Surprise, Surprise – During A Hotly Contested Niagara, Ontario By-Election, Fort Erie’s Horse Race Track Gets Stay Of Execution

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper 

This February 7^th, it was announced that the more than century old Fort Erie Horse Racing Track has been thrown anther lifeline for the 2014 season.

And of course, in a hotly contested Niagara Falls, Ontario riding by-election that includes the Town of Fort Erie and has all three major parties wanting to take credit for putting the track on life support, Niagara At Large has received media releases from the Liberal, Conservative and NDP candidates wanting to take some of the credit, or at least reminding of us why they support the track’s future.

NAL is publishing these media releases below and we will then invite you to weigh in on this news and on which party, if any, deserves credit. We will now run these releases in order of the Liberal government candidate Joyce Morocco first, opposition Tory party candidate Bart Maves second,  and third party NDP candidate Wayne  Gates. 

Morocco Welcomes FortErieRacetrack Announcement

 Fort Erie,  Ontario,  Liberal candidate Joyce Morocco made the following statement about the 2014 racing season at the Fort Erie race track: 

“I am absolutely delighted with today’s news that the Fort Erie Racetrack will have a 2014 racing season and that good local jobs have been protected.   As I’ve said this all along, Premier Kathleen Wynne was crystal clear that there was a sustainable future for the track and the hundreds of local jobs. The Premier and I met just a few weeks ago with General Manager Jim Thibert, Mayor Doug Martin, and other officials, trying to find a sustainable path forward for jobs here in Fort Erie. 

While I and the Premier have been speaking regularly with folks at the racetrack, the PCs and NDP had no plan at all.    I will continue fighting for Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, and Niagara-on-the-Lake to ensure we have a strong voice at the table with government, and that we can land on a long term plan for the Fort Erie track.

I know Fort Erie residents and businesses alike will be just as thrilled as I am with the decision today – it means jobs and a stronger local economy.”

 The following is a statement from Niagara Falls PC Candidate Bart Maves on the Fort Erie Race Track: 

“Today’s announcement of a 2014 Thoroughbred race calendar at Fort Erie is welcome news to Fort Erie and our community.

“However, none of this had to happen. If the NDP had stood up against the Liberals in 2012, there wouldn’t have been uncertainty here in Fort Erie for the last 18 months.

“The Ontario PC Party has been steadfast in our support for the Fort Erie Race Track. Tim Hudak and I have been fighting for the track for over 20 years. I was proud to be part of the Ontario PC government that brought the slots to Fort Erie that saved the race track in 1998.

“I am glad that the Liberals and NDP are following the Ontario PCs lead and recognize the importance of the Fort Erie Race Track to our community. It is a good step forward for the track and something that the Ontario PCs have been pressuring the government to do. But it doesn’t go far enough.

“If elected, I will pressure the Liberals to put the slots back at the Fort Erie Race Track and ensure that the horse racing industry has a future in Fort Erie. We are the only party that has consistently supported our proud horse racing community.”

Fort Erie horse families secure race track funding: NDP

 Fort Erie – Wayne Gates, NDP candidate for Niagara Falls, was joined by NDP Leader Andrea Horwath to announce that after constant pressure by the people of Fort Erie, the Liberal government finally announced it will support a full season of racing at the Fort Erie Race Track.

“After months of constant pressure on the Liberals by horse families, Jim Thibert, the Fort Erie City Council, and the NDP, we made this government listen,” Gates said. 

“We are proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with these groups from day one.” 

“They didn’t stop and weren’t going to stop and now the people of Fort Erie got their track back. We were happy to support them and will continue to support the people of Fort Erie long after this by-election is over.  I am committed to bringing Fort Erie’s voice to Toronto, not Toronto’s voice to Fort Erie,” said Gates. 

Andrea Horwath congratulated the people of Fort Erie.

“Today one thousand families who depend on the track can go back to work and I am very happy for them,” Horwath said. 

Gates said the Fort Erie Race Track still needs long term support to keep the track open permanently. 

“We need a long term plan for the race track so we don’t have one thousand Fort Erie families living with uncertainty year after year,” Gates said.

“I congratulate the people of Fort Erie for getting their track back and call on more people to join us, to stay with us to keep fighting to make sure we get the slots back, so the Fort Erie Race Track can stay open for good.”

Gates committed to opening and keeping a constituency office in Fort Erie if elected MPP to keep up the pressure to bring back the slots for the long term viability of the race track. 

“If the people of Fort Erie put their trust in me and elect me, I commit to opening and keeping a constituency office right here in Fort Erie. I will be here where you need me and when you need me,” Gates said.

“When Tim Hudak was the MPP for Fort Erie, he picked up and left. He closed his constituency office while he was still MPP for the people of this city. Even today, Hudak is stuck on the sidelines and delivered nothing for Fort Erie. That’s not the kind of leadership Fort Erie deserves.” 

Horwath said Wayne Gates is the leader she needs on her NDP team at Queen’s Park to deliver results for Fort Erie.

“Wayne Gates has demonstrated he gets the job done for Fort Erie. He is the strong voice we need to fight for Fort Erie’s priorities at Queen’s Park and he has shown he will make this government listen,” Horwath said. 

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