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The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 13, 2006 - 3 Bonnie Brown Terence Young Liberal incumbent seeks return to Ottawa By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Former MPP says people a re" fed up" By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Just like the TVads say... the lowest unem ployment rate in years, lots of new jobs, eight straight balanced budgets and a healthy sur plus with which to make investment choices According to Bonnie Brown, that' s why Oakville residents should vote for her and Prime Minister Paul Martin to return to power in Ottawa. "I served during a period when we had to cut back. I served through the next period in which we had to consolidate our financial posi tion. Now we're on solid ground and are deal ing with large surpluses and I want to be there to reinstate services," said Brown, who has served as an MP in Oakville since 1993. What local voters expect from a new feder al government appears unclear. "I'm having trouble eliciting from people what their top concerns are," admitted Brown. While door-knocking on the campaign trail Brown said she asks residents how they and their family are doing. Most, she reports, are doing well. There is the occasional concern about finding a job, but with unemployment at its lowest level in 30 years, Brown is confident that isn't a major worry. Unlike the last time Brown was knocking on doors in June 2004, she said hasn't heard. that health care remains a major worry. `We've already moved on health care with our $41.2 billion transfer to the provinces to strengthen the system," said Brown. Nor is crime that big an issue at the doors. It' s education that Brown is concerned with -- a field in which former Conservative Ontario premier Mike Harris made cuts-- and a major reason why Ontario may be seeing vio lent crime, according to Brown. While the federal government has a hand in preschool and post secondary education, it also has a responsibility to See that the provinces have enough money to restore services, partic ularly at the high school level, that were cut. Brown explained there is an entire group of young adults who faced a new curriculum and no support system if they struggled. "We have a whole generation, or at least a decade of kids, who were not supported through their high school years," said Brown. It helps explain how young adults have left school with no plan for the future, no hope of achieving, have then found each other, and trouble by attempting to make money illicitly. Brown backs her party's call for tougher gun laws and special police squads to target gun crimes. However, it must be supported by social and educational programs aimed at redirecting and preventing young people from turning to crime. Some residents are "curt," or just plain mad, at the doors, and Brown said she assumes it's over the scandal in Quebec. She counters that most of the thousands of people in the Liberal party, including local MPs, had nothing to do with it, though those who managed to line their pockets with ill-gotten cash gave the entire party a black eye. Brown, however, claims the Irish blood in her veins primes her for a fight and warns vot- RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER Oakville Liberal candidate and incumbent MP Bonnie Brown ers not to be "fooled" by Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper's more moderate pres-. entation. ·--"I'm not convinced he' s more moderate," said Brown, noting she's heard too many pre pared speeches in the House of Commons to be swayed. The Toronto-born Brown moved here on Canada Day in 1970. Educated in Etobicoke, at the University of Western Ontario and then Teachers' College, Brown taught in Halton before becoming a school board trustee, munici pal and regional councillor. Browri worked for an MP after losing her first bid for the local federal seat in 1988, but has been in Ottawa since 1993 when a tide of Liberal red washed over Ontario and Canada defeating Brian Mulroney and rendering to Progressive non-party status the Conservatives. Having served on the local health council and hospital board, Brown has chaired the cau cus committee on SocialPolicy, was a Parliamentary Secretary for twoyears, and chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health. Known for her independent views, Brown, was an ardent Chretien loyalist, spoke against the war in Iraq, and has favoured environmen tal improvement legislation. At home, she has advocated for federal sup port of the Bronte Outer Harbour, Oakville Heritage Trails, Sheridan College, housing for the homeless, the arts, hundreds of local busi nesses including the auto sector, and assisted thousands of requests about passports, pen sions and immigration. Brown' s campaign office is at 649 Fourth Line, at Speers Road. Call 905-844-4567, visit www.bonniebrown.org or e-mail BBrown@liberal2006.ca. Voltes Oakville FED f ELECTION Terence Young says that among-the myri ad reasons to vote for him in the upcoming federal election is the fact that his experience and skills - and the integrity he's shown to date - make him uniquely qualified to be. Oakville's next Member of Parliament. "My life has been training me for this job," said Young, 53, the riding's Conservative Party of Canada candidate. For example, as the son of an Anglican minister, Young says he was "always on pub lic display" and as a result is very comfortable being around, and dealing with, people. He also has 25 years experience in business and was an Ontario MPP for .four years. Young - currently president of his own government relations and business consult ing firm Policy Alliance Inc. - also founded Drug Safety Canada, a national advocacy group that works for the safe use of prescrip tion drugs, after the tragic death of his BARRIE ERSKINEI OAKVILLE BEAVER daughter Vanessa in 2000. Oakville Conservative candidate Terence Young In that role, Young says he habitually takes on large drug companies and so doing ing was eliminated due to riding redistribu flies in the face of the perceived stereotypical tion. Young lost the nod to represent the Conservative, who slavishly backs big busi provincial Progressive Conservatives in the ness. What he does support in his pursuit of newly-created riding of Oakville that year to. the public interest are ethical corporations. Gary Carr, a former Tory and current federal Speaking of ethics, Young maintains that Liberal incumbent in the riding of Halton. while many issues are important factors in After focusing on his own business and this election, integrity and Drug Safety Canada for several years, Young trust in .government also plays an important part. In said he was drawn back into politics not just knocking on doors, he main because local'Conservatives asked him to run tains voters are saying "never but - like leader Stephen Harper and count less other Canadians - he's disturbed by again" to the Liberals. s been transpiring in Ottawa. His own "People are fed up and what' have had enough," said the personal beliefs also matched those of the 20-year resident of Oakville party. That's why he's proud to promote the and father of two, alluding to such money-wasting deba Conservative platform, which his campaign cles as the sponsorship scan literature boils down to several vital qualitydal, gun registry and Human of-life issues: healthcare, seniors, child care, Resources Development lower taxes and offering a strong voice for his constituents. Canada. "I want to put Oakville on the map in In addition, Young says that all Canadians need and Ottawa like I did at Queen's Park," said deserve a "dynamic econo Young, a past volunteer for everything from my," reduced wait times for healthcare serv the United Way and Crime Stoppers to the ices, a decreased tax burden and much more. . Glen Abbey Residents Association. Preserving safe streets, especially in light Young' s first ,foray into politics occurred in 1974 when - as a 19-year old student of Toronto's gun carnage, is similarly vital. between his second and third-year of univer Young said he wept when he first heard of the sity - he ran as an independent Parkdale can 15-year old shot dead on Boxing Day but didate in that year's federal election. (He added that Oakville - with its recent shoot earned 144 votes and beat the Marxist- ings, 2004 home invasion and other crime is not immune. Leninist and Communist candidates.) "This is totally unacceptable," he said, Decades later, in 1995, Young wrested the Halton Centre seat from two-term Liberal adding that he worries every day about the incumbent Barbara Sullivan. He was soon safety of his daughter attending school in the sworn in as Parliamentary Assistant to city. As a result, Young is calling for tough Education Minister John Snobelen and later appointed chair of the Standing Committee mandatory sentences for violent criminals, gun runners and drug dealers - changes he on Finance and Economic Affairs. "I worked very hard," said the former Bell said must be implemented in parallel with Canada executive, who is especially proud of social programs to help break the cycle of his record of customer service with his con hopelessness. Terence Young's campaign office is locat stituents while serving as MPP. Young represented Halton Centre, which ed at 1029 Speers Rd. He can be reached at 905-845-0392 or ter-. included north Oakville, at Queen's Park from 1995 until 1999, at which time the rid- ence@terenceyoung.com.