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L \ PAGE A6 The Canadian Statesman November is, 2006 durhamiogion.com 2006 WINNER WHO WE ARE Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Janice O'Neil, Cheryl Haines Composing Managers Todd Blayone Interactive Media Manager The Canadian Statesman » 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 • Phone 905-579-4400 • Classifieds 905-576-9335 • Distribution 905-579-4407 • General Fax 905-579-2238 • Newsroom Fax 905-579-1809 • E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com durhamregiore.con EDITORIAL e mail letters to newsroom « durhamreqion.com Change is the word at Clarington council The winds of change blew through Clarington over the last few weeks delivering a radically different council to the Municipal Hall for the next four years. Voter interest was high in this election, reflected in an impressive impressive -- for municipal politics anyway anyway -- 40.3 per cent turnout. And voters, in large numbers, wanted new faces in new places for Clar- , ington. The biggest winner on the night was local businessman Jim Aber- nethy, who declared his intentions intentions to challenge incumbent John Mutton early, and ran a solid, well-organized campaign. Mr. Abernethy whipped Mr. Mutton Mutton and challenger Jim Schell taking a whopping 11,204 votes or nearly 50 per cent of ballots cast. He left Mr. Mutton and Mr. Schell in the shade. ndeed, the second and third place finishers won fewer votes combined than did Mr. Abernethy. Abernethy. Only three of six councillors return from the current council. . Regional wards 3 and 4 councillor Charlie Trim beat back the challenge challenge of environmentalist Linda Gasser while Ward 1 rep Adrian Foster and Ward 4 councillor Gord Robinson had little trouble ' in regaining their local seats. It was quite a different story in the other wards where three seats were up for grabs and there were very strong races for all three of them. , Mary Novak returns to council after a six-year absence as the new representative for Regional wards 1 and 2. The veteran politician came out ahead of Don MacArthur who stepped up from his local Ward 2 slot to take a shot at the regional seat and former Durham Regional Police chief Kevin McAlpine. Mr. MacArthur's decision led to an eight-way fight to replace him, but the bathe easily went to downtown businessman Ron Hooper. And, finally, inWard 3, local volunteer Willie Woo took the honours to sit at the council table for the next four years. And those will be interesting times in Clarington. Mayor- elect Abernethy made no bones about his distaste for much of the council spending, especially on recreation and the Total Hockey museum. If he can garner enough council support, Clarington will likely see a big slowdown in new projects and a return to attempts at zero tax increase budgeting. It remains to be seen where the six new councillors stand on such issues. The new mayor will have a steep learning curve as well. With no political experience, he'll have to quickly come up to speed on how municipal and regional politics operate. He would be well-served to sit down with the gracious Mr. Schell, who can offer valuable tips on how things work. The voters demanded change and they got it in spades, CLICK AND SAY K Today's question: Cast your vote online at infodurhamregion.com Which of the following methods would you prefer as a way to increase voter participation ? Mail-in voting Phone-in voting Internet voting In-person voting • Results in next week's newspaper HAVE YOUR SAY " Whatdo you think of mail-in \ Last week's question: Do you think we do enough to honour our veterans and remember our war dead? Yes 21.4% -- No. 78.6% Votes cast: 351 Barbara Cochrane ■ "I don't mind it. You don't have to ask for a ride and I can put it in my mailbox." Betty Luxton "I prefer things in person." j5/f/ ? Joelle Morey "I think that the steps involved in returning the ballot might be confusing to people and as a result their vole might not count." Gloria Whyte "I think it is easier. You don't have to pick a special evening." LETTERS We welcome letters that include name, city of residence and phone numbers for verification. Writers are generally limited to 200 words and one submission in 30 days. We decline announcements, poetry, open letters, consumer complaints, congratulations and thank you notes. The editor reserves the right to edit copy lor length, style and clarity. The newspaper contacts only those people whose submissions have been chosen for publication. Fax: 905-579-1809; e-mail: newsroom@durhamregion.com •• ABOUT US The Canadian Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanvillc Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Audit Board and the Onlarlo Press Council. The publisher reserves the right lo classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit lor advertisement limited to space price error occupies, Editorial and Advertising content of lire Canadian Statesman is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited, publications Mail Registration No, 07637 jyxma (*cna pa dolighan.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Development density now much higher To the editor: Re: Slightly lower density for Newcastle Newcastle subdivision, pet. 13. It was reported that the developer altered lots on the Massey Street extension between King Avenue and a not-yet-named street to be ' increased from 10 metres to 15 metr es, suggesting that the devèlop- er had given into residents' concerns. What wasn't said was that of 540 units in the original draft proposal approved in 2004,389 or 72 per cent were to be 15-metre single detached lots. In the revised plan of 665 units this number was reduced to 145 or 21.8 per cent, representing a reduction of 62.7 per cent. The rëvised plan calls for 435 or 65.1 per cent of the lots to be 10-to 12-metre single detached units compared compared to the original plan of 20 units or 3.7 percent. This is a classic "bait and switch" tactic used by developers to simply increase their profits. The article states that the revised plan is only slightly lower density, when in fact the 125-house increase represents a 23.1 per cent increase in the number . COLUMN . ' r e-mail letters to newsroom@durliamregion.com ' Dave Foster/Citizens'Eye From the last Oshawa Generals' game at the Civic Auditorium. Check out more photos from the final Gens game at the Civic online at www. citizenseye.com. 7 ■ of houses, much larger than the eight per cent claimed by the developer. Concerns over lack of sidewalks for children and an already high traffic accident area seem to be ignored not only by our local councillor, Gord Robinson, stating it would pass with or without his support, but also by Mayor John Mutton whose comments comments were to praise the developer as being credible and the potential cost of an appeal to the OMB. , We wonder what it cost the municipality municipality for this amendment? It should be noted Charlie Trim was tire sole member of council , opposed to the amendment. Cameron Mountenay David Rochon Clarington e-mail tkelly@duihaimegion.com ' Let's go in warm weather next time Fall is just about the worst time of year to have an election. Having just gone through almost everything mother nature could throw at us including gale force winds, slashing rain, threats of snow and ever-decreasing amounts of sunlight, it's a wonder we're all here to welcome a new raft of municipal representatives. The Province did everybody a favour by decreeing that municipal reps now will serve four-year terms instead of three. It takes rookies a good ycar or two to find their feet on council and it didn't seem sensible to have them . back in election mode about the time they hit their stride. Like the Summer Olympics or the World Cup of Soccer, once every four years is plenty for municipal election campaigns. campaigns. The next step, and because it almost makes too much sense it likely won't happen, is to move the municipal election from November to June. There are a tonne of reasons to make this move hut I'll name the most obvious: 1) It's the weather, stupid. Imagine campaigning on warm, May days as the grass is growing, the leaves are coming into bloom and the sun is shining, Sure there would he a hit of rain, hut nothing like the ice pellets we've had the past lew Tim Kelly weeks. People are always in a better mood in May/June than in October/ November. Why? Because summer is on the way instead of winter. ' . 2) Let the light shine down. Starting next March, daylight savings savings time will start three weeks earlier earlier and end one week later. So there will be more light earlier in the year. Those who wish to get campaigning just after March break for a third-Monday-in-June election, election, will have the chance to do so. And by May and June there is plenty of light. Instead of happening near to the shortest day of the year - Dec. 21 - the election will be close to the longest day of the year - June 21. People are more willing lo open their doors when it's still light out and candidates feel more comfortable comfortable knocking on those doors when they can easily see and he seen. 3) Signs have a better chance of going the distance. Think about the battering election signs take and the cost to candidates candidates to replace them. In the spring there would be no Halloween sign massacre to worry about and the howling twisters we , typically get in October and November November do not take place. At a cost of about $5 a sign, weather weather and vandalism take a toll on a candidate's campaign funds. . 4) People arc more likely to vote. With voting number percentages hovering in the low 30s, anything we can do to kick up interest and increase voting must be carefully considered. With better weather the spring rule rather than the autumn exception, a few more people might head to the polls. The next provincial government government will be elected in just over 10 months. It will (hen have a year or so to come up with a provincial law mandating quadrennial June municipal elections. As happened with the four-year term for local reps, let's hope good sense prevails and we change our election date. It would he best for all concerned with (lie democratic process. Copy editor Tim Kelly's column appears every other Wednesday, limait limait lkelly@diirhamreglon.com