Harness Racing Act To Be Amended

The Maritime ministers responsible for harness racing have announced that amendments to the legislation for the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission will come into effect on March 1. The legislatures of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island passed the amendments to the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission Act in the most recent sessions of each assembly.

"These amendments more clearly define the powers of the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission and remove the former references to promotion and marketing," said Mitch Murphy, Prince Edward Island's Minister responsible for Harness Racing. "This will focus the commission as a strictly regulatory body."

"The harness racing industry will be strengthened from these changes," said Gordon Balser, Nova Scotia's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. "Members and groups involved in harness racing will market and promote their own industry while the commission will focus on the integrity of the sport."

"This is a great example of co-operation among the Maritime provinces. This legislation will serve to meet the needs of industry and give greater clarity to the role and responsibilities of the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission," said New Brunswick's Finance Minister Peter Mesheau.

Established as an agency of the Council of Maritime Premiers in 1994, the commission regulates harness racing within the Maritime region. It governs and regulates harness racing and race track operations for eight member tracks, and licenses about 1,500 participants in Maritime harness racing. About $30 million was wagered in the Maritimes on horse racing in 2002.

The commission's head office is located in Kensington, P.E.I. It employs a full-time staff of two, and 19 senior and associate judges on a part-time basis to supervise live racing events, of which there were 270 in 2002.

Current Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission members are chairman George Riley and Patrick Murphy from Prince Edward Island, Donald MacLellan and Frank Balcolm of Nova Scotia, and Donald Dalling and Michael Sullivan of New Brunswick. John Blakney currently serves as director of racing.