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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 30, 2007 - 15 Poland comes up winner with Green Party By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Oakville Green Party's search for a candidate is over. Blake Poland, a professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Toronto and long-time Oakville resident, emerged victorious from an environmental clash of the candidates during which he took on the best Oakville's Green Party had to offer. "I'm delighted, I'm very happy to have the confidence of the membership here and I'm really looking forward to working with the membership and the other candidates to really raise our profile in the Oakville area," said Poland, after Green Party members voted him in during a meeting last Wednesday. Facing stiff competition from rival contenders Andrew Chlobowski and Marion Schaffer, Poland demonstrated his superior public speaking abilities when candidates were asked to speak about themselves, as well as on a variety of topics ranging from local environmental concerns to Canada's role in the Middle East. "Many people out there, even ship with the Green Party's leadership to make a great candidate. Schaffer, a retired minister and teacher, argued that being a senior put her in a position to understand a key demographic of Oakville's population that votes in large numbers. The passion in Schaffer's voice, as she talked about rising cancer rates among Canadians, also showed the audience that she was a great motivator. After each candidate had made their case, the 43 party members, who had viewed the presentation, moved towards two green voting stations where they filled out ballots and deposited them in a green ballot box. The votes were counted up immediately afterwards and Poland was declared the winner. Schaffer showed no bitterness towards Poland after his victory. "I'm very pleased because the breadth of Blake's knowledge is phenomenal and he has integrity. I admire him greatly and I am looking forward to working with him very very much," she said. "I never ever thought of being a politician. I was approached by Andrew Chlobowski some within the Green Party, see the Green Party as a one issue party and its true polls indicate we are the most credible on the environment, but few know we have just as strong a platform on social issues, women's issues, participatory democracy, health care, foreign policy, the economy," said Poland during his speech. "We can't afford to be dismissed as a fringe party, as a kind of social club for tree huggers, because that's how we're seen in some areas." Besides making promises to at least triple the votes, membership, and volunteer base of the Green Party in Oakville, Blake Poland Poland gave the audience of would-be voters a taste of the action he would bring as representative. "I signed up 31 new members in 10 days and raised over $2,000 for the party in that period," said Poland to the applause of those present. "This is just the beginning .You haven't seen anything yet." Poland also showed that his knowledge was not just confined to environmental issues when he spoke about Canada's role in Afghanistan. "Canada has a long history of peacekeeping, it's one of the most cherished aspects of our international identity that this is Marion Schaffer a role we play," said Poland. "My understanding of peacekeeping is keeping other people from killing each other not what we're doing now which is joining George Bush's war on terror and mounting a more active military campaign. I think we've stepped beyond peacekeeping in Afghanistan so that's an issue we have to address." The other candidates carried out equally impressive presentations. Chlobowski, whose bio states he owns the biggest Polish bakery in Canada, made the point that he had the environmental knowledge, the knowledge of Oakville and the good relation- See Trio page 16 prepare an easter feast BEEF TENDERLOIN DECORATED GLAZED ROAST rget! Don't Fo ER! WE CAT e of ic Your Cho ys or a Party Tr eals! M Cooked HAM FRESH LEG OF LAMB BONE-IN HAM AM RIB ROAST PRIME GOOD FRIDAY & EASTER MONDAY FROM 9 to 5 PM WE'RE OPEN! RACK OF LAMB THIRD LINE 905-825-8357 Specials valid one week only January 26 to February 10/07. Valid at the Oakville store only. Bruno's reserves the right to limit quantities. OPEN SUNDAY ABBEYWOOD DR. NORTH SERVICE RD. W