In response to the social and economic uppercut that the Ontario Liberal Government is trying to throw at the Town of Fort Erie by closing the Fort Erie Racetrack slots parlour, regional councillors are banding together and are readying for an all-out fight with the McGuinty Government. “As of tonight (Monday), no more Mr. Nice Guy,” Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin has been quoted as saying
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Martin's quotes have come courtesy of an article by Ray Spiteri in the Niagara Falls Review, where he has also been quoted as saying, “We will be, as a council, in their (the McGuinty Government's) face on a daily basis, demanding answers from them. That’s what we will do.”
The OLG and the Ontario Liberals announced last week that they plan on stepping away from the provincial economic juggernaut also known as the slots-at-racetracks program (to view the wide-ranging benefits of the SAR program, click here). The move will see the livelihoods of 60,000 affected and will end the OLG's best partnership, one which has seen the provincial government receive a figuratively gift-wrapped $15-billion.
Last week's controversial OLG/Liberal announcement will result in 200 people put out of work at the Fort Erie Racetrack slots parlour alone. The track's horse-racing product, which relies heavily on the SAR program, will be put at significant risk if the parlour is closed. There is a vast number of people directly involved in the local horse-racing industry --- and those that make their living off the industry --- which will be directly affected if racing is to cease.
"I personally have a problem when I hear ... 'It's horse racing or health care, what do you want?'" councillor Bob Steckley was quoted as saying, in regard to just one of the Liberals' coy tactics in its campaign of misinformation against the horse-racing industry.
"I think that's nothing more than a bunch of B.S. They (the OLG, Liberals) talk about how revamping the gaming industry is going to create jobs without any mention about the jobs they're doing away with it, the jobs at the slots and potentially the jobs in horse racing that will come as a result of (no) slot income.
"I don't see any way that they will make up the jobs that are lost with the jobs they say they're going to create."
“To say this evening I’m mad as hell is an understatement, but I learned a long time ago when you get mad, you somewhat forget your focus, and focus is what we need at this point in time,” councillor Rick Shular was quoted as saying.
In addition to officials in the Fort Erie area, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton has also publicly backed rural Ontario's collective fight against the OLG/Liberals' push to destroy the province's historic racing industry. McNaughton represents the riding which includes Dresden Raceway, which is currently operated by Windsor Raceway, which recently had its slots closed.
“Overnight the Dalton McGuinty government is killing the industry," McNaughton was quoted as saying in an article on CKSN, the Chatham-Kent Sports Network. "It’s shameful, it’s despicable, and it’s another example of why we need change in the Ontario government.”
McNaughton went on to say, “We are going to fight like hell to make sure the Dalton McGuinty government puts forward a serious jobs plan in order to deal with the massive (provincial) debt. The issue is, we need a jobs plan from Dalton; we think he’s taking wrong approach. Sixty-thousand people could lose their jobs, and southwestern Ontario represents a large portion of folks in this industry.”
For Trot Insider's complete coverage regarding the fallout and uproar in response to the OLG and Ontario Liberals' treatment of the provincial horse-racing industry, click here.