Release horse racing report, MPPs tell McGuinty government

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2012

Release horse racing report, MPPs tell McGuinty government

(Wellington-Halton Hills) – MPPs Randy Pettapiece (Perth-Wellington) and Ted Arnott (Wellington-
Halton Hills) are calling on the McGuinty government to release the report from the government’s horse
racing “transition panel” on the future of the industry.

Minister of Agriculture Ted McMeekin was to have received that report on August 17, but has not yet
made it public or revealed any of its recommendations.

“Tens of thousands of jobs are on the line because this government arrogantly cancelled an agreement
that was working well,” said Pettapiece, referring to the Slots at Racetracks revenue-sharing
agreement. “The industry has already taken a hit, and we can’t afford to wait.”

Added Arnott: “How long does it take for the Premier to get around to reading it? They should have
released it to the public the same day they received it.”

Last week, Pettapiece and Arnott revealed that the Liberal government had already made up its mind
to kill the horse-racing industry even before it received an economic analysis.

The MPPs released a confidential report to cabinet outlining the economic impact of ending the Slots at
Racetracks program. That report is dated March 14, 2012 – two days after Finance Minister Dwight
Duncan announced he was ending the partnership between the Ontario Lottery and Gaming
Corporation (OLG) and the province’s racetracks.

Pettapiece and Arnott were highly critical of the report’s findings, saying that it dramatically understated
the true consequences of ending the program, especially in rural Ontario. That document also
acknowledged that 11 of the province’s 17 racetracks could close because of the government’s
decision.

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Ted Arnott, MPP | 519-787-5247 | www.tedarnottmpp.com
Randy Pettapiece, MPP | 519-272-0660 | www.pettapiece.ca