Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott rose in the Ontario legislature for the equine industry recently.
On May 31, Arnott called upon the provincial government to focus on the urgent priorities that really matter to Ontarians.
“We have a jobs crisis in the province of Ontario. We have huge issues with respect to energy-and, of course, wind energy is a big issue in many ridings in the province of Ontario. We have the equine industry,” said Arnott.
On May 29, he and Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece attended a meeting hosted by Wellington County Warden Chris White to discuss the Dalton McGuinty government’s decision to end the slots at racetracks program.
Arnott said, “I had the opportunity … to attend a big public meeting in Wellington County that was organized by the warden of Wellington county, Chris White, and the county council. There were hundreds of people there who were very, very concerned about the potential devastation of the equine industry because of the government’s decision to end the slots-at-racetracks program.”
Arnott again called upon the government to reconsider its decision and to listen to the concerns of rural Ontario.
“Clearly, the government is not listening, but we would urge particularly the members of cabinet, who have an opportunity to speak in the inner sanctum, behind closed doors in the cabinet meetings, to seriously re-evaluate this issue, because I believe it’s going to cost taxpayers more than what it will save, if anything,” Arnott said.
He has supported the equine industry and has raised the issue in the legislature in the past. In April he also visited Woodlands Farm near Hillsburgh to see first hand the impact the government’s decision would have on the industry.
Arnott concluded, “I think in fact it’s going be shown to be one of the big boondoggles of the provincial government at the appropriate time when we see the books after the next government takes office.”
