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万锦市选系列之三:万锦一三选区候选人介绍

Meet the mayoral Candidates -- Markham Municipal Election 2014 (III)

随着多伦多市长选举进入白热化,将于1027日举行的万锦市政选举也进入冲刺阶段。《大中报》开辟Bob Mok撰写的专栏,以分析万锦市的选举议题和介绍(区域和选区)议员及万锦市长的候选人。我们希望通过他的专栏和文章让读者更好地了解都市政容,也以期帮助选民们在投票箱中投出明智的一票。

Markham municipal election -- which falls on Oct. 27, has entered its final stretch as Toronto mayoral race is heating up. Chinese News will run a column by Bob Mok, which identifies Markham election issues and introduces councillorand mayoral candidates.  We hope his column and articles will shed light on municipal politics and help voters to make the right choices.

在过去几年中,Mok一直积极参与万锦市市政管理,他最初涉足其中是源于强烈反对万锦市府使用公帑兴建赌场,最终该提议以失败告终。他经常参加市议会和委员会会议并代表市民讲话,为遏制浪费和提高市府的透明度起到积极作用。

 

第一选区:

Ward#1:

在去年重新划分选区后,老的第一选区和第二选区合并为一个选区,以平衡所有新选区的人口数量。而这产生了两名现任市议员在同一选区竞逐的独特现象。

When the Ward boundaries were redrawn last year, the old Wards #1 and 2 were combined to equalize the population numbers for all the newly drawn-up ward boundaries. This created a unique situation where 2 incumbent councillors are fighting for the same Ward.

 

因此,在这个选区只有两名候选人参与这场角逐,并且他们都是现任市议员。这两名候选人分别是Valerie BurkeHoward Shore

As a result, only 2 candidates are listed for this competition and both are incumbent councillors. The two candidates are: Valerie Burke and Howard Shore.

 

 


概述第一选区):

Synopsis (Ward#1):

 

(老的第二选区)市议员Howard Shore曾在2013年呼吁安省市政管理委员会在2014年选举中继续沿用老选区,但却没有成功。由于该选区有两名现任市议员,因此其他潜在候选人都退避三舍,从而导致这个选区的竞选情况非常独特。

An appeal was made to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in 2013 to keep the old Ward boundaries for the 2014 election by (old Ward#2) Councillor Howard Shore but it was unsuccessful.  Potential candidates all stayed out of this ward as there are now 2 incumbents, which make this ward race very unique.

 

这将是一场非常艰苦的选战。

This is going to be a tough fight to the finish.

 

第一选区问题:

Ward#1 Issues:

 

这个选区问题很多,但最新的问题是:

There are many issues. However, the latest being:

 

Settler’s Park地面沉降——邻近该公园的一些住宅的后院因此亟需填补,特别是市府也因此设立了围栏,以阻止其物业、游泳池、棚屋和围墙因为公园周边地面沉降而出现开裂和下滑

Settler’s Park land subsidence – parts of backyards of homes adjacent to the park were in dire need of fill especially on the City side of the fences to stop their properties, swimming pools, sheds and fences from cracking and sliding towards the Park due to land subsidence along the park boundaries.

去年,该公园附近的Bayview Golf and Country Club表示可在2014年秋季向市府提供免费、清洁和经过检验的填土,因为其要在球场中挖一个池塘。在联络委员会任职的第二选区现任市议员都为市府辩护,这其中显然存在责任问题。当地居民也曾多次致信市府,但却没有得到任何答复。市府的不作为和延误导致其错失良机,在俱乐部伸出援手时,解决沉降问题已刻不容缓。

Last year the nearby Bayview Golf and Country Club offered the City free, clean, tested fill to be available in the fall of 2014 as a result of digging out a hole for a pond on their property. The existing Ward 2 councillor on the liaison committee argued for the City, that there were liability issues. Residents wrote to the City several times but received no reply. Inaction and delays at City Hall resulted in this becoming a lost opportunity when the club, unable to wait any longer disposed of the fill.

 

当地居民对他们的市议员支持不足,以及市府的措施和未能以诚实和公开的方式处理事务,而是采用拖延战术直到为时已晚的做法深感失望和反感。

The residents are very disappointed and disgusted with their councillor’s lack of support and the City's approach and inability to conduct affairs in an honest and open way, employing stalling tactics until it was too late.

 

第一选区候选人:

Ward#1 Candidates:

 

Valerie Burke:在从政前,她曾担任区域议员Jim Jones的行政助理。在2006年的选举中,她以3434张选票,即58%的得票率当选。在2010年的选举中,他以4142张选票,即78%的得票率当选(这也是所有选区议员中的最高得票率)。

Valerie Burke: She was an Executive Assistant to Regional Councillor Jim Jones before she entered politics. Elected in 2006 with 3434 votes or 58% of the casted votes. She increased that to 4142 votes in 2010 or 78% (the highest percentage of voters support amongst all Ward councillors).

 

由于两个老选区合并,Valerie必需设法赢得老的第二选区选民的芳心。

With the wards combined, Valerie needs to win over the hearts and minds of those who live in the other old ward#2.

 

Howard Shore:他曾经担任过教育局理事,并且是一名励志演说家,在时任市议员Erin Sharpero为了能有更多时间陪伴家人,而在2010年选举前不久退出竞选,并转为支持Howard后,他在当年的选举中以1928张选票,即48%的得票率当选。

Howard Shore: A one-time School Trustee and motivational speaker, he won his ward with 1928 votes or 48% of all casted votes in 2010 after the incumbent councillor Erin Sharpero withdrew her name to spend more time with her family shortly before the election date and endorsed Howard.

 

但有趣的是,Erin Sharpero在此次竞选中正式表示支持Valerie Burke

Interestingly, Erin Sharpero officially endorsed Valerie Burke in this election!

 

《多伦多星报》曾在201112月报道称,Howard曾屡次犯案,并且是被定罪的美国重刑犯,他曾因偷窃手机和骚扰一名知名女律师,而在佛罗里达州监狱服刑11天。在过去11年他被刑事检控6次。在20134月担任万锦市议员期间,他还在纽马克特法庭承认持有一部失窃手机,但随后被无条件释放。

It was reported in the Toronto Star in December 2011 that Howard was a convicted U.S. felon with a knack for landing in trouble, once serving 11 days in a Florida jail for stealing a cellphone and stalking a high-profile female lawyer. In total he has faced criminal charges 6 times in 11 years. While serving on Markham City Council In April, 2013, he has also pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen cellphone in the Newmarket Court and subsequently given an absolute discharge.

 

Howard的律师称,他已经通过社区治疗法庭接受强化治疗并进行“自我反思”,这个特别计划专为精神病罪犯设置。

According to his Lawyer, Howard has gone through intensive therapy and “self-reflection” by way of the community treatment court, a special program designed for mentally ill offenders.

 

目前,并没有专门针对被控罪、甚至是被定罪和短期服刑的的市议员的规则或附例。只要他们没有连续缺席3次市议会会议,他们的市议员身份就不会受影响。

There are no rules or by-laws to deal with sitting Council members charged and even convicted under the judicial system and serving short jail terms. As long as they don’t miss 3 consecutive council meetings, their status as representative of their electorate will not be affected.

 

第三选区:

Ward#3:

 

现任市议员Don Hamilton曾经担任过中学教师,他在2009年的补选中以1991票首次当选。之所以会进行是次补选,是因为时任区域议员Tony Wong去世,第三选区市议员Joseph Virgilio被任命填补其空缺职位。在2010年,Don Hamilton5310张选票,即66%的得票率击败其他两名候选人,再次当选该选区市议员。

The incumbent Don Hamilton, a one-time High School teacher, was first elected in a by-election in 2009 with 1991 votes. The by-election was held when regional Councillor Tony Wong passed away and Ward#3 councillor Joseph Virgilio was appointed to fill the vacated post. In 2010, Don Hamilton won again with 5310 votes or 66% of the total of all casted votes. There were 3 candidates in 2010.

 

Don对滑冰场问题直言不讳,并在2013年初投票反对相关的财政计划。最终,市议会在201312月拒绝了使用公帑建造滑冰场的提议。

Don was outspoken on the Arena Issue, voting against the Financial Framework in early 2013.  Ultimately, the proposal for an Arena supported by public funding was rejected by Council in December of 2013.

 

概述(第三选区):

Synopsis (Ward#3):

 

Don Hamilton此前一直在挣扎是否在此次竞选中角逐区域议员。但是随着报名截止日期临近,而长期任职的区域议员Gord Landon又丝毫没有流露出退休迹象,Don最终选择继续竞选该选区市议员。但是在Don宣布寻求连任第三选区市议员后,Gord Landon即宣布辞职,这是纯粹的巧合么?

Don Hamilton struggled with the thought to run as a Regional Councillor this time around. With the deadline looming and no sign of retirement shown by long time Regional Councillor Gord Landon, Don chose to stay with his constituents this time. After Don declared his intentions to stay in Ward#3, Gord Landon resigned – a pure coincident?

 

目前有六名候选人角逐第三选区市议员。但我们可以看到在Don报名参选后,其他不少候选人都并未卖力地展开竞选活动。有些人认为这些候选人只是想通过此次竞选建立知名度,他们预期Don会在下次竞选中参选区域议员或市长。值得注意的是,在六名候选人中有三人是华裔。

There are now 6 candidates running in Ward#3. We can see that quite a few of the candidates are not working very hard at the campaign now that Don has signed up to run in this ward. Some suggested that they just want to have name recognition established this time around in anticipation of Don’s departure for Regional or Mayoral races in the next election. It is noteworthy that 3 out of 6 candidates are of Chinese heritage.

 

第三选区问题:

Ward#3 Issues:

 

1)交通拥堵是万锦市所有选区普遍存在的通病,但这个问题在第三选区和第六选区尤为严重。这其中部分原因在于该市的人口增长速度已经超过基础设施建设速度。东西向的7号公路引发了诸多争议,而Viva巴士专用线让人感觉毫无价值。实际上,南北向交通每天都会导致从活拜站到McCowan Road的街道寸步难行。

1)Traffic Congestion is a generic problem for all Markham Wards but particularly bad in Ward#3 and 6. Part of the issue is that the City has lost track of the population growth running ahead of infrastructures. A lot of talk was made about Highway#7 going East-West and the perceived uselessness of the Viva Rapidway. In effect, the North-South Traffic turns streets from woodbine to McCowan Road into parking lots every day.

 

2)于人村的Main Street 亟需改造。由于这条街道正在渐渐失去活力,市府已经耗资$25万元进行相关的顾问研究,虽然这看起来不错,但却没有近在眼前的实施计划。有关计划是针对一些重点领域。每个重点领域都旨在设计和开发可以引入于人村的现实改进机会。这其中包括通过与教育局、区域保护局、体育馆和冰壶俱乐部达成公私合作关系发掘潜在的重建机会;以及在核心区域扩大零售规模,和在7号公路增加洗手间和特色入口。

2)The need for urgent revitalisation of Main Street Unionville. It is slowly dying. The City has spent $250,000 on consultant studies that that looked good, but no implementation plan is in sight.  The plan specifies focus areas. Each focus area was designed and developed to demonstrate realistic improvement opportunities which could be introduced into the village.  These include potential redevelopment opportunities through public/private partnerships with the school board, the Conservation Authority, the Arena, and the Curling Club; retail enhancement in the core area, washroom opportunities and entry features at Highway 7. 

 

 

第三选区候选人:

Ward#3 Candidates:

 

Christine Brawley:曾在金融领域工作的新秀候选人,其一直强调自己的金融街工作经验,以及和居民、市议员以及市府工作人员的有效合作。

Christine Brawley: A rookie candidate working in the financial field who emphasized her Bay Street experience as her asset to work efficiently with residents, councillors, and City staff.

 

 

Nelson Cheng:又一名新秀候选人。他曾担任多伦多华人社区服务协会会长。但在过去几年大部分常在市议会露面的人已经不记得他的存在。

Nelson Cheng: Another rookie candidate. He is past-president of The Cross-cultural Community Services Association (TCCSA). Most regular Council attendees cannot remember his presence there over the past years.

 

Vincent Cheung:又是一名新秀候选人。Vincent20年前曾参与过市府事务,当时时任万锦市长的Don Cousens为了应对人口结构变化带来的“标识问题”,和促进万锦市的繁荣发展成立了市长顾问委员会,Vincent被任命为委员会成员。

Vincent Cheung: Yet another Rookie Candidate. Vincent had some involvement with the City’s affairs a couple of decades ago when he was appointed to the Mayor’s Advisory Committee under the then Mayor Don Cousens to deal with the “signage issue” and promote harmony in Markham as a result of changing demographics.

 

Don Hamilton:与其他五名候选人争选的现任市议员。在通常情况下,当有许多候选人,尤其是新秀候选人参选时,现任者会占有优势。曾经担任中学老师的Don在第三选区根基深厚。

Don Hamilton: The current incumbent will face up to 5 other candidates. Typically, the advantage goes to the incumbent when there are many candidates running in the race, especially rookies. A former High School teacher, Don is well entrenched in Ward#3.

 

Adam Poon:在最后一刻报名参选的两名候选人之一。身为工程师的Poon是加拿大中国企业家协会创会会长,并担任过于人村纳税人协会主管。

Adam Poon: One of 2 last minute entries. Poon is an engineer and was founding President of the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE) and a Director of the Unionville Ratepayers Association (URA).

 

Jawed Syed:在最后一刻报名参选的两名候选人之一。除了知道他是来自巴基斯坦的拉卡纳,其他有关Jawed的信息很少。

Jawed Syed: One of 2 last minute candidate entries. Very little information is available with Jawed except that he is from Larkana, Pakistan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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