PAGE 24, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16,1987 Brooklin Profile ROXANNE REVE LER News & Features Editor Phone 655-3637 Cureatz wins 4th term HANDS RAISED in victory, Sam Cureatz, thanked sup- porters at his campaign headquarters in Bowmanville last Thursday night. After 10 years as incumbent, Cureatz will again be representing Durham East at Queen's Park, one of 16 PCs to do so. By ROXANNE REVELER Sam Cureatz made it four in a row as he won the riding of Durham East for the Progressive Conser- vative party in last week's provin- cial election. Cureatz, who has been incumbent in the riding for the past 10 years coasted to victory, winning by just over 1,400 votes. In the last election, in 1985, he won by 6,000 votes, in 1981 by 2,500 and in 1977 by a slim margin of 122 votes following. a judicial recount. Returning officëi' for Durham East, Francine Newton, declared Cureatz the winner with 11,301 votes. He was followed by Liberal Diane Hamre with 9,883 and NDP Marg Wilbur with 6,788. Addressing the crowd of about 150 well wishers on hand at his Bowmanville campaign headquar- ters following his victory, Cureatz said it had been a difficult cam- paign that had caused his wife and children a great deal of stress. Although difficult, he felt it had been a clean campaign and praised his opponents for their efforts. Cureatz credited his victory to his record as a "strong constituency representative. "I made a decision 10 years ago to concentrate on local issues and people, rather than involving myself in big issues somewhere else that had no effect on my con- stituents," said Cureatz. Referring to the loss of his par- ty's leader, Larry Grossman, who led the Tories to only 16 seats and who lost in hiis own riding, leading him to resign as head of the PCs, Ctreatz said, "Grosman's defeat puts a big hole in the leadership of the party." He indicated the PC party obviously would have to map out a four-year-plan to regain "That middle-of-the-road vote." Cureatz confided he leaned towards Allan Pope (MPP for Cochrane South) as interim house leader until a leadership conven- tion could be held. Liberal candidate Diane Hamre was gracious in defeat. She arrived at Orôno Town Hall displaying the bubbly personality which has led her to success in past years. Surrounded by her family, she alluded that while disappointed with her loss, she was pleased that the election was turning out to be a Liberal sweep across the province. After thanking all those who had worked during her campaign, she told the 150 or assembled that while they had lost a battle, there was still the war to win. "I hope you're not tired because in a few days I'm going to be calling on you for the next election," said Hamre. "Last time Sam (Cureatz) had a 6,000 vote differen- ce and this time it's less than 1,500...we've made great inroads. We've got four years to get ready this time and then watch out." With less than 20 people around her at her Bowmanville campaign office, NDP candidate Marg Wilbur was extremely subdued as the elec- tion results rolled in. Obviously upset, she confided, "I really thought I had a chance this time." She was referring to previous elections in which she had been defeated while running in the Durham-York riding prior to redistribution. Her spirits seemed to lift by the time she joined fellow NDP mem- bers at the CAW Hall in Oshawa where she was greeted by Ed Broadbent, although she still ad- mitted shewas unsure whether she would run for election again. In a speech to the large ciowd gathered, she stressed that while the NDP party had lost the election they had made many inroads. She predicted her party would win at the federal election next time around and also after the next provincial election. "I hope what we have done is pave the road for a federal victory a year from now," said Wilbur. "We've got to get together on this thing now to win it down the road....we're not so far off as we were before." Saying she felt tired, Wilbur ex- pressed her disappointment for the people who had worked for her ani were expecting a win, adding "but I've always been a realist." Voters in Durham East ignore Liberal popularity Although the provincial election proved to be a Liberal sweep across the province, the riding of Durham East held on to its strong Conser- vative heritage by electing one of its only 16 members to the provin- cial parliament. Sam Cureatz received the majority of votes to coast to his fourth election victory. Rounded off at the nearest percentage point, Cureatz received 40 per cent of the popular vote at 11,301. Of the 27,972 constituents casting their ballots, 35 per cent, or 9,883 voted Liberal; 24 per cent, or 6,788, cast their ballots for the NDP. There was an exceptionally good turnout last Thursday throughout the province and Durham East was no exception as 60.3 per cent of the 46,385 eligible voters showed up at the 168 polls, which included splits and nursing homes throughout the riding. The north ward of Whitby, which is located in Durham East, was close to the riding average with 61 per cent of the eligible voters tur- ning out. The breakdown of the 10 Brooklin area polls is as follows: 1.35, Myrtle, 55 per cent; 136 Ash- burn, 62 per cent; 137, Spencer, 64 per cent; 138, Meadowerest, 70 per cent; 139, Meadowerest, 63 per- cent; 140, Brooklin United, 64 per cent; 141, Brooklin United, 61 per cent; 142, St. Thomas', 56 per cent; 143, Meadowerest, 68 per cent; 144, Meadowerest, 45 per cent. The polls in the Brooklin area were split in their décision, with fýve going to the PCs and five to the Liberals. The NDP, although receiving 388 votes, did not win a poll. It was neck and neck between the other two parties with Cureatz getting 673 votes and Hamre 655. The PC party won polls 136, 138, 139, 142 and 143. Polls 135, 137, 140, 141 and 144 went to the Liberal party, although several polls were won by a matter of only two or three votes. Elsewhere throughout the riding, Cureatz won 92 polls and tied in four; Hajnre won in 43 polls and tied in four, while Wilbur won in 25 polls arfd tied in two. Cureatz also won the advance three polls with a total of 678 votes compared with 514 for Hamre and 202 for Wilbur. SEE PAGE 25 ~I'~ ~ * 'I I WITH HUSBAND Rod and her children at her side, Liberal candidate Diane llamre admitted lier defeat to PC Sam -ir Cureatz at Orono Town Hall last Thur- sday night. Free Press photo I ~' Y J NDP candidate Marg Wilbur cast aside her feelings of disappointment after last Thursday's loss in the provin- cial election as she accepted the greetings of her federal party leader Ed Broadbent at the CAW liaill in Oshawa.