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Ajax Nissan Parts/Service Monday - Thursday 7:00am - 8:00pm Friday 7:00am - 6:00pm Saturday 8:00am - 2:00pm 375 Bayly Street West, Ajax (Between Westney & Harwood) 1-800-565-6365 905-686-0555 Pickering Town Centre (Upper Sears Wing) (905) 420-0744 Taunton and Harmony Plaza Oshawa (905) 438-0744 Nokia N95 8GB $19999 • Built-In GPS • MP3 player • 5.0 MP camera phone On 3-year voice activations with Vision. No term or Prepaid price:$689.99 LG VU TU915 $7999 • Large touch screen with VibeTonz ® technology • 2.0 MP camera phone & MP3 player • Expandable memory up to 4GB On 3-year voice activations with Vision. No term or Prepaid price:$419.99 Back to school savings *Price subject to activation on new 36-month service agreement on eligible wireless service plans. Existing customers may not be eligible. Cannot be combined with any other offer. For complete terms and conditions of service, please refer to your Rogers Wireless Service Agreement. †Some conditions apply. Rogers and the Mobius design are trademarks of Rogers Communications Inc. Used under License. © 2008. Available exclusively at this location! STUDENT PLANS8GB MEMORY INCLUDED STUDENT PHONE The Pickering Get local 24/7 newsdurhamregion.com✦ 68 PAGES ✦ Pressrun 51,400 ✦ Optional delivery $6/Newsstand $1 ✦ WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 A winning battle with listeria Durham woman talks about her experience NEWS/2 Federal election time Immigrant applauds debate on issues NEWS/2 AND 7 HOCKEY’S BACK IN PICKERING Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo PICKERING — Grant MacLean of the Lindsay Muskies battles in front of the Pickering Panthers goal with netminder Jared Cowley and defence- man Brandon Parks during the Panthers home opener at the Pickering Recreation Complex Sunday. The Panthers won this game 4-3 and are back on the ice tonight at 7:30 p.m. against the Trenton Hercs. Fore more on the home opener see page 24. Rash of thefts prompts police warning Light-fingered bandits grabbing wallets By Jeff Mitchell jmitchell@durhamregion.com DURHAM — A rash of thefts tar- geting unwitting shoppers has police warning women to protect their purs- es while out in public. “Hang on to it -- keep it close to you,” advised Detective Constable Martin Franssen of Durham police’s 19 Division in Ajax-Pickering. Investigators believe a highly-or- ganized team of thieves have been stalking stores in the area, seeking out purses left in shopping carts. Light- fingered bandits snatch wallets and make off with them, typically rushing to nearby shops and buying large- ticket items such as electronics which are then fenced for cash. The purchases are made “within minutes” with stolen credit cards, the transactions often completed before victims are even aware they’ve been robbed, Det.-Const. Franssen said. “They’re good at what they do -- they’re very swift,” he said. “Before the (victim) even knows the ✦ See Local, Page 4 PERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURN INCOME TAX All-Canadian Tax Service $49.95*only * Most returns *GST extra 100 Westney Rd S (Ajax Go Station) (905) 426-4860 durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 2 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 I EPUMPPR C WATCHPR C WATCH online this week at Our readers help you stay on top of gas prices Join us all summer long in our on- line feature -- Pump Price Watch. With your help, we’ll be posting gas prices from across Durham Region all day, every day on our website, newsdurhamregion.com. Pump Price Watch is sponsored by HIGH LOW @ newsdurhamregion.com $1.38 $1.27 9 2 The federal election is more than one week into the cam- paign and many candidates have opened their campaign offices. If you want to find out more about a candidate here’s where you can find their office: AJAX-PICKERING Mark Holland - Liberal 1755 Pickering Parkway unit 22a Pickering, ON L1V 6K5 (in the Home & Design Centre - just north of the 401 off Brock Road) Tel: 905-424-7719 or 905-621- 6985 Rick Johnson - Conservative 1970 Brock Road, Pickering (just north of Kingston Road) Phone: 905-424-7706 PICKERING - SCARBOROUGH EAST Dan McTeague - Liberal 428 Kingston Rd, Pickering 905-421-8787 George Khouri - Conservative 1101 Kingston Rd. 905-718-8864 You can also get up-to-date information on the campaign by checking in daily on our election blogs. Go to newsdurhamregion. com and click on the link to the blogs. Uxbridge resident shares experience with illness By Jeff Hayward jhayward@durhamregion.com UXBRIDGE — Today, Nicole Vos of Uxbridge is happy and healthy with five daughters. But the 38-year-old’s first attempt to have a child a decade ago wasn’t successful as she contracted listeriosis during her pregnancy. With the most recent outbreak again claiming lives, Ms. Vos decided to share her experience. News Advertiser: When did you contract the listeria? Nicole Vos: In October 1998. I was pregnant with my first child, I passed it on to him. I was 28 weeks pregnant. Listeria induces labour and he was born and passed away shortly after that. NA: How did you contract listeria? NV: They never found the source. We had to deal with health and food inspectors to find out where we got it. We had to list every restaurant we had gone to for the past five weeks. At the time there was an outbreak of it in the U.S. NA: What were the symptoms? NV: Like a really, really bad flu. Bad pains in my neck, nauseated. I chalked it up that I had the flu. It felt like someone had hit me with a Mack truck in the back. NA: What was the treatment? NV: Heavy duty antibiotics for a while. We weren’t allowed to have another child for at least six months. NA: How long were you sick? NV: For a good two weeks I was sick, until I started on antibiotics. For three to four weeks I was still ill. NA: How did it affect your job? NV: I was working for head office for White Rose. After the (baby’s) funeral we basically just closed the door to the baby’s room. I went back to work right away. People pretended not to see me, no one knew what to say. NA: How do you avoid getting it again? NV: We’re always checking (food) expiry dates, even potato chips. We’re careful with deli meat that’s even close to the expiry date. NA: Do you have more immunity to listeria now that you’ve had it? NV: I think you become more immune to it, talking with our doctor. One you’ve had it you probably never have it again and maybe our kids will never have it. NA: Do you think the government is taking liste- ria seriously enough? NV: Yes. It’s nice to see people are getting more knowledge of it now. NA: Any more advice for the public to avoid get- ting this illness? NV: Stay away from uncooked food, soft chees- es. Especially pregnant women or those with a weakened immune system. The News Advertiser is asking all candidates in the upcoming federal election to answer 10 questions so the voters will get to know them a bit better. Here are the answers from George Khouri, who is running for the Conservatives in the Pickering-Scarborough East riding. Age: 49 Gender: male City of Residence: Lives in Ajax and has lived in the Pickering-Ajax area for over 26 years Occupation: Businessman Biography: My mini biography is on my web- site: www.georgekhouri.ca, Issues: Proponent of smaller, more efficient government. Safer communities. Healthy, ro- bust economy. Anti-liberal spending. Propo- nent of bigger tax cuts after decades of liberal over taxation. Stronger national defence and reasserting our sovereignty in the north. Reforming the judiciary and senate. 10 Questions: 1. What was your first job? Cashier at a building supplies store at the age of 16. 2. What is your favourite book? My favourite book is ‘The Prophet’ by Khalil Gibran. 3. What is your favourite movie? My favourite movie is Braveheart. 4. What got you involved in politics? It was natural to get involved when you come from a political family. 5. What TV show do you never want to miss? Not one current TV show falls in that category. 6. What music is on your iPod? Soft rock, classical, opera, classic French. 7. Where is your favourite local place to hang out? The Waterfront Bistro in Pickering. 8. What meal sets you apart from other cooks in your home? Barbecue and different ways of preparing eggs. 9. What one thing don’t a lot of people know about you The countless hours of community service and leadership as they were done not for glory, but to make our community a better place. 10. If you weren’t a politician what occupation would you want to be? If I wasn’t a politician I would want to be a writer or a travel tour organizer. Photo by Danielle Lewis Nicole Vos holds daughter Katrina. Ms. Vos had an experience with listeria 10 years ago that claimed her unborn son. A winning battle with listeria Conservative candidate is a fan of Braveheart 637 Kingston Rd. Pickering Beside National Sports 905-839-8399 www.diplomatpools.com 9 Time Readers Choice Award Winner2006 Award Winner ONLY STORE IN DURHAM OPEN ALL WINTER LONG FOR YOUR SPA NEEDS! ORDER NOW AND BE READY FOR WINTER! ANNUAL HOT TUB SALE SAVE $ $ SAVE $$ NewNew $$4799 WHITE WATER WAVE 110 or 220 volt 6-7 Person, 61 Stainless steel therapueutic jets, 3 pumps, ambience lighting, waterfall, foot massage, thermal cover, shoulder jets $$10,99910,999 FINAL PRICE! Only 4 m o d e l s l e f t ! Only 4 models left! 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Sunrise Dollar & More Tan for Free DAYTan for Free DAY Saturday Sept. 20/08 Receive 10% Off with this ad Come and see Dave or Larry & RECEIVE 500 BUSINESS CARDS for the price of 250 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 PAGE 3 A/Pdurhamregion.com Charity founder returns after covering all of Ontario for cancer survivor awareness By Kristen Calis kcalis@durhamregion.com AJAX — Ajax resident and cancer survivor Dee Miller has had her share of the Ontario outdoors this summer. “It rained the entire time,” she said. “It rained almost every day, especially for the first two months.” But that didn’t dampen her spirits. The founder of Renewed Strength, a registered Ontario charity to help can- cer patients who no longer qualify for specialized strength and mobility care, spent 100 days riding around Ontario to raise awareness and funds to help cancer survivors. The charity’s goal is to provide exer- cise training to men and women trying to regain strength after battling cancer. Although Ms. Miller didn’t raise the $100,000 she intended to, she did total about $40,000 and was happy to raise awareness. “People have just gone out of their way. It’s just been incredible,” she said in a phone interview after meeting with the mayor of Oakville. Ms. Miller is preparing for her ride back into Pickering and Ajax Wednes- day after cycling between 80 and 100 kilometres each day for a total of about 7,500 kilometres and visiting about 75 municipalities, covering the entire province. “Everyone’s pitching in, even though we’re not here,” she said of Ajax, em- phasizing Scrambles Restaurant, her starting point in June. Small communities all across Ontar- io showed their support. For example, a couple of riders raised more than $900 to go with her on one leg of her journey, and a group of cancer survi- vors in Kapuskasing couldn’t ride with her, but threw a huge reception for her instead. “It was fabulous, and having (my) mom there for 100 days was wonder- ful,” she said. Her mother, Bev May, was with her the entire time. She drove ahead in a donated Toyota and waited for her daughter to catch up. “We ran into a lot of bears,” Ms. Mill- er said. She added her mother stayed with her when they saw cubs, since the mother was close by. There was one instance about three weeks into her journey where Ms. Mill- er had an accident. She basically ran out of road in a construction area when a transport went by and flipped over on the shoulder. She didn’t break any- thing but had some shoulder damage, bruised herself pretty badly and broke a few areas on her bike. But it didn’t stop her. “We figure we got it over with nice and early, so that’s good,” she said, adding she didn’t want to jinx the next few days she had left at the time. Ms. Miller arrives Wednesday at Millennium Square (the foot of Liv- erpool Road) in Pickering at 4 p.m. and is heading to the Ajax Lions Club (500 Clements Rd. W., west of Westney Road) for a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. On Thursday she’ll celebrate her re- turn at the Cultural Expressions Art Gallery in Ajax (62 Old Kingston Rd.) from 3 to 6 p.m. It’s $5 to enter to help cover costs. For more information or to donate visit www.renewedstrength.ca. One hundred days of biking Ontario Dee Miller is returning Wednesday from a 100-day cycling journey around Lake Ontario. llege.ca/coned | 905.721.3052 CONTINUING EDUCATION There’s still time. Courses are starting soon, but there’s still time to register. Choose from: • (ASL) Communicating with the Deaf • Conflict Management for Committees • Medical Sciences 1A, 1B & 2 • Microsoft Office • OMDP - Human Relations • Spanish/French/Italian • Teaching &Training Adults For all your choices visit the website. durhamregion.comP PAGE 4 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 card is gone the purchase is racked up.” Charges on the stolen credit cards are typically in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, Det.-Const. Franssen said. It’s believed the thefts are the work of a team that travels from community to community, trying to stay a step ahead of the cops. Local women at the parking lot at the Real Canadian Superstore say they’re going to be more careful with their purses after hearing about the rash of thefts. Lynn Agan, an Ohio resident vis- iting her mother in Ajax, said though she doesn’t often put her purse in the cart, she has a method when she does. “I take the child strap and wind it around a couple of times,” she said, adding she’ll be more careful now that she heard about the thefts. Diane Reed, of Ajax, said she’s one of those people who tends to leave her bag in her shopping cart. “I do, people have told me not to leave my purse in the cart,” she said. “I wander away and have never had a problem.” But given the thefts, Ms. Reed also said she’s going to be more careful. On the other hand, fellow Ajax resident Vivian Wilcox said she never leaves her purse behind. “My daughter does that all the time and it makes me insane,” she said. “I never put my handbag down, never.” Ms. Wilcox said she likes to know where her purse is at all times, not just because of possible thefts, but so she doesn’t lose it. --With files from Reka Szekely Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo Durham Police are warning women about wallet and purse thefts from shopping carts. Local shoppers vow to hang on to their wallets ✦ Local from page 1 Employees have voted 97 per cent in favour of strike action By Reka Szekely rszekely@durhamregion.com DURHAM — The union rep- resenting Durham’s 400 outside workers is a little bit ahead of the game in holding a strike vote, says the Region. “I think the process is going as well as can be expected, the parties have been meet- ing throughout the summer, so it’s not as if we haven’t been talking,” said Garth Johns, Dur- ham’s commissioner of human resources. Last week, members of the Canadian Union of Public Em- ployees (CUPE) Local 1785 voted 97 per cent in favour of a strike if they can’t come to terms with the Region. The 400 workers are employed in a number of areas, including water and sewage treatment, road maintenance and at waste transfer stations. “We had a strike vote to dem- onstrate to the Region that the bargaining team and the mem- bers were serious about the is- sues that were brought forward to them,” CUPE 1785 president Dan McGregor said. He declined to give specif- ics of what the union was ask- ing for, saying he didn’t want the talks to go bad before they started. But Mr. McGregor did say the sticky issues were on the monetary end of things, in- cluding wages, benefits and the contracting out of services. The union and the Region will head back to the bargaining table on Sept. 22 where they’ll meet with a conciliator, a neu- tral person who tries to help the two sides come to terms. If no agreement can be reached, a no board report is filed with the government. Once that happens, the union can le- gally strike or the employer can legally lock out the workers. But, as it stands, both sides say they’re heading to the table looking for a deal. “I’m optimistic that the local’s going with the intent to reach a deal; we’re not purposely try- ing to get into a strike position, but we do have to have our is- sues looked at seriously,” said Mr. McGregor, who predicts the earliest the union would be in a position to strike is mid-Octo- ber. However, Mr. Johns said Dur- ham is working on a contin- gency plan if there is a strike, which includes working on an agreement with the union on what services would still be provided. “Clearly we think that first and foremost, the parties should have an essential ser- vices agreements so that things like water are not adversely af- fected in the case of a strike,” he said. He also cautioned that the Region will be trying to bal- ance, money-wise, what the union is looking for and what Regional taxpayers can afford. “I think it will, in one way, be a tough set of meetings, the economic environment is not a good one right now. You just have to ask the people at Gen- eral Motors and (see) the whole ripple effect their situation has on the community.” The union’s four-year con- tract expired on March 31. Dickson 220 Harwood Ave. S. Ajax PRINTING LTD. 683-7940 Joe Dickson Words of Wisdom “We see with our eyes. We hear with our ears. We judge with our emotions.” If you like our quotes, you’ll love our printing. Paul Dickson, Gen. Mgr. Lynne Parker, Sales Mgr. (905) 433-9011 FALL ADULT WOODWORKING COURSES ENTERTAINMENT/ARMOIRE COURSE “DESIGN YOUR OWN CABINET” STARTS: MON. OCT. 6 - 15 WEEKS FURNITURE/CABINET MAKING “BUILD A PROJECT OF YOUR OWN CHOICE” STARTS:TUES. SEPT 30 - 15 WEEKS INTRODUCTION TO WOODWORKING “BUILD 1 OF 2 SPECIAL PROJECTS” STARTS:THURS. SEPT. 25 -8 WEEKS TO REGISTER CALL www.thecarpenterssquare.com WE’VE GOT YOUR SIZE Sizes 4-15 Widths AA-EEE PICKERING TOWN CENTRE • UPPER LEVEL • SEARS WING COMFORT FROM ITALY THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 PAGE 5 A/Pdurhamregion.com RSS UPDATESRSS UPDATES Get your local news and sports faster at newsdurhamregion.com Region and union head back to bargaining table We think... e-mail responses to mjohnston@durhamregion.com NEWS ADVERTISER 130 Commercial Ave., Ajax ON L1S 2H5 newsdurhamregion.com newsroom@durhamregion.com The News Advertiser is a Metroland Media Group newspaper. The News Advertiser is a member of the Ajax & Pickering Board of Trade, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., and the Canadian Circulations Audit Board. Also a member of the Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton St., Suite 1706, Toronto, M5B 1J3, an independent organization that addresses reader complaints about member newspapers.The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the News Adver- tiser is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. Publications Mail Sales Agreement Number 40052657 & Editorials Opinions Tim Whittaker - Publisher Joanne Burghardt - Editor-in-Chief Mike Johnston - Managing Editor Fred Eismont - Director of Advertising Deb MacDonald - Retail Advertising Manager Eddie Kolodziejcak - Classified Advertising Manager Abe Fakhourie - Distribution Manager Lillian Hook - Office Manager Janice O’Neil, Cheryl Haines - Composing Managers News/Sales (905) 683-5110 Classifieds (905) 683-0707 Distribution (905) 683-5117 Fax (905) 683-7363 Good quality after-school care programs needed To the editor: I wonder where our children will be as school commences. Over the summer, families have been able to access camp programs for their school-aged children. Now that these camps have wrapped up for the summer what will these families do? Children will be in school for part of each day but what about after school? Is there a quality after-school program in your neighbourhood? Is it regulated? Safe? The government has provided limited resources to subsidize quality after- school programs. These programs often have long waiting lists and the fund- ing is not always sustainable. I say the problem is not enough spaces and not enough support from our elected officials to increase the number of sustainable child-care spaces. All I am asking is that you think about your children. A parent is the best advo- cate for their children. Kids need a safe place to go after school. Parents need to know their children are being properly looked after. Parents are working to make a good life for their families, to pay taxes and to contribute to society. I think it’s about time society gave something back. Will your choice for our next government help this happen? Diane Liscombe Oshawa ‘Middle ground’ in the bottled/tap water debate To the editor: Re: ‘Resident prefers bottled over tap water’, Sept. 11 letter. There is middle ground to the issue of bottled water versus tap water. It’s called refillable bottles. For many years I was a consumer of bottled water, and filled my overly large recycling bin weekly. One day while tossing yet another bottle in the blue bin it dawned on me how much energy it must take to produce the mountain- ous pile of empty bottles, and how much energy it takes to recycle this plastic back into usable form. Then it hit me: why not purchase a water cooler? Now, with a $10 deposit I have a reus- able 18-litre bottle full of clean spar- kling water. The bottle need only be produced once, and by refilling it with filtered municipal water at the grocery store, there is no additional energy required to recycle it. By purchasing an Energy Star Cooler I am consuming less energy as I have retired a second fridge. I’m even saving money on water, as the cost of refilling my 18-litre bottle is significantly less than to purchase the same volume in 500mL bottles. My blue bin has never been so empty. Reduce is the first of the 3 Rs for a reason! Dayle Lovely Ajax Older workers face problems after age 65 To the editor: Workers, watch out for your benefits as you approach 65. The Government of Ontario changed the law Dec. 12, 2006, to end mandatory retirement at age 65. Too bad it didn’t think through the impact on Ontario citizens achieving age 65 and continuing to work at their full- time jobs. My experience is that if you continue full-time employment after age 65 you lose extended health care, vision/hearing, dental, basic life, voluntary life, and long- term disability benefits. As older workers are encouraged to work past age 65, does this make sense? Continue to work and you lose benefits? Did the Ontario government think this through? Joan Gates Oshawa e-mail letters to mjohnston@durhamregion.com / max. 200 words / please include your full first and last name, place of residence & daytime phone number / letters that do not appear in print may be published @ newsdurhamregion.com Our readers think... PAGE 6 ◆ NEWS ADVERTISER ◆ September 17, 2008A/P Online Poll Vote @ newsdurhamregion.com This Week What is the biggest issue of this election campaign? The state of the economy Canada’s role in Afghanistan Global warming/environment Leadership Something else GM marks 100th birthday T uesday marked a momentous anniversary in world economic history as General Motors -- the leading automotive maker of the past 100 years -- celebrated its centennial. General Motors began in Detroit, America’s Motor City, one century ago as the automobile began to make its mark on everyday life. And the company and its famous nameplates -- Buick, Chevrolet, Pon- tiac, Cadillac and many others -- have been a central factor in North Ameri- can and world life for generations. Durham’s own connection to GM goes back a century as well, as Oshawa resident R.S. McLaughlin, head of the McLaughlin Motor Car Company, inked a deal with GM founder Bill Dur- rant to produce McLaughlin Buicks out of the Oshawa plant. In 1908, 154 cars were produced in Oshawa. A decade later, in 1918, Mr. McLaugh- lin and his brother George agreed to sell to General Motors and GM Canada was born. It marks 90 years of opera- tion this year. General Motors has supplied much of the economic horsepower that makes Durham Region the success it is today. Without GM and its thousands of work- ers who have toiled and raised families in Durham communities, it’s hard to imagine where the Region would be today. It may seem remarkable to some of the younger generation, but back when General Motors had well over half the vehicles on the road, the say- ing, “What’s good for General Motors is good for America,” rang true. However, plagued by competition from importers and through some dif- ficult economic downturns, General Motors has had some tough times in recent decades. While the company has stumbled with debt problems and has seen its market share plummet in the 1990s and into the new century, there is hope for better days ahead for GM. Under the aggressive leadership of CEO Rick Wagoner, the auto giant is attempting to lead the way into the future and rebound to its former place of economic glory. It’s hoped that, helped by a solid workforce and a community, province and country that want it to badly suc- ceed, General Motors will continue to build vehicles here for another 100 years. This Week For whom do you plan to vote in the upcoming federal election? Conservatives: 30% Liberals: 25% New Democrats: 35% Greens: 6% Other party: 1% No party: 3% Votes: 1,275 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 PAGE 7 A/Pdurhamregion.com Former judge prefers Canadian elections which revolve around issues By Keith Gilligan kgilligan@durhamregion.com DURHAM — Is there a difference be- tween Canadian politicians and their counterparts in Pakistan. Ashraf Khan doesn’t think so. As a for- mer judge in the Islamic country, he had to approve candidates to ensure they were qualified, to ensure they had the Islamic requirements to run for office. Like Canadian politicians, it wasn’t un- common for a prospective candidate to show up to file nomination papers with the media in tow. Sometimes, if a candi- date didn’t meet the Islamic credentials, they would be refused. And, the media would be there to cap- ture it all. Now, Mr. Khan, his wife Asma Menion and their three children get to watch a Canadian election for the first time. Although they’ve only been in Canada for three months, Mr. Khan is following the election “quite a bit. “I know my friends are involved in it. I discuss it with them,” he said, adding he and some friends would like to help can- didates. This is the 18th election he’s been in- volved with, having served as a judge and returning officer in Pakistan for 14 years. He was in the judiciary and involved with an organization called Transparency In- ternational. “It was very much involved in transparency in Pakistan.” There’s a big difference in elections be- tween the two countries, he said. In Canada, elections are issue-based, while Pakistani elections are all about personalities. “Canadian politics is about more than parties. There are five parties and they have their own agendas they talk about -- immigration, taxation.” He pointed to the announcement last week by Steven Harper that a Conser- vative government would be withdraw- ing Canadian troops from Afghanistan in 2011. “It’s issue based. In Pakistan, there are no issues. It’s personalities, family, mus- cle power,” Mr. Khan said. Part of the reason is the Pakistani “elec- torate isn’t literate. Here, it’s personal policies and issues.” He’d “love to” vote and “I’d love to support a candidate, if the opportunity is given, especially if they are the people who will address the issues relating to the masses. “If I serve the candidate, I indirectly serve the people,” he said. “If they are able to solve problems for the masses, I would go to any length to help. “Before I left the country, I thought I might support the Green Party. Their agenda is so genuine. It’s not Canadian- based. It’s global,” he said. “If the environment affected someone (else in the world), it’s going to affect Canada. It’s something we should feel the pinch about. It speaks to an issue that af- fects all humanity,” he said. He doesn’t focus on the leader. “I focus on the agenda. What is the common pur- pose, the vision? What is the vision? Any- one can carry it on. People come and go. That is not important. “If we go for personality, Madonna would be elected Prime Minister in the UK. What are her skills to serve the coun- try? She can sing and act,” he said. His son Shaharyar, 10, “had an assign- ment to bring in information on politics. It’s very good. In Grade 5 and they are getting them involved in the system. It’s very good the school blends them into the system like that.” His daughters are Soma, 9, and Haya, 6. He served as a judge in Pakistan and was the second judge to resign when for- mer President Pervez Musharraf fired the country’s top judges. “It was a shock for me, eye-opening.” He’s been applying to immigrate to Canada for eight years. Now, he and his wife Asma Menion, also a lawyer, are hoping their legal background will lead to similar work in Canada. “I have 14 years in the judiciary in a Commonwealth country. The laws are the same,” he said. “I’m not able to get entry into any legal job. I have to upgrade my skills.” Currently, he works at a gas station and “takes abuse” from customers over prices. Keith Gilligan/ News Advertiser photo The Khan family is new to Canada and they are finding elections here are different than in their native Pakistan. Ashraf Khan and his wife Asma Menion were lawyers. Their children are Shaha- ryar, 10, Soma Khan, 9, and Haya Khan, 6. • Cut the right-of-landing fee in half; invested more (nearly $1.4 billion) in immigrant settle- ment programs; launched the new Foreign Credentials Referral Office; allowed those with Canadian work experience the chance to apply for permanent residence from within Canada; trying to modernize the immigration system through amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. • The government needs to do more to rec- ognize the work and educational experience of immigrants in the Canadian job market. If re-elected, Conservatives intend to place the issue of standardizing and recognizing foreign, professional credentials on the agenda of the next First Ministers meeting; • Will allow veterans of Allied and Common- wealth armed forces, people who fought on the same side as Canada in Second World War and Korea and who have lived in Canada for more than 10 years, to receive the Canadian War Veterans Allowance. -- from the party’s website The NDP has a plan for an improved immigra- tion system — to ensure fairness, boost Cana- da’s productivity, and ease family reunification. • Launched the Creating Fair Opportuni- ties plan to recognize foreign professionals — with national standards for credentials assessment; permanent training and bridging programs; and international reciprocity agree- ments; • Led the campaign to end punishing process- ing fees imposed on refugees and on immi- grant women and children escaping domestic violence; • Tabled legislation to speed up family reuni- fication by permitting any citizen or landed immigrant to sponsor for immigration one family member from outside the “family” clas- sification; • Pressured government to reform the visa program for fairness and efficiency — so visi- tors are not arbitrarily turned away overseas and families have proper visitation rights; • Worked to ensure fact-based appeals for refugee claimants by demanding the launch of the Refugee Appeal Division that Parliament mandated in law in 2002—ignored by every government since. -- from the party’s website • Restore fairness to the immigration system by reversing the unfair, sweeping discretion- ary powers given to the immigration minister to pick and choose among classes of people under the Conservative budget bill; • Liberals will also invest $800 million over four years to modernize and streamline the immigration system, while providing more flexibility and helping to better integrate new Canadians into the work force; • $400 million over four years to modernize the immigration system’s information, data gathering and processing procedures to streamline the system and reduce backlogs; • Providing a more timely and efficient refugee determination system, while respecting Cana- da’s international commitments to refugees; • Revamping the immigration points system to give greater weight to skilled trades, to better align Canada’s immigration policy to the needs of the labour market; • Creating In-Canada Fast Track, a new pro- gram to allow temporary workers, interna- tional students and live-in caregivers to apply for permanent residence within Canada. -- from the party’s website • Work to remove unnecessary barriers recognizing the professional credentials of im- migrants; • Support multicultural communities by assist- ing cultural organizations to obtain charitable status; • Improve cultural and business links with the home countries of new Canadians; • Work with municipalities and provinces to improve the integration of new Canadians into the multicultural fabric of our country; • Toughen the regulations governing the practices of immigration consultants; ensure enforcement and increase penalties for those convicted of human smuggling; • Conduct a full and open review of the Anti- Terrorism Act and the Public Safety Act to eliminate security certificates and the release of the five people detained under them unless formal charges are brought against them; • Regularize the estimated 200,000 people liv- ing in Canada without official status; • Open an investigation into allegations by the United Nations Human Rights Committee of Canadian officials co-operating with foreign agencies known to use torture. -- from the party’s website Personalities dominate Pakistani elections What are the federal parties’ positions on immigration durhamregion.comP PAGE 8 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 Customer Care Centre 905.683.7575 Direct Access 905.420.4660 TTY Access 905.420.1739 cityofpickering.com ATTEND PUBLIC MEETINGS AT CITY HALL DATE MEETING TIME www.picnet.org 905.831.6265 Events @ your library™ Programs for Adults Small Business Seminar: E-Commerce for Your Business Presented by Candace Carter, Back2Front - The Website People At the Central Library Wednesday, September 17th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm 2008 FINAL TAX NOTICE Second Instalment of the 2008 FINAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAX BILL is due for payment SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 If you have not received your Tax Notice, please telephone the Civic Complex at 905.420.4614 (North Pickering 905.683.2760) or Toll Free 1.866.683.2760. Our offi ce hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Questions regarding your property assessment? • Please note that property assessment is the responsibility of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and that all assessment related inquiries should be directed to them at 1.866.296.6722. • Additional information regarding property assessment can be found on MPAC’s website: www.mpac.ca Tired of standing in line to pay your taxes? Please note that the City of Pickering offers the following payment options and encourages you to try these convenient alternatives. You can pay your taxes: • At participating fi nancial institutions. Please allow fi ve days before the due date for your payment to reach our office. Note: Your tax account is credited when payment is received at our offi ce, not the day funds are withdrawn from your bank account. • By mail. To avoid the late payment penalty fee, please ensure that your tax payment is mailed fi ve days before the due date. Cheques post-dated for the due date are acceptable. Note: Your account is credited when payment is received at our offi ce, not the post-marked date. • The “outside” drop box during or after business hours at the City municipal building on or before the due date. • By telephone/computer banking. Please check with your fi nancial institution for details. Please allow fi ve days before the due date for your payment to reach our offi ce. Note: Your tax account is credited when payment is received at our offi ce, not the day funds are withdrawn from your bank account. Failure to receive a Tax Notice does not reduce your responsibility for the payment of taxes and penalty. A late payment fee of 1.25% is added to any unpaid taxes on the fi rst day of default and on the fi rst day of each month, as long as the taxes remain unpaid. The penalty and interest rates are set by City by-laws, pursuant to the Ontario Municipal Act. The City does not have the authority to waive penalty and interest charges. Last Chance To Register All meetings are open to the public. For meeting details call 905.420.2222 or visit our website. Sept. 10 Committee of Adjustment 7:00 pm Sept. 15 Council Meeting 7:30 pm Sept. 18 Waterfront Coordinating Committee 7:00 pm Sept. 23 Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee 7:00 pm Sept. 24 Accessibility Advisory Committee 7:00 pm Sept. 25 Library Board 7:00 pm Sept. 29 Special Planning & Development Committee 7:30 pm Do you love being near the water? Like fi shing, swimming, or bird watching? Unfortunately our shorelines, rivers, lakes and streams are getting littered with garbage. Help out by joining 59,000 other Canadians taking part in the TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up between September 20-28. There are many opportunities to participate: • Community groups, businesses, cadets and scouts are encouraged to select a site and register with www.vanaqua.org/cleanup or call toll free 1.877.427.2422. You may also opt to join one of the other clean ups taking place that are “open to the public”. • Residents, families and students not involved with one of these other groups are welcome to join the City of Pickering and Toronto & Region Conservation. Call 905.683.7575 for details and to register to clean up Lake Ontario on Saturday, September 27th from 10 am - noon, rain or shine. Students, this event is eligible for community volunteer hours. The City of Pickering can help any volunteers clean up eff orts by providing supplies and waste disposal. Call 905.683.7575. sustainablepickering.com Congratulations to our 5 Bloom Winners! Thank you to all of those who participated in the 2008 Communities in Bloom Community Garden Competition. A list of the winning garden entries and photos are posted on the City website at cityofpickering.com TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 905.683.8401 CELEBRATING25YEARSOFF A M I L Y ,FITNESSANDFUN! cit y o f p i c k e ring.com/recreationALL FREE • ALL FUN SATURDAY SEPT. 20 Starting at 9 am Wii Fit Gallery • Green Gym Outdoor Fitness Experience Family Swim & Beach Party • Family Skate • SKORT Family Fitness • Pick-Up Sports & Fun! • Tennis Fitness Future Marketplace • Expansion plans revealed Fitness Future - Discover today’s hottest fi tness trends, vote for your faves to shape Fitness Future at the REC!! 12:30 pm Join in the World Record Attempt - Be There Childrens Entertainment: Dan The Music Man & The Winged Wonders Bird Show 7:45 pm Drive-In Movie: Family Feature Film 905.683.6582 cityofpickering.com/recreation PLUS, GET A FULL YEAR OF HEALTH CLUB FREE WITH OUR SILVER ANNIVERSARY OFFER. JUST ASK US HOW! sponsored by: THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 PAGE 9 Pdurhamregion.com Call 905-426-4222 or 1-800-461-1582 Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies!Come Clean Before the Snow Flies! Let’s Talk Trash! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! Special Fall Rates! The kids are back to school & fall is just around the corner. Now would be a great time to clean out all that “stuff” that has accumulated over the summer around the house & property. durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 10 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, September 17, 2008 DURHAM — Expectant parents and those who think they’ll be expecting in the near future can pick up pregnancy and parenting information at a prenatal health fair later this month. On Sept. 22, Durham Regional Health Depart- ment and the Prenatal Coalition of Durham will host the fair. The event runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Regional headquarters, located at 605 Rossland Rd. E. in Whitby. Parking and admission are free. “This is the first time that this very popular event will be held in the evening,” said public health nurse Cathie Logan. “We hope that this will allow individuals who have been unable to attend in the past an opportunity to visit the fair and take in one of the many displays and workshops of- fered.” Those attending the fair will get a chance to speak to health professionals and community support people and check out displays and re- sources. The info is targeted at women in any stage of pregnancy, dads-to-be and couples plan- ning a pregnancy, and new parents. Over 6.500 people have attended prenatal health fairs in Durham since they began in 2002. To obtain prenatal resources or for more infor- mation about the prenatal health fair, residents can call the Durham Health Connection Line at 905-666-6241 or 1-800-841-2729, or visit www. region.durham.on.ca. Evening prenatal health fair PICKERING — Anyone recently laid off, down- sized, re-entering the job market or thinking of changing careers can get some help Wednesday from the YMCA Career Change Workshop. The workshop will provide information about career options to those wishing to completely change careers. The workshop is Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the YMCA Durham Employment and Community at 1550 Kingston Rd,, Pickering (Valley Farm Road and Hwy. 2). Ev- eryone is welcome. Call 905-427-7670 to reserve a seat. YMCA helping with career changes Get Local 24/7 mobile.newsdurhamregion.com 2/5'% 6!,,%9 !*!8 !.$ 0)#+%2).'