold on to most of it.

I would like to offer my thanks to Marty as well and to suggest he ask Anthony MacDonald to lend his support to Tracey Weiler in the K-W By-Election. We must put forth every effort to stop the Fiberals attaining a majority. McGuinty has tried every trick in the book and we need an MPP with enough guts to call for a non-confidence vote to bring this corrupt govt. down.

hmmm.....60,000 of us and only Marty Adler is approaching these idiots asking for answers???!!!! WHY??? Get off the computer because all you are going to get is a copy of what everyone else is getting - enough with the emails - get out and do the same as Marty!!!!!! Ted McMeekin has invited one and all to a BBQ at waterdown park on Thursday August 16th 4pm-7pm - come out and ask him some questions - demand answers - demand he step up for rural Ontario!!!

I have sent sooo many e-mails (because I am housebound right now) to all parties and to OHRIA. OHHA, COSA, etc. and get virtually no response. I know all are really busy but there have been some really good suggestions from many people and they are being acted upon. Why are we waiting till end of summer? We know right now that anything that involves the gov't giving one cent more than the 50 mill.over 3 yrs.is going to be rejected by D.McG and DD.

I sent an email to Scott Blodgett this evening. I suggest we all support Marty by flooding Scott Blodgett's inbox demanding an answer!
Mr. Blodgett:
In an email to Marty Adler, you stated
“Given the priority placed on eliminating the deficit and Ontario's priorities of education and health care, we can no longer afford to direct the same kind of funds to horseracing.
Since 1998, the OLG has provided the horse racing industry (racetrack operators and horse people) with approximately $3.7 billion through the Slots at Racetracks Program and in 2011-12, the amount of funding was $345 million across 17 racetracks.”
Respectfully, how can you possibly ignore and misconstrue the fact that the slots at racetrack agreement provided in excess of 14 billion dollars to the Ontario government since its inception? Without the slots program, there would be no revenue to the government. The government does not direct funds to the horse racing industry. The Ontario government claims 75% of the revenue generated through the slots at racetrack program, along with another 5% to host municipalities. Without the slots at racetrack program, there are no funds to be directed anywhere!
I respectfully ask what the government has spent that 14 billion dollars on if not education and health care?
I also respectfully ask why the most successful government/private partnership is being cancelled with no economic impact study?
The actions of this government and the OLG can only be interpreted as a conspiracy to kill the horse racing industry in Ontario in order to eliminate all competition for the gambling dollar and pave the way for foreign casino operators. More than 37,000 full time and 25,000 part time people (http://www.ontarioracingcommission.ca/industry.aspx?id=216) will be put out of work with no regard for their future. I respectfully ask what your government’s plans are to re-train and employ these people.

Kathy McBride

Kudos to Marty for his efforts. I am from Michigan & I remember the 1st time I heard him call the races. It was a cold, snowy Sunday night in December 1980 when I was 14 when Niatross came to Windsor. It was the first time my mom let my dad take me to the track on a school night!!! Some of my best memories with my dad were at Windsor. When Tom Joy brought simulcasting in the early 90's and we could watch & bet on Calder & Gulfstream in the middle of winter during the day & catch live at night, we thought that was living. And on Breeders Cup day in the fall--we had to choose where to play our triactors--they had 3 separate pools from Quebec, Vancouver, and Toronto!!

I feel terrible about what is going on in Ontario. I have followed it very closely. It is SO obvious what is going on. It has went on for years where ever casinos get in. It has been that way in New Jersey for years, and now it is that way here in Michigan with the Detroit casinos. We cant get slots at the tracks, and we are trying for instant racing machines but even this is proving difficult. The common thread is the deep, deep pockets of the casino's to fight off anyone taking away any of their gaming revenue. The politicians tow the casinos line and carry their water. Just look at Dalton "McSquinty" with his myopic perception of our sport and Dwight Duncan "HINES" who has had too many "DUNKIN" Donuts comment on the issue. Their comments never deviate and it is if though they are reading from a script on the subject. A script prepared for them by the casino interests.

More people need to take up arms like Marty is. This is just a shame at what your government is doing to the fine horsemen & horsewomen of Ontario. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT my Canadian friends!!!

Yes, Good job Marty....too bad they would not talk to you but when you think about it. your questions they can't answer anyway, they don't have any answers....as for the funds and where have they gone over the years...I still maintain Duncan, who can NOT add 2 +2 and get 4 has used the "borrow from Peter to pay Paul" principal and now the books are so screwed up he can't make head nor tail of them.But we all know that 1.4 MILLION went to the head of ORNGE but even if he is convicted he won't have to make restitution...I do suspect there are alot of back door deals going on and someday we might know what the actual deals are. That transition panel will find any excuse possible to disqualify 80% of the applicants. That fund is still a bribe in my books...

Marty
Great Job. I agree with Peggy Powell. All horsemen and women should come to Minister of Agriculture's BBQ in Waterdown. Would be great if Mr. Adler could be there.

We should ALL be doing what Marty is doing and what Peggy suggests.Get right into their face (without breaking the law) and show up at these events and ask why they are willing to destroy the industry.There are too many of us who think this is just a bad dream and tomorrow somebody is going to make an announcement that the governmant has changed their mind.THAT AIN"T GONNA HAPPEN FOLKS.This is the government we are talking about and they are the worst bullies on the street.Short-sighted,ill informed,inconsiderate,rude,ignorant bullies.

Thanks, Marty. So, if the figures quoted are correct, and I assume they are, the Senior Media Relations Advisor forgot to mention that the Government net revenue is approximately $14 billion from the SAR program from 1998 to 2011. Even more interesting is the quote that "since 1998 the OLG has provided the horse racing industry.....". Clearly there is no aknowledgment that the horse racing industry (race tracks and horsemen) provided the refurbished and some new facilities, the parking lots and the customer base, to name a few, to allow the SAR program to become a very successful revenue generating business for the Government, the Racetracks, the Horsemen and the Municipalities. I know of no business leader anywhere who would sacrifice this type of guaranteed revenue and then speculate that the revenue stream would be replaced by some other format. It's not reasonable, it doesn't pass the test.

Why is Marty the only one ambushing these technocrats?These guys are Orwellian. I am starting to like the idea of a hundred horse trailers greeting McGuinty at his place of residence.I am not saying you have to put on the closing ceremony at the Olympics...but this is a brave new world....something dramatic and possibly, embarrasing to these pathetic excuses for civil servants has to be put forth.Pay now or pay later. Jim Feeley

Another question (quoted from a friend) that needs answering:

Dalton is inferring that it had to be either horse racing OR education, health care, infrastructure, etc.

This begs the question: if revenues from SAR HAVEN'T been going to education, health, infrastructure, etc. then what have Dalton and Dwight been doing with it??

Where is the accountability for the annual $1.2 billion that the SAR program has generated for the government? Then, of course, there is the $2.3 billion that is generated each year by the industry's spending. Over 3 billion dollars a year and none of it has gone into health, education and infrastructure in all these years? That alone deserves an investigation. Shame on this McGuinty government.

Marty they still didn't answer your questions. He suggested that we contact the Minister of agriculture And fortunately he,Ted McMeekin, is holding a Community Appreciation BarBQ in Waterdown Memorial Park (200 Hamilton St. N , at Parkside Drive) on Thursday August 16 from 4-7pm and he wants everyone to bring their own lawn chair ,SSOO, I thought that we, the horse racing Industry should be very welcome as well. Maybe we could bring our signs, pamphlets and maybe some of our horses and trailers.Hope to see you all there.

I have emailed Mr. Blodgett, McGuinty, Duncan, Hudak and Horwath with all my questions about the way the end of the Partnership is being handled. Seems the voice of the Horse Industry is being muffled at every turn. We need to know something sooner than later with regard to the transition plans. Thanks for trying, Marty. This is all so wrong! ChrisP

Marty, thanks for your effort on this important issue. You will not get any answers from McGinty or Duncan, because they have no reasons, that make any sense, for the cancellation of the SAR, program. These two guys, appear to think they are the political royalty of Ontario, and thus they do not have to answer to the people. Well, we will see what happens in the two bi-elections Sept. 6, 2012. Bruce T. Winning

Great job Marty. Keep it up.I actually inquired on how to collect on Duncan and McGuinty's so-called transitional funding to help horsepeople get into different fields. I was told because I was self-employed and unless a person can produce T4 slips they DO NOT QUALIFY.