Whiby Free Press, WeÃ"iesday. October 27, 1993, Page 25 SôetenS defendls Ms, partys record By Mark Reesor Defeated Ontario riding MP Rene Soetens wa" unapologetic for his own or his party's recrd in a concession speech te party faithful Monday nighit Soetens finished third with 16,836 votes behind iAberal Dan McTeague (38,746) and Don Sul- livan of the Reform Party (27,930), and hie party was almost wiped out, going from a parliamentary majority te, just two seata. «I was very active on your behaif on the goods and services tax, I defended Meech Lake, I fought for the Charlottetown Accord, I was there for the Per- sian Gulf and Hibernia, we can- celled the faniily allowance pro- grain and made it responsive to, te needs of Canadians. «We dealt with dru g patent legielation... we changed the Un- employment Insurance act... (and) 1 supported the free-trade agreement... «(These are) accomplishinents, not one of which I regret, not one of which I apologize for and not one of which I would change f I were te do it again.» Soeeiia.says ho considers it an bonour týohave been part of the NDMP reroup, says Jaceklin By Mike Kowalski The New Democratic Party may be down, but it's not out, Ontario riding NUE> candidate Lynn Jacklin vows. Despite garnering only 2,734 votes in Mondais féeral elec- tion and seeing her party rodu- ced te, only nine seats, Jacklin said the INDP is not a spent foroe on the national scene. «Certainly we are disap ointed with the results, but? think there are a lot of socialists and New Democrats still out there," said Jacklin. «We will have to regroup and continue fighting for working people," she said. Jacklin would not fault party leader Audrey McLaughlin for the failuro of the NDP canipaign te, register with the voters. «'It was a strange campaign. poojple were discontented, she "I think when they wake up temorrow (Tuesday) thoy may wonder why they voted that way (Uiberal majority).» Jacklin conceded there was some resentinent of Ontario's ND P vernment, but she would notp b1ýe Premier Bob Rae for the party's niserablo showing in Ontario. "Certainly there was some dis- atisfaction with him, but thore's a lot of good things he's done that have not come to light,» she said. A Whitby resident *and high à er-firsT-tte1,ptat poitcal- Mulroney years, and "I believo we have done Canada a great service with the legacy of legisia- tion that ho led us through and that we approved.» Conservatives were defeated Uofl the basis of a (U.S. style) presidential election,» Soetens says, "in that we didn't look at the individual candidates, we didn't look at the individual party platform, we let the news media deliver the message and, of course, in this country the news media didn't deliver our message.» Soetens thanked his staff "for carrying the workload of one of the largest constituencies in Canada... with my defeat, they are now unemployed"; his voice broke and ho wiped away tears as ho wished them every sucoess in the future. In. an interview following hie speech, Sotens says he's concer- ned the public voted for less government spending "but thoy're going tà end up with more, net unlike what we experienoed in 1990 here in Ontario." Rathor than pro-Liberal, ho characterized the result as a "frusteration vote" by people who wanted change. Seetens says he hasn't decided on his political future. "I didn't plan on losing, although I had my premonitions; we'1l take a few days and then we'Il see what goes.» Sullivan: Reform groundwork laid By MJark Reesor The Reformi Par, has laid a çýood groundwork in Ontario riffing with its second- place showing, according.te, candidate Don Sullivan. 'The iAberals camne up the mniddle between us and tho Con- servatives (but) we went from zero votes te a solid second place... we'1l probably pick up 30,000 votes or se in this riding, which is a phenomenal ainount and would h ave won about 65 pier cent of the ridings in Canada frmwhat I hear,» said Sullivan as the results camne in Monday uight. Tlhe final tally gave Sullivan 27,930 votes. Liberal Dan McTeague was elected with 38746. tIhat "strong foundation» will help the next Reformn candidate, Dan McTeague PROM PAGE 1 "I applaud him. for hie cain- piaign and hie previeus work with v ctime of violence." (Sullivan has been dedicated te this cause since hie own daughter Painela was murdered in 1980 while walking homo from work.) Although McTeague compli- mented hie Reform Party foe, hoe did net resiet a jab at t he party or the media for teuting Ontario ridingq as one which Reform stood a gcod chance of winning. Ho referred te Iast week's 'Reform Sterm' rally in Pickering which drew more than 5,000 people te hear Reform leader Preston Manning. "For the benefit of the media, especially the Toronto Sun, wo rained on their parade," McTeague said to even louder cheers. Following hie speech, McTeague credited «organiza- tion, beyend anything else," as beng responsible for hie victory. We were organized as a team frein tho outeet,» ho told repor- ters. «We had canvassed one haîf of the riding before the election was called.» However, McTeague did not downplay the importance of hie party'e national campaign te the final result. "We had a good plan, a good leader, the people responded,» hoe said. Although iboral.leader and soon-te-be p rime minieter Jean Chretien drew negative com- menta early on, MTege said Chrotien was a positive force by election day Noting th regional strength of Reformn and the Bloc Quebecois, McTeague said the new govern- ment muet be «sensitive" te those parts of Canada while aise acting in the best interests of aIl Cana- MeTeague to be qmarried on Saturday Ontario riding's next Member of Parliainent can be excused for not immediatl settling inte hie neeew jb -- haeg'geting married. MP-'elect Dan McTeague and flancee Daniela Rossi will be married this coming Saturday in Oakville. McTeague and Rossi, a dentiet, wiIl honeymoon in the Domini- can Republic. dians. The election resuits also confir- med that jobs are more imnpor- tant than the deficit, McTeague said. "We will manage the debt if more fpope are paying taxes," he said Campaign manager Luch Durante agreed that organiza- tion and the national cainpaign were responsible for the Libera victory. Although the Liberals did not conduct any 'professional' polling in the riding, Durante detected a trend early on in the campaign. «We thought Heform would tae into the Conservative vote and we saw ourselves going up the middle,» lho said. "I feit that way for quite some time.» Whitby councillor Judi Long- field termed the national results uabsolutoly unbelievable." A Liberal party organizer, Longfield was, responsible for 33 ridings in Ontario. "Aside from the grassroots organization which the Liberals always have, the opposition (Tories) had a string of incredible bad luck » said Longfield. «And Y' think we ran a flawless campaign,» she added. Whitby residont Marc Koaloy, a former adviser te both John Turner and David Peterson, cal- led the resuits a «debunking of the Mulroney era.» «It didn't matter if it was Mim Campbell., Je-an Charest, people were disilh;.sioned, angry"he said. Despite their overwhelming majrity, Kealey said the Lerais murt guard against becoming too confident. "No Liberal should be gloating tonighit It will bo the shortest livedhnemon on record." buts Sullivan says "it won't be me... I would nover mun federally again.» Sullivan says he'll be nearing retirement age by the time the next election is called, and «I didn't realize how hard it is on your family when you mun politi- cally. It demande so much time that you find you family becomes secondaiyatdites net fair te them. rve ben canipaigning for a year now.» Hie finish was a "good second,» Sullivan says. «We hgave nothing te be ashamed of... and ]Pm proud of the fact that we didn't rota- liate te the aeoaze attacks; we kepttalking the issues.» «gr Sullivan saqs opponents ueed scare tactics' agarnst hum, his wife and hie party. «At eue meetingmywife was called a fascist anda azi and I was called a racist... and that was abhorrent te me because rve been fighting inj*ustices since our nt tho end, Sullivan says cri- tics' charges that Reform would eliminato seniors' pensions, des- troy health care and was racist proved "tee hard te overcome... it seemed te, me that I was fighting a reargu.ard action the last two weeks. «Instead of beinq aide te talk issues, I kept having te defend non-issues.» Referm won 52 seats nationally two seats less than tho second place Bloc Quebeceis. Sullivan says tho ceùntry doesn't seem te be quite ready for "new politics... "People wanted a change but thoy were afraid te change te something new se, they changed te somethingthat they knew.» Prenatal. Strday The Chldbirth Education Association of Durhamn will hold the Ajax and Pickering Prenatal Fair on Saturday, Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m. te 5:30 p.m., at Pickering Town Cenître, upper level, north. corridor. The fair will be of interest te anyone expecting a child and families with young children. Representatives fromn community groups will have information on available prograxas. For more information, cail the association at 420-3890. -e-.-140 'IFFEEN MOE ATTENTION LOCAL RACQUET CLUBM Simpl show your memtemNtp card from any local racquet cU* and 9:,lv S10% OFF ALL RACQUET ACCESSORIE (including court shoes and racuet bage) - 20% OFF ALL RESTRI N GING -ý DEMO RACQUETS AVAILABLE 24 HOUR RACQUET RESTRINGING - VIDEO RÈNTALS PRINCE.- HEAD - BLACK KNIGHT - FINN - EKTELON. 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