Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 29 Sep 1993, p. 19

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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, September 29, 1993, Page 19 Uncommitted voters wait to be con vinced By Mike Kowalski Undededd about who to vote for in nert monthIs federal electon? - then .>oulrenot alone. According ta the mout reoet Gallup poiliof voter? intentons; 19 par cent of anadfians do flot ye know who they wifl support on Oct 25 Pffth bat in mind, 7heFrProesP-a aaked four undeided Ontaro ridizg votera ta tel!us what issues ar important te them and what wilJ influen ce gbar vote on electon daY. Ihe four - twu business ownesa tewcher and a fira-fime voter - have alen agreed te teil us prior teelecton day, wh o they ,çdl vo te for a nd whýy. AI Kent, owner of the Mercantile department store on Brock Street, bas ben in business in Whitby for soven years. resident Kent has tencâed to vote Liberal over the years aithough he has supportod the Progressive Conservatives In the 1988 federal election Liberal, but this time ho is not certain. 1I hae a real probiem with who they (parties) have as leaders. There's fot one I would vote for as a person," ho saidL If Montreal NP Paul Martin had defeated Jean Chretien te, become Liboral leader, thon Kent Would have no difficulty voting Liberal agamn. 'That would have been the route te an. They (Liberals) need someone fresh," As for the Tories, Kent described Prime Minier Kim Campbell as a "wolf in sheep's clothing, enother Mulroney." Cempbell was a member of the verient which invoked "free trade, eGST and ran up the deficit the last few yaars," ho said. "Thefr track record doesn't oive me reasen te voe Conservative agan. As a business person they've dona nothing ta make it easiel' for me te survive." At one time Kent oparated threa stores with 12 empioyaes, but new bas the oe business witb savon employees. 'Like bis much largar comptiters Kent bas had te "conslidate and restructure" as well. "I weuld like ta have it the other way, ta expand and bire people," ho said, whio qicky ading that Ontario's NDP governmant bas aise made life difficuit fer sinail business. Kent beliaves that "soe sort of new policy" is needed te "Ickstart" the "Thýe key is te change free trade," ho said. "Despite etatistice showing it helpe exorts, in fact it's ilhing paople. ' In my business, unless i s made in Canada ef Canadian niaterials - which we don't produce -we can't expert it." Anderson Cliegiate student Mark Rainay is casting a ballot fer the firot time. The 18-year-old Raney, who is president ef Andersen's 3~student ceuncil, ~ <y,'said his parents Shave net tried te 'influence bis > decision. " "I donte Sknow whe my Y4family votas admited. The119 deficit and "where our meney is going in general, are ameng the issues which concern Rainey. The need for more defence spending and whether it will result in cutting other p.regrms are oe exemple Rainey effared "rmn involvod in extra curriculur activities. Id hate te see that go becausa offcutbacksl," ho said. Rainey is aise concerned about Canada'e unemployment problem -- "students are worried about jobs after they get eut of scheol" - and the environnient. Ha is net attracted te, any of the party leaders at this stage. "Ail of them hava good peints, if they could just put them ail inte ena," ho salid. Tom Vandersteep, owner of David-Thomas Printing Ltd., emplys 16 people at bis Industriali ve printxgshopA business- anderstoop Svoted Tory. But this time, 'I'm waiting te 500 wbat the candidates will offer befora making up my mind" ho said. "So fer rm net im-pressed.' alVanderstoop said -xe is "amazed" that ailparty leaders have their ewn version ef "naine that tune." "They sway I can reduce the budget in two notes, I can reduce the budget in five notes ... when we al knoW realistically it can't happen," ha said. Vanderstoop was impressed with Im Campbeil's "Shoot frem the hi" stylo initiZiy, "but now she's teeing te Whl tedeficit and unemple3rment are "hiumungous probleme" which must be grappled with first, Vandersteop aise wants te beear frein the leaders en other tepice. These includo Canada's 'Imnigration problem" and "problems in the justice system, repeat offenders," said. "@They'ro ail saying what people want te hear. In this age of politicai correctness ne ene wants te rock the beat."1 Altbough Presten Manninga Reform Party eeems te, be addrossing Vanderstoopsconcýerns, ho discounts that party because it bas no candidates in Quîebec. "I feel Quebec is an integral part of Canada, therefore they won't get my vote," ho said. Vivienna Joyce bas been teaching music for five years. The Anderson Collegiato teacher usually' votes Conservative, but admits "I don t ses much difference between the POs and Liberals." However, "Ive nover voted NDP and amn net about te now," she added. JoYce said sho bas net followed the election c pain that closely, but dos feel a na a' s financial prob- deficit muet be tacled âfirat. "rd bein alot of trouble if xny outage exceeded MY incomeý," she said. liaves thora should also be hase "gevernment inter- ferenca" in smali business. While she would net describe herseif as a "pelitical parsen," Joyce said, "Thora are a few issues I g et upset about," such as "the rigbts of the unborn child. However, Joyce doas not feel parliament is the beet venue for glbti h abortion issue. "It sliould be dealt with outoide politice," she said. e e Laycox is Green Party candidate in riding By Mike Kowalski Concern for the environinent. bas prompted a Pickering man te, seek election in Ontario riding. Scott Laycox will represont the Green Party of Canada in next mont's federal election. Althougb he is making bis first attempt at public office, Laycox, 39 bas a pitical background. ffis father Clifferd, was reeve and counciliior in the fermer Pickering township prier te the advent ef regionai govrnment in 1974. While environmental concerna led te the formation of the Green Party - firet in Erp and thon North America d=in the late 1970s - Laycox insists the party is more than a oe-issue move- ment. «We don't want people te think that if it's net an envireninental problem, thont we're net their party," hasaid. oW udrsad the environ- ment can't b. looked at separately, it must be looked at as a whole. Wbatever the issue is, everything's intercennectod.» For exemple, the Green Party o ppeos the North Ainerican Free Trade Agreement because companios will locate where pol- lution contrôla are leas strinjent, such as in ]Mexico, Laycx said. <It (free trade) dïeesé pretty mucb what w. bave now, teling economic contrai away frein the people. The government is ecmin tee far removed from people,» he said. Aoceording te Laycox, govern- ment should advocate seif-suffi- ciency for every community acresa Canada. «We'd like te concentrate on SCOTT LAYCOX lobs sud industries that strong- thon communitios se, thora is hase reliance on outaide forces,» ha sad. This would include a variety of measuros such as tarifa sund trade barriers te support local business sud a shiftinig of taxes away frein individuals, Laycox said. «It bas a lot te do with taxes. We would increase taxes on pol- luters sud environmentally un- friendly producte,» ha explained. At the saima time, the party would provide incentives ta «eco- logicaly sound" and «socially useful» businesses, thereby creat- ing more employment, Laycox said. "This wouid esson the tax burden on the average person," ha clamed. Conceding that seme of bis party's views often put it at odde with industriy, especially these which dlaim the ceet of adhering te tough environmental stan- dards is tee prohibitive, L-aycox said seciety may have ne choice. «We can't afford nt to dean up. The ceet ta, people and the environniont in the long run will be mucb greater than bad we addressed the problem earlier.» However, Laycox stressed that environmentalists and business must work together on a ce- operative basis. «We can't hava big business determining anything, any more than we can have environnental- ists doing it." Whitby resident runs as Libertari an candidate A Whitby resident will repre- sent the Libertarian Party in Ontario riding in next menth's federal eloctien. George Kozaroif, 54, ie making hie second attempt at public office. I '1988, ha was the Liber- tarian candidate in Osbawa rid- Married witb five children, Kozarof bas been employed at General Moters for the past 21 years. Liberterians want lose govarn- nment interference in Canadians' lives, Kozarof says. «Libertarians believe that each individual bas the right te bis or ber own life sand this is tho source of aIl other rig'nts,» ho says n a preparod statement. ~etbave te do soething te change the direction the govern- nient has teken Canada, biq government is net the answer, Librterians feel that a emal- 1er, more efficient government would Iower taxes, Kozarof dlaims. This would result in more dis- posable inceme for coneumers, thus increasing their demand for goeds sud services and theroby creating more jobs, ho says. "W'ra about freedoin and government interference i the daily livs of people and taxes," Kozaofftol Il Pre Press. uThere il, jUst tee, nuch govern- ment in M.i country, at al levels,' ho said. Ontario riding includes Whitby south of Taunten Road, plus Ajax and Pickering. The canidates ONTARIO MIING Dv mesn- bkgSedmt val Hache - Cooemweoeh Party I1«= Jeckln - New Democratlc Party rmgbemDi- &1m n ScOtt LMycCK - Groon Party RdJOrt McMonmy - Nationa Party Gorard Maite - Natural Law Party Dan Mdroagiio - Libora Rem Sotm - Progr"eauts oear»vv Don BuDivmn - Rd(om Party PèteWoo" - AboliUmoI Party DUIJM IUDING Durk Bnilnnu~ - Chriatianatago Paity Judy Hurvld - G. uiParty bEchacilâLemand - NatuM Law vParty Ham~ Pope - Natina Party LUcy rybkâ-Boeke -NDP AIzmWpher ai" lan &nyth - Relût= Party' Roe Stevoneon-.Prograidvo Corisrvativo

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