WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2,1987, PAGE 15 >N 1987 LIBERAL CANDIDATE Allan Furlong puts a sign on a lawn as two youngsters look on. Free Press photo Furlong strives to turn Tory votes By MIKE JOHNSTON The race for a seat in Durham Centre actually began for Liberal candidate Allan Furlong in 1984 when the first talk of redistribution began. "I had always intended to run sometime and I never thought I could do well in a riding such as Durham East. So when the new riding (Durham Centre) was created and it was urban, the lob- bying and politics began." Furlong had to go up against Brian Evans who ran for the Liberals in Durham West in 1985. Furlong defeated Evans at the nomination meeting last year. "I started signing up members in December," says Furlong, adding that he and Evans increased the Liberal membership to 1,400 from 225 in 198ý. Furlong, an Oshawa lawyer, believes the race will be a close one between all three parties. "We have to turn around about 2,500 votes in Durham Centre. So if we let up, we're dead." He also believes having no incumbent is a help for his campaign. "George Ashe, a Conservative, who used to hold Whitby would have been better known. And he had developed a following." He says his campaign is cutting into that Conservative vote and many new people moving to the riding did not know Ashe. "Durham Centre is a lot closer than the polls show. The Tories have a good base, have money and have the organization. But so do we," says Furlong. Another factor that may decide the riding is the leaders, according to Furlong. "If either of the party leaders do something stupendous or make a mistake, that will affect the riding." Furlong claims even the Tories perceive David Peterson as having done a good job. Furlong says his wife Mary was reluctant at first when he decided to seek the nomination but since thën she has been caught up in the race and is working on the cam- paign from their home with their two children, Katie and Michael. "It is also more comforting to me knowing she is with the kids," says Furlong. His campaign chairman is Judi Longfield. She is employed by the Liberal party as an area co- ordinator looking after 27 ridings ranging from Yonge St. to Peter- borough. However, for this campaign, she has taken a leave of absence although she does help run the Liberal campaign in Durham West riding. Longfield has 17 chairmen, who report to her. "They are experienced in what they do, but, ultimately, it is my decision. But we would never do anything Allan would not approve of." According to Longfield, summer is a bad time to hold an election. "People just are not interested. If you go to someone's air-conditioned house they don't want to be bothered by someone at the door for more than 30 seconds. "But since the temperature has dropped the interest level has risen and our canvassers are also feeling more comfortable." Longfield says about 197 people are working on the campaign with 50 more doing odd jobs. It is through those people that the Liberal message will hit every home in Durham Centre at least twice, says Furlong who expects to personally get to 120of the 182 polls. "I am trying to get to every poll but it is just not possible." During the first few weeks of the campaign, Furlong says one of the issues mentioned most frequently by people was the refugee problem. "I think that was because it was always in the papers. Another federal problem he has been asked about is the Oshawa airport being open all night. He says that is also a concern to him since he lives 200 yards from the runway. "I'm not convinced they need to keep it open all night for emergen- cy flights," he says, adding it should be closed between 11 p.m. and7 a.m. He also says the issue of bringing the GO tiain to Oshawa was created by Oshawa councillors. Last week* premier David Peter- son, visiting Whitby, confirmed the GO Train wil be extended to Oshawa by 1990 or 1991. Ball makes bid with hard work, local emphasis By MIKE JOHNSTON Stephanie Ball believes the best way to overcome the popularity of David Peterson is to work hard and meet as many people in the Durham Centre riding as possible before the Sept. 10 election. "I want to bring the issues down to a local level," says Ball as she wound her way through a north Oshawa neighborhood last week. She refuses to believe published polls showing the Liberals ahead of the Conser- vatives and NDP mean much in Durham Centre. "I have had a good response when I knock on doors. I donÃ't think the polls apply to this area," she says racing up another step without losing a stride. "If I was hearing anything bad like that at the doors it would be tough. But I really have had few negative respon- ses." She delivers her pitch, asking the homeowner, who happens to sport a Liberal sign on his front lawn, to consider supporting her in the election. Bal makes it a point to per- sonally canvass any house with another party's sign. "There are more than one voter in most houses," she says. It was almost a year ago she was approached by a group looking for a "credible female" candidate to run in Durham Centre. Before making the decision to seek the Conservative nomination she sat down with her husband John and discussed how the campaign would affect their marriage. "I took two or three months to make the decision," she says. "We discussed the time com- mitment because when I under- take something I have to give it all or nothing." This election campaign is John's first active role in polities, attending functions with Stephanie and helping in all aspects of the campaign. "Stephie is so excited about this," says the O'Neill high school teacher, adding the two make the most of the time they have together. "We are supportive of each other and this has really been a positive experience." Another decision Ball had to make was taking a leave of ab- sence from her job as a lawyer in Oshawa. "I took the leave from work because it would have been hard to split the two." Although her day begins at 7:30 a.m. in her law office, she is at her campaign headquarters in Oshawa by 9:30 a.m. and works on getting elected until 9 p.m. After she defeated Frank Snyder in the nomination meeting last winter, Bail asked Ed Buffett, formerly chairman of the Whitby Downtown Business Improvement Area, to run her campaign. ."I was in Quebec when the writ was dropped and Stephanie called me to come home so I _did," says Buffett, w1lo previously worked for now Durham West candidate George Ashe. Buffett describes his role.as an "administrative position." He has 15 people acting as chairmen who all report to him. "Ninety-nine per cent of the ,time we go with what they suggest," says Buffett, adding every decision is discussed with Ball. "If she is uncomfortable with it, we will re-think it." Once a week Ball's team meets on a formal basis to, discuss the campaign and in smaller groups on a more frequent basis. Buffett attempts to canvass up to five hours a day with Ball, while spending an hour in his Whitby office in the morning and taking work home with him in the evening. The campaign office is located in Oshawa on Hwy. 2 opposite the Oshawa Shopping Centre. A second office is located in downtown Whitby, which acts as a satellite office. Ball says the Whitby office makes it easy for Whitby residents to drop in or work on her campaign. The same is true for the Oshawa office. Buffett estimates 400 people, doing various jobs, are working on the Ball campaign while that number will increase to 500 on election day. Ball says the Liberals have leff Durham Centre out when it comes to education. She says one school for Whitby next year is not enough. "The Liberals really haven't done much and when they have, it has becen during the election." While she had performed a lot of duties during previous elec- tions, Ball has never run for of- fice before and when she was approached she decided the time was right. "I have no desire to be in municipal politics so this was my way to enter provincial politics," she says while run- ning up another step to ring another door bell. CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE Stephanie Ball. Free Press photo Sign vandalism a problem for ail three partiles mange JdiLo~fei. rapeain dyslaer Sign vandalism is a serious problem for all three parties in this election campaign. eThere as been a lot of van- dalism, particularly the big signs," says Conservative campaign manager Ed Buffett. "We are on a strict spending limit and when a sign is busted it is goré,' says Liberal campaign manager Judi Longfield. - 1he NDP campaign is having the same problem but besides signs being vandalized, some signs are disappearing from lawns then reappearing days later. NDP campaign manager Barry Salmon says one home ended up with 120 signs on the lawn one mor- ning. 1