Horwath Calls McGuinty On His Stance
Premier Dalton McGuinty was in rural Ontario on Tuesday, September 18 to take in the annual International Plowing Match. While his party is in the midst of delivering a controversial knockout blow to Ontario horse racing, McGuinty got up and said he wants a "strong" provincial racing industry. Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath took the opportunity to call McGuinty out on his head-scratching stance.
A video report by CHCH covering the day's festivities in Roseville captures McGuinty telling an audience that his party is "committed to getting this right, because I know we all want a strong, sustainable horse-racing industry."
Via the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.'s gaming modernization plan, the Ontario Liberal Government is in the midst of a highly controversial move to phase out the internationally-renowned slots-at-racetracks program --- a program which multiple other racing jurisdictions have modeled their programs after.
The slots-at-racetracks program has annually allowed the provincial government to rake in $1.1 billion in revenue. The program has allowed the provincial racing industry to attract foreign investment; employ in upwards of 60,000 Ontarians, and has allowed the industry to pay $261-million in annual taxes to the government.
While speaking to reporters at Roseville, Horwath took the opportunity to point out the hypocrisy in McGuinty and his words.
"Here we are in a rural community talking about farm families; talking about sustainable futures for agricultural communities," Horwath said, "and we've seen a government that has pretty-much devastated a sub-section of the agricultural economy with the decision to 'deep-six' the horse-racing industry."
(With files from CHCH)
It boggles my mind that
It boggles my mind that McGuinty has the gall to stand up at a rural gathering and say what he said. I am so angry right now, I can hardly think straight. There really must be something wrong with his cognitive skills. He has practically bankrupt the province, quite apart from the slots fiasco, while he skips around in his fantasy world.
As we are all aware
As we are all aware politicians like to float mixed messages to see which way the wind is blowing. 10 year old Lilly gets a recycled form letter to her heartwrenching letter to the premier basically saying too bad, so sad, so I turned the other cheek as I was taught as a child. Then the first standardbred sale arrived with a request for some word from the premier to help our breeders get some normalcy in the prices, but none was forthcoming so our breeders took a bath! So I was punched in the other cheek. Well guess what, the same premier at a plowing match in rural Ontario [ QUOTE- I know WE all want a strong, sustainable horseracing industry!] HUH where did this come from? Do I believe him? Am I all warm and fuzzy? Let me put it this way, I have been punched in both cheeks and only have 2 cheeks left which I was taught to keep covered. If the premier is finally telling the truth maybe I can keep these cheeks under wraps! I WISH! Please feel free to replace I to we or your name as I can only give my own opinion, as I*m not an elected spokesperson for any one else. May the sunshine return to all our hardworking lives SOON!
The NDP had the opportunity
The NDP had the opportunity to prevent this and failed by abstaining on the budget vote. Their feigned outrage is a bit too late. Ms Horvath thinks she can pick up a couple votes by bashing Dinty for something she had her hands in. When the NDP topples the government and pledges to keep horse racing in Ontario, then maybe they will deserve a bit of empathy.
McGuinty the chameleon. Out
McGuinty the chameleon. Out here in "farm country" he is all of a sudden concerned about the rural folk. No wonder---we grow them big and strong out here in farmland. Let's see how long this story lasts. By the time he gets back to the safety of his Toronto digs, he'll be telling a different set of lies. Is anyone with any sensibility listening to him anymore?
After 8 months of near
After 8 months of near silence, McGuinty choses the IPM venue to burp yesterday and tip his hand and commence what may be the biggest back pedal in the history of provincial politics. Perhaps the involvement of the AG's office investigation coupled with the unrelenting pressure from the industry and the opposition has caused a change in strategy for McGuinty. Let's hope McGuinty's education, morals, and business acumen will fend off his greed. There may be a glint of hope for this industry to salvage something and begin to rebuild if McGuinty has scruples!
Her comments here at the
Her comments here at the plowing match are refreshing to hear...BUT WHERE WAS SHE 6 MONTHS AGO ?????...Now that she has an extra seat in K-W, which is good for K-W, I sincerely hope Horwath & Hudak take Dumb McGuinty and shake sense into him for his bull shit ideas that have ruined 50% of us horsemen and rural agriculture. I sensed he has some regrets (but very small) about the devastation that he is causing but he is still not man enough to say things will be returned to the way they were...That takes Guts and he does not have them...He has Duncan, Godfrey & Tanenbaum to satisfy now in dealings with the devil...