Olivia Chow
By Travis campbell
Olivia Chow could be the next hope for starving and debt-ridden students looking for real chances in the working world. Hot off the biggest rally of her campaign, Chow was optimistic about her chances.
“People want change, they want honesty. You get cynical about government, people need honesty.”
If honesty is the best medicine, then Olivia Chow is prescribing some to Canadians. “A lot of people feel hope, they are quite excited of the possibility of real change.” If voters choose her on election day, Chow says they can be confident that “action will be taken.”
Chow has been in politics for some twenty years, having first been elected as a Toronto District School Board Trustee in 1985. Since then, Chow has become one of the most popular and widely admired Toronto City Councillors. “There are a lot of issues that are connected municipally to Federally, and that is where cities get government money.”
She’s hoping to ride her municipal success all the way to Ottawa. When asked what issues she feels most connected to, she describes sustainable development and the environment as a very pertinent and important issue.
“All this talk about Kyoto and Canada’s role in it, did you know that Canada is the only G8 Nation not publicly funding public transportation? In order to stop greenhouse effects we need to better fund public transportation.”
She says that students especially can count on her to fight in their corner. “The NDP Party was voted number one by the Canadian Federation of Students for our platform on education.” Chow has heard the students’ calls for lower tuition, better housing and more federal research money.
“The Liberals have cut nearly four billion on education…It is no wonder tuition fees are going up.” Chow recognizes that bank loans are not the answer, and said “sure, you can borrow more money than ever, but then you have to pay it back-with interest.”
She is also no stranger to the plight of the arts student; she herself has a degree in fine arts, and recognizes how hard it has been in Canada for students with general arts degrees to find gainful employment.
Of course, everyone wants to know how she and her husband, NDP leader Jack Layton, are managing their hectic schedule as Canada’s new power couple-and perhaps the first married MPs working together in parliament. “It’s wonderful, we’re having loads of fun. Work hard, party hard.”
Tony Ianno
By Candice Debi
Tony Ianno believes the issue at heart for Trinity-Spadina (U of T’s riding) is quality of life. As an incumbent for the last 12 years, he’s been able to solve issues first with an idea, and then, “you need people that are intelligent and able to research the idea to come up with something. When they come up with something you need to commercialize it; once you commercialize it you have the opportunity to either 1) save lives, or 2) build an industry so Canadians have high quality paying jobs.”
Both his small business background and his education in science at U of T brought Ianno to this vision. Such was the case in 1981 when he advocated for the use of Ethanol in gasoline to reduce pollution, and even today, as he plans to use wind energy on the roof of his campaign office as a source for power.
Tony is also proud of his investment in the city, despite criticism from Olivia Chow and the NDP, he believes that to say the government has neglected the city “is simply not true. Take a look at most of the activities in the last ten years: the [development of the] trade centre, the convention centre, the money used at U of T for additional beautification…we’ve done a lot for the city in terms of infrastructure.”
Ianno feels that the most important aspect of students’ quality of life is money. In Paul Martin’s throne speech, the Liberal government promised to help alleviate the burden of debt upon post-secondary students, by modernizing the student loan program and providing more grants to low income students. But how will this help students who are now facing the challenge of affording postsecondary education?
“They will probably find a way where students don’t get penalized, because right now, when the federal government [offers] a loan or grant, the students can’t get them because of their parent’s income,” Ianno said.
In the end, Ianno believes that both his vision for Trinity-Spadina and his reputation will seal his victory. Tony stresses that it is his “social, compassionate side [that] motivates [him],” such as in his advocacy for affordable housing, where $156 million worth of new low-income housing is being built to relieve homelessness.
In the last week of his battle against Olivia Chow, Ianno says what sets him apart from his rival is simple: “I got in to politics because of social justice and fighting for the little person. I’m not there for the photo-op.”
David Watters
By Daniel Roth
David Watters, 35, is confident about his chances of winning the federal seat for Trinity-Spadina on June 28th. Although he is the Conservative candidate in a riding that has voted Liberal since 1993, he believes his “real world experience” gives him a good position in the race, noting that Tony Ianno (Liberal) has been in politics since he was 21 (running federally since 1988), and Olivia Chow (NDP) has been in provincial and municipal politics since the early 1980’s. Watters’ experience includes work with Xerox Canada, ADP Canada and many small businesses.
Watters’ political experience includes volunteering on a number of campaigns for the Progressive Conservative Party.
The Conservative platform says that the party would try to “modernize” the student loans program, including “raising the parental income threshold.” Watters explained that he was made to wait a number of years to be eligible for student loans because his parents’ income was too high. He was forced to enroll part time at some points during university because he was not receiving government aid. He added that because education is a provincial responsibility, “there are limits to what we can do.”
Watters described the Conservative tax plan: he said that middle income Canadians would receive a 25% cut in taxes, and that “the poorest have programs, although there will never be enough,” while “the richest can take care of themselves.” Mr. Watters said that “honesty in budgeting” will keep programs like socialized healthcare running while still allowing tax cuts.
On the subject of the Kyoto Accord, Mr. Watters blamed the United States and Russia, saying that “The problem with Kyoto is that it’s dead, because they refuse to sign on. So we have to realize that we have to look for a solution in this country.”
Mr. Watters position on same-sex marriage is clear: he explained that the conservative party would be permitted to vote freely, and that “I would be in favour of same-sex marriage” when the vote came.
Watters said that the Conservative Party’s position on marijuana is “fuzzy.” He said that while the party is not exactly in favour of decriminalization, it would focus on a uniform application of the law in all regions of the country.
Watters is feeling positive about the June 28th election.
“You may just be surprised that there will be a conservative majority government.”
Mark Viitala
By Bronwyn Kienapple
Twenty one months ago, Mark Viitala got shot at by rogue frosh with pellet guns. Now he wants to be their MP.
For a self-proclaimed ‘normal guy’, Viitala keeps pulling out the surprises. Tired of the NDP and motivated by a new life’s-too-short philosophy, he’s now representing the Green Party in Trinity-Spadina.
Viitala is a new to the area, having moved here a year ago. When not fighting to install speed bumps, running an all-ska show on U of T’s radio station CIUT or checking out the concert scene on Queen Street, he works for who he calls ‘the Man’ at Rogers Media.
Green at heart, he resists being labeled as left-wing. Claiming both the fiscal smarts of the Tories and the social conscience of the NDP, Viitala sees his party as a new breed altogether. “The other parties are gray. I consider us green.”
He and the Marijuana Party agree on one point: make pot legal. With the number of pot-growing operations that thrive across Canada, government shouldn’t be fighting weed, but taxing it, says Viitala.
Pollution, clean energy and sustainable living also top his list of environmental concerns. As the Chair of the GTA group of the Sierra Club of Canada, he’s fighting to turn the Island Airport into a park. While he knows it’s going to be a tough sell, Viitala isn’t fazed. “We’re not gonna change things overnight…but these changes need to start happening or we’ll screw it up for future generations.”
He’s got his eye fixed on that lone wind turbine down by the waterfront, too. With only one windmill for five million city dwellers, he wants to build a lot more.
Viitala calls on us apathetic Torontonians to get our collective asses in motion. A firm believer in grassroots democracy, he cites himself, a “chronic volunteer,” as a prime example. “We’re [the Green Party] made of ordinary citizens like ourselves…I’m just a normal person trying to do something I believe in.”
He’s not interested in hearing any nonsense about the party’s underdog status.
“The Green Party is growing, we’re gonna form the government or opposition within 10 years. I look forward to a minority government and I look forward to us having seats in it.”
With 7% in the polls, he’s right where the NDP was last election. That sort of promise is what keeps Viitala going.
“I’m very excited,” he said with a laugh. “Stoked, even.”
