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WIWVM12,201‘IO IOU {It NA h'l'l'f HIHHUN Dunno: Cm‘nvu 83mm Katherine Parthenon 905.640-26Il F“, 905-640-8778 (1.»; LINN-7436353 DISTRIBUTION 1-855-853-56 I 3 Allka ummmm W'W 39m "muons. Matthew mmw..nm mmum mild-(hut The gym” Iopuhlimt not$mdlocdt ford-myQO EMWM Anmmmmou Rob"! lazurko Anne Becwirk Mm: wN-vmgmm YmkRnponNW (Btoup community hm Mason [mow-7mg mm Daphne Lawn”: dhuquw_mm Dmuumou Rum Phrhoco Geld Fuolucri [ETTEIS POlICY ISSUE Dun-(tron. Ammum; Advance poll numbers across 0”" M" York Region are hopefully “2:? encouraging for election day Fatima-m Damn. Editorial Follow the trend and vote today, Whitchurch-Stouffville oter turnout in Ontar- io elections has been steadily dropping since 1990 and head- lines this week about tumout at advance polls suggest- ed that trend might continue. Preliminary figures released by Elections Ontario revealed 566,845 people voted early this year. down 6 per cent from 603.785 in 2011. Given that overall voter tum- out was 48.2 per cent in 2011. down from 52.1 percent in 2007 and 64.4 per cent in 1990. the figures seem to suggest we might be on track for another record low turnout. If you dig a little deeper. howevgr. there is reason for opti. Because this is not a fixed- date election due to the minorâ€" iry government being defeated. there were seven days of advance pollingâ€" three fewer than 2011. Thatmeanstheaverage turnout per day rose more than 20.000. to 80.978. The numbers are even better in Ybrk Region. when: four of the seven saw increases not just in per- y turnout. but over- all advance voting as well. Thomhlll led the way with 7.538 advance voters. up 1,140 from 2011. York-Slmcoe. Richmond Hill and Markhamflnlonvllle also saw increases in overall turnout. Even in Newmarkm-Anrora. Oaledges-Markhamand Vaugtun.wmchsawdecxeases lnovenfladvancevodngthe Allofthisisnottbsayoierall votermmoutwilllnaeaseindfis per-day totals mannedbe 222.3. 2594 and 157.9. respectively. A Asalwaysthenlsplentyof ' noontobecynicalabout li- m'W‘oww tics.withtheUbemls in youdbenervote. gas plant. Omge and other scan- dals and the PCs being ham- mered for mathematical errors and. in recent days. accusations of misleading Liberal supporters about poll locations For its part. the NDP decided to bring down the government based on what was widely regarded as an NDP-friendly budget. claiming the real reason for its decision was the afore~ mentioned Liberal scandals. despite the fact it plopped up the Uberals throughout those However. despite the obvious flaws in each of these parties. it is imperative for democracy that you educate yourself about what party best meets your needs and values and cast a ballot. There's no need to limit yourselfto the big three parties. as you may find a candidate or party you feel will best serve you.1heteisnosuchthingasa wasted ballot. as each one sends a message to every party about what Ontarians think of them. Not voting tells them you don‘t care. which means if one or more of the big parties domi- nates the legislature â€" as they almost certainly will â€"â€" they'll continue on their current course. as that's what keeps them in If you don't care. you should. because you are required to givethemmoney.intheforrnof taxes. to provide services for you and your fellow citizens. None of us wants to see our money wasted or spent on things we don't want or need. let's hope the per-day increases in advance voting are more indicative of Ontar- ians’ desire to have their voices heard than the overall decrease. becausethebestwaytosenda message to politicians. whatever that message may be. is to vote. LETTER C)me Mayot has no business in China Re: Mawr in China to lurr made ovum. A one-million-squarvfoot trade centre in Stouffvflle? Please tell me that is artypo. October can't come soon enough to vote in a mayor and council believe in community and are not looking to sell our I fail to see how a facility of such‘ enor- mous size would enhance the town or serve its residents Memorial Park gates stupidest idea ever Whoever had the idea to install and close gates in Memorial Park obviously doesn't live in Stoufiville. as it's the stupidest thing this town has done. Even removing the tobog- gan hill in thepai'kwasn‘t as idiotic as these gatesYou take everythmsoutoftheparkâ€" seveml ball diamonds. the hill and the outdoor pool â€" now you gate it up? I don't get it. It's a road a lot of people use to get around town. especially on weekends when Main Street is clogged up It's just ridicu- lous gating up a road that's used so regularly. Ball games are rarely played in the park on week- ends and it's not like there axehundreds of people flock- ing to the glorious Memorial Park â€"- there's nothing in it! Now I have to drive through the leisure centre/ library to get home. which is full of people. mainly kids running around the parking lot. What a joke. It makes sense to gate them ,up for 5%“!me Festival find the ribfest. but other than that they should be open. Make voting easiet Re: Nam: advance poll too far away for Stouflilille voters. letter to the editor by WilfModey/unea I have great empa- thy for Mr. Morley and all seniors and anyone else unable to make their way Punusnnn Ian Proudfoot Gunman. mu Iohn Willems MICHAEL PENNANEN S'IUUFFVILLE to the advanced poll in Muiwhulth-Stoufiville. It is for this very mason that l and myfellow Sun-’l‘ri~ bune Unks' panel members spent months preparing a presentation for the current council in aid of bringing phone and lntemet voting to our town for this fall's municipal election. The clerk/returning officer agreed phone and lntemet voting should be made available to all for the advanced polls and made her recommendation known to council. Our presentation was summarily dismissed by a vote of five to one. Council- lor Clyde Smith was the only one to vote in favour. We are a physically large community. Let's make it easier. not more difficult. for all of our citizens to exer- cise their right to have their voices heard. PErhaps. as May0t Wayne Emmerson suggested at his annual lunch. it is time for new blood to take over lights not new issue Re: Husmn'on at lights. letter to the editor by Dave Brooks. lune 5 Several months ago. I brought up the issue of the lights at Weldon and Main Street.NinthUneandHoover Park Drive and Hoover Park and Reeves Way. The councillor said he would contact the toads department and have them check into the situation. I waited for a month â€"- nothing happened. Contact- ed the councillor again. He FRANK IVAN VEEN BALLANTRAE town to the highest bidder legartfless of the impact on its character. An outgoing mayor has no business going on a trade mission to (‘hina to lobby for a facility for which he does not haw strong resident backing. I am counting the days until his (10pm mm and will be asking the candidates run ning for mayor for their position on dowl opmcnt of this kind. 'Silwfi-Tribune 6290MlinSt. SUM.0N.LM 167 said he would that imu it. That was at It‘ust t\\'u months ago‘ Nuthng ltdx happened at all. 11) got I?» seconds to cum Ninth l‘nu‘ at Hoover Park while nurlh- south traffic gets thn‘o tunvx that time is insanv during the day when mmt trutl‘u~ I\ mostly east-west. 'Ihe presumptinn (m tlw pan of the “plannvrx” t\ that everybndy drivvs nurth~ south. Anytmo driving t‘tlxlA west on Main Strwt thvw days knows that is not lht‘ case. Not to mention I ltmwr 1119 world has changed around Smufivillo in the LN eight or nine yum. hm all (he brainmlsl in the municiâ€" pal offices can mnw up mth are roundabouts In wlw our traffic pmbloms. Do any of you driw a nu amund Stoufi‘villv or um um all being pulitically mm‘vl and using public trunspun? GARY REID mu IHHH Did you see (rash? l was riding my nmmn~yâ€" cle on Tenth Line nexx to the Stoufiville Country Market Saturday at ll am. when a vehicle pulled out in fmm uf me from the flea market. I laid the bike down on the road to avoid a collision. but I suffered extensive hmising and my bike is badly dam- aged. It was my first crash in SGyetmOIridlng. If you have informaâ€" tion about what happened. please send it to me through editor llm Mason (imasonw‘ yrmg.com). - LYNN KAHRKIJNG \HH Hum BILL RAILEY 811 )( WH'ILLF