Page 12-The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, October 13, 1988
Election Update
M-T
Leaders focus on Ontafio^s capital
By
JEFF ROSEN
TORONTO —
Political leaders of every stripe are sure-to descend upon Metro Toronto within the coming weeks as the . federal election campaign heats up, realizing the importance of capturing seats in Ontario's capital.
While all will claim that every, vote is important and no one riding more valuable then the next, there are some where a single hand-ishake or friendly smile coiild determine the outcome.
In these ''swing ridings," the eventual winner in the 1980 election enjoyed a smaller margin of victory then the total number of Jewish votes. While riding boundaries have changed as a result of redistribution, there are four key ridings that
— based on ethnic origin figures from the 1986 census supplied by the Canada-Israel Committee
— will now be closely watched for changes in voting patterns.
Of these four, the smallest margin of victory was enjoyed by Conservative John Oostrom in the riding of Willowdale. Last time he finished a scant 362 , . votesahead of incumbent MP Jim Peterson,, with a plurality of 0,7%. while the riding's 19,120 Jews accounted f()r'20.5% of the population.
This time out Peterson will be returning for. another fight agatn"stOosr: trom, wHile Ann AdeLson, , an occupational therapist and sociial activist; will-carry the NOP banner in the riding.
In Eglinton-Lawi-e'nce, ■ ihe defeat; of 'long-time Liberal MP Roland de Cor-neilie in the nomination. ■ contest could affect voting patterns. In the la.st contest deCorheille finished with aplurality of 2.7%(1,169 votes), while the riding's 11,060 Jews accounted for 1:1.5% of the population.
In the 1988 election, high school teacher Joseph Voipe will try to retain the .riding for the Liberal
Party, going Up against_ former Liberal cabinet minister Tony Abbott for the Conservatives and a yet-to-be-nqminated NDP candidate.
The riding of York North deserves attention not only because it is one of the swing ridings, but because it is one of the few ridings that rejected all three mainstream political parties last time around and opted for independent candidate Tony Rorriari.
Then Roman finished with a pluriality of 4:8% (4,245 votes) in the still burgeoning riding. While the riding's Jewish population has declined since the last battle, it is only be^^ cause of redistribution which saw the new: riding of Markham created oiit of the eastern part of York North. Now York North includes over 10,000 Jews while Markham takes: in close to 8.800.
Attewell in Markham
In the former riding Maurizio Bevilacqua is running as the Liberal.can-didate against: Micheal O'Brien for: the PCs and Aurora councillor and lomier mayor Evelyn Buck-fonthe NDP. ,
Meanwhile; in Markham, Don Valley East MP Bill Att^ewell. is trying to take the riding for the Conservatives, going up against Jag Bhaduria for the Liberals, Susan Krone for the NDP and independent : candidate, former Conservative MP John Gamble.
In St. Paul's the situation reads exactly "the same as it did four years ago; that is, the rriinister of employment and irnmigration is seeking . reelection.
, NVhileTofy Barbara Mc-Dougall was a relative unknown in 1980 when she ran against Liberal minister John Roberts, this time out she. holds, this key portfolio. .
In this traditional swing riding — it backed Joe
Clark in 1979, the Liberals in 1980 and Muh*on-ey's Conservatives in 1984 - the 15,415 Jews represent 16% of the population. In 1984, Mc-Dougall won with 9.9% of the vote topping Roberts by 4,255.
Voters in St. Paul's are sure to: be treated to an equally tough battle this time put, as McDougali goes up aigainst veteran Liberal MP Aideen Nicholson, who lost her Trinity seat due to redistribution,' and NDP candidate Dianne Bull, a policy analyst and ■ researcher for provincial Opposition leader Bob ■•Rae.;
While other Metro seats seem more secure, they loo will prove ihteresfing to. watch, in the coming weeks.
While Liberal MPs were going down to defeat in the 1980 election the riding of ■ York Centre with over 12,000 Jews representing 13.6% of the population returned Robert Kaplan to office with a plurality of ';24%-.;-; : : ;
- This time the veteran MP will be seeking reelection ?.gainst*PC candidate Roc-co Sebastiano.
Former Conservative, Speaker John Bosley finished with a comfortable plurality of 34.5% in Don Valley West, where Jews account for 8.9% of the to-, tal populace. .
This time Bosley will seek reelection against his . old NDP opponent from 1980. Ian Cameron and Liberal newcomer Elizabeth'Yoi-ke.
Just further north in the new riding of Don Valley North, three newcomers to the federal scene wiH4ry to claim the area which takes in part of Bill Attewell's old riding of Don Valley Ea.st. There Attewell defeated his Liberal opponent by over 10,000 votes.
Now former North York . controller Barbara;Greene is running for the Conservatives, Anton Kurti is the NDP candidate and'Sarkis Assadourian is the fiag-bearer for the Liberals!
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A.S a result of federal redistribution, many riding boundaries in Metro Toronto have changed. Swing ridings (indicated by *) are those where winner in 1984 won by a smaller margin than total Jewish population. [Flections Canada map]
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