No good business sense in closing slots at racetracks

Taking a stand on the future of Ontario’s horse industry

This article appeared on the July 31st Editorial page of the Guelph Mercury.  It was written by Susan Farrelly, a Mercury Community Board Member. 

It takes a lot of courage when an individual, group of individuals or a corporation stand up for something they believe in, especially when it involves raising public awareness.
I witnessed this recently through the actions of my friend, Christie (Powell) Portwood, who wrote a moving letter to the editor of the Guelph Mercury, published on July 11, about the impact of ending the slots-at-racetracks program in Ontario. She has since become a very strong local advocate on this issue, using social media as a platform, further educating myself and her extended network of contacts on this important issue.
As we know, it sometimes takes a “village” to impact positive change.
During the day, I work for the County of Wellington. I am proud to say the county is taking a very strong stance, and leadership role, in educating the public and the provincial government against ending the slots program.
On May 29, a public meeting was hosted by the county for individuals concerned about the future of horse racing in Ontario and the impact of the slots removal from the racetracks on local industry. More than 250 people attended this meeting, led by Warden Chris White. At this meeting, Robert Wright, a veterinarian and renowned horse specialist, made a presentation on the economic impacts of horse racing provincially and in Wellington County.
The county moved forward in compiling the information obtained at this meeting and preparing a report on the impacts of cancelling the slots at the racetracks program. A five-minute documentary film (which will be screened Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Bookshelf cinema in Guelph) was also created, showing the human side of what is going to happen if the slots are removed from the racetracks in Ontario. Local individuals and business owners were interviewed for the film, including breeders, veterinarians, trainers, a café owner, a local mechanic and more.
Make no mistake, the province of Ontario will have much to lose if it moves forward with this initiative.
Over the past 14 years, the horse-racing industry in Ontario has benefited from the Ontario government’s several revenue-sharing agreements. Through these agreements, the government receives back 75 per cent of the net revenue from slots, with the remaining revenue being split between track owners (10 per cent), horse owners (10 per cent) and host municipalities (five per cent). Since 2004, as a result of the revenue-sharing agreement, Wellington County has received proceeds in excess of $3.5 million, and Centre Wellington Township, where the Grand River Raceway in Elora is located, has received proceeds to date of more than $12,344,000. The provincial government has received millions of dollars in tax revenue from these agreements to date, funding programs such as health care and education.
Ending the slots-at-racetracks program does not make good business sense.
Of the biggest concern locally is how much the residents of Ontario, and specifically the rural areas in our region, will have to lose if the slots are ended at the racetracks. There is so much money infused into Wellington County due to the strength of the horse-racing industry. Local businesses experience the benefit of having an influx of visitors to the area, investments are made in horses and infrastructure, and local businesses benefit both in hospitality and businesses ancillary to the horse-racing industry.
If the government moves forward with ending this slots program, businesses will close, jobs will be lost, families will suffer.
Ontario will lose.
After Tuesday, the county-developed documentary Restore the Programme, along with the report, will be available on the county’s website at www.wellington.ca. The county will be sending the documentary on disc, along with the written report, to all MPPs in Ontario.
View the video. Educate yourself. Share the video with your extended network. Raise awareness. Contact your local MPP, and remember: It takes a “village.”

Milton's Older Adult Strategy

Older adults are far more active than their parents, and their parents before them.  In fact, ask any "older" adult and they'll tell you that it's only the packaging that's changed -we're still the same person inside. 

Ensure active opportunities remain part of our future by having a say in the Town's Older Adult Strategy..

Follow-up Public Input Session
Review and provide feedback on the draft recommendations established after public input sessions held in April.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Milton Seniors' Activity Centre, 500 Childs Dr.

Your input on program interests, expectations and opportunities will help the Town understand the impact the growing older adult population will have on local recreation services.

If you are unable to attend, you can still review the recommendations and share your comments after the session until June 27 at: www.milton.ca/en/play/olderadultstrategy.asp
 
Spread the Word!
Help reach as many older adult residents as possible by forwarding this message to generate community awareness of the Older Adult Strategy.

Additional Information
For more information, online surveys and Older Adult Strategy progress updates, visit www.milton.ca/en/play/olderadultstrategy.asp or call 905-878-7252, ext. 2529.

Canadian Way of Life Under Threat

There are serious concerns about the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Click here for the top ten reasons why CETA is bad for Canada.

The potential impacts to our society are huge - long-ranging and far-reaching. Interested in shopping local?  Our municipal, provincial, and federal procurement policies will be seriously at risk. 

Every level of government could be impacted by this legislation and that's why I've sent emails to Milton councillors, Ontario Premier McGuinty's office, Bob Rae's office, MPP Ted Chudleigh, MP Lisa Raitt and the Milton Canadian Champion.

If CETA is so good for the country, why is it being negotiated in the dark.   We must shine the light on CETA, and have fair discussion on all its ramifications before it's passed.  Once passed there will be no going back. We will be unable to un-do this action.

My signature on all my outgoing email says:  The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.
If we make this single step (passing CETA) easy for the federal government, it will change our country as we know it.  Every step after that will be difficult.

We as a nation need to make a decision:  do we want to have control over our policies and programs or do we surrender this sovereignty to multi-national corporations and foreign governments? 

Our Canadian way of life is under threat as it never has been before.

Are you sitting on your BUT?

On February 28^th, I attended Milton Toastmasters’ 30^th anniversary where I heard one of the best speakers ever!

Susan Lamb-Robinson was the most amazing, and motivating, speaker.  She came out on stage and immediately spoke about having a big BUT.  My first thought was: “uh,oh a weight loss speech!” But, no. She continued on, that a great many of us have big BUTS. That we all sit around on our BUTS….

·         I could have been xxx BUT…

·         I could have got that job, BUT…

·         I would have done xxx, BUT…

·         I could have had xxx, BUT…

We’re all sitting on those BUTS instead of doing something.  We're letting those BUTS hold us back. It was an AHA! moment for me. Her message got my mind racing.  What BUTS were holding me back?  I may have accomplished a few things in my life so far BUT are there BUTS preventing me from achieving other goals?  

Let’s get rid of our buts. Let’s not leave any regrets behind us.

We had breakfast with friends a few days after hearing Susan speak.  I’ll give him the initial “B” for now.  After years of thinking and talking about it, “B” is getting off his BUT and going into business for himself. Sometimes it takes a lot of guts to get off our BUTS. The transition hasn’t quite happened, that’s why I’m sticking with just an initial for him just now.  Good luck, “B”.  I know you will do well.

If your company or group needs a motivational speaker, I can’t recommend Susan Lamb-Robinson highly enough.  She’s overcome a lot of diversity in her own life in order to put her BUTS behind her.

Thank you, Susan!

Women's Liberal Club

In an effort to make our area of the Liberal party more relevant, I am starting up a Milton Women's Liberal Club under the Women's Liberal Commission.  The first event will be a breakfast meeting:  7:30, March 8 - the International Day of Women.  There will be a speaker, discussion about moving forward, setting future meeting dates, etc..

By meeting as women, we find a common ground for our interests and our needs in order to move forward. By forming a group, we have a stronger opportunity for a voice in the future.

If you are interested in attending the first meeting, please let me know as soon as possible.  Details will follow as as we determine attendance numbers.

Canadian-made - going, going, gone!

There is an interesting column in today's Toronto Star by Martin Cohn
 http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1126357--cohn-how-canada-let-caterpillar-strip-a-plant-clean?bn=1http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1126357--cohn-how-canada-let-caterpillar-strip-a-plant-clean?bn=1


This didn't start with Caterpillar and certainly won't end there.  Sunworthy Wallcoverings of Brampton, one of the very very few profitable wallpaper manufacturers was bought out by an American company.  They took all the money out of it, stripped and gutted the facility, left it bankrupt....another manufacturing company lost in the abyss.  Although there was no government money involved, many many local jobs were lost, employee pensions lost their value, etc..

I appreciate that the Sunworthy case is a bit different given the government dollars poured into the one (Caterpillar) and not the other but it's part of the overall picture of Canada's loss of manufacturing structure, making us more and more dependent on other countries, whose best interests don't include those of Canadians.

Voting in Canada – or lack thereof!

I read a comment that said our vote is our weapon.  So why aren’t more people using that weapon, a weapon that is free (our ancestors already having fought for our right to vote), and takes only a few minutes to wield, instead of letting others speak for them?  To say, “my vote doesn’t matter”, is only an excuse not to vote.

Some of the non-voter turnout is due to a lack of engagement by the community, in the community – people are more transient than years ago.  Residing in an area for only 2-4 years, they don’t get to know who their representatives are, or who is running, what the issues are, etc.  Others just aren’t engaged in community matters: they don't feel anyone is listening, so they don't reach out.

I was elected to VP Membership for Halton Federal Liberal Association on December 8, 2011: my goal is to increase membership in the riding.  Liberals have less than three years to get better organized at the grass roots level, to “engage” the community, create better reasons to “wield those weapons”.

We need to create a dynamic organization, one that lets people know their voices are being heard and that their voices really matter.  I would be interested in people’s constructive ideas and suggestions about rebuilding membership.