HHI Supports Ontario Horsemen
December 30, 2008
On Tuesday, December 30, 2008, the Executive Board of Harness Horsemen International met by telephonic conference call and unanimously adopted the following resolution;
"Harness Horsemen International pledges all of its resources and support for our fellow horsemen and horsewomen in Ontario as they work through this very difficult contract negotiation with the Woodbine Entertainment Group. H.H.I. unequivocally supports O.H.H.A. and all Ontario horsemen who have been left with no other alternative than to withhold their entries starting with the January 1, 2009 racing program.
W.E.G.’s demand that O.H.H.A. abandon their responsibility that ensures its member’s due process rights is offensive and unacceptable. If O.H.H.A. or any other horseman’s association were to do what W.E.G. is demanding they would be abdicating the most fundamental responsibility of a horsemen’s association. Due process is an inalienable right enjoyed by all horsemen, Canadian and American alike, to surrender that would reduce horsemen to second class citizens and that is never an option. O.H.H.A. is protecting its membership by establishing sufficient racing opportunities and simulcasting revenues necessary to maintain a vibrant and healthy agriculturally based Standardbred industry in the province of Ontario and throughout Canada. H.H.I. supports O.H.H.A. and their actions needed to protect their members and their rights!"
H.H.I. is a trade association made up of various harness horsemen associations throughout the United States and Canada. Currently H.H.I. represents horsemen from Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. |
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