Protest Planned by Horse Racing Industry, Public Groups React
The Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA), angry over the Province’s recent decision to axe the Slots at Racetracks program, is organizing a rally at Windsor Raceway, one of the first tracks impacted after it was announced the Windsor slots would close.
The demonstration will take place, starting at 4:00pm this Thursday, at 5555 Ojibway Parkway.
The decision to rally comes after provincial Finance Minister and Liberal MPP Dwight Duncan announced the Windsor, Sarnia, and Fort Erie slots would close at the end of April this year. Since the announcement, outcry from the public, those working in the horse racing industry, government opposition, and local unions has grown.
In a letter to the Ontario Harness Horse Association, Sue Leslie, the President of the Ontario Horse Racing Industry, the group in charge of negotiations with the OLG and province in relation to the Slots at Racetracks program, urged OHHA president Ken Hardy to stand behind the organization in a united front, something it appears Thursday’s planned rally aims to achieve,
“It is critical we stand together now,” Leslie wrote, “because it is our only hope of turning this around before any further damage is done.”
Hardy responded by writing, “The necessity of working together on behalf of the racing industry in Ontario has never been clearer.”
Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak also recently commented on the closure of the slots facilities in Windsor, Fort Erie, and Sarnia, saying it would “spell the end of racetracks there,” and potentially cost thousands of Ontario workers their jobs, “We’re talking about thousands of private sector jobs, folks who are in the horseracing sector. I think this is the wrong decision. I think they should be focusing on creating jobs in the Province of Ontario, not putting more people out of work.”
The rally follows the public outcry from a variety of groups which continues to grow in support of the Ontario Harness Horse Association. Last week, following Tim Hudak’s letter of support, CAW National President Ken Lewenza also sent a letter to Ontario Premier and leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Dalton McGuinty, writing “I wanted to raise our opposition to the suggestions made that your government may eliminate the percentage of slot revenue directed to the horsing industry in the Province of Ontario.” Adding later in the letter to Ontario’s Premier, “60,000 jobs are associated with this industry which means 60,000 families are at risk of losing their livelihoods…”
Warren Thomas, President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union also sounded off over the decision in a letter to the OHHA stating “We join you in deep concern over the McGuinty government’s attack on the horse racing industry. How can the elimination of over 60,000 horseracing jobs possibly benefit Ontario’s financial situation? More shocking is the government’s failure to have a sustainable plan to replace these jobs or retain those about to be laid off.”
Dwight Duncan defended his party’s decision to cut the Slots at Racetracks program in Queen’s Park Monday calling the decision “difficult” but stated it was “the right thing to do.”
Although Chatham-Kent’s Dresden Raceway was not immediately impacted by the decision, Dresden Raceway is operated by Windsor Raceway, and future moves by OLG are uncertain.
Thursday’s planned rally at Windsor Raceway will not only include angry members of the horse racing industry, but also OLG workers directly impacted by the closing of local slots facilities. The rally will will begin at 4pm, Thursday at 5555 Ojibway Parkway.