Archived Letter - 420

Murray Golds lack of knowledge of the Ontario race horse industry is evident. The industry is profitable and viable as it stands and provides 1.1 billion in profit from SAR, injects another 2.5-3 billion into the economy, is labour intensive and provides a positive social and historical value to racetrack communities.(2012 transitional panel) Successive Ontario governments for the last 15 years have made SAR part of the industry so they could share racetrack sites and fans.       At the few tracks that SAR is only marginally profitable they still provide full,part time and spin off tax paying jobs. They are also the breeding grounds for future horses and horse people to get their start and supply future talent for the bigger and more profitable tracks.     Golds praises the American business mentality and if what he believes is true why are states like New York,Ohio,and Pennsylvania among others pouring hundreds of millions into new and existing racetrack/casino partnerships and moving away from stand alone casinos. This is the opposite of OLG's plan is it not.

John Gaskell