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Capturing snapshots of time is his passion Get into Halloween mood with Pumpkin Patrol You said it 9 lcanada.com| Saab of Kitchener Waterioo 663 Victoria St. N. 744â€"5811 RIM Park _ *Selected Distribution WATERLOQ CHRONICLE WHAT‘S INSIDE Assante Financial* Murrays Clothing* Page 11 Page 13 gCT 2 ; 2001 Decision time for Witmer she or won‘t she? That‘s W-Itlllle question Waterloo MPP Elizabeth Witmer has yet to decide with the surprise resignation of Premier Mike Harris last week. Will Witmer, the province‘s curâ€" rent environment minister and former minister of labour and health, take a shot at the premier‘s seat at the Ontario Progressive Conservative party‘s leadership convention planned for next year? Or will she give up the field to other pretenders to the throne like Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Health Minister Tony Clement and Education Minister Janet Ecker? Tara Stanley was one of many teenagers who planted a crocus bulb in honour of murdered teenager Jimmy Stanley during a memorial service held last Wednesday at Sunnydale Place. See story on page 6. Witmer herself said a lot of By Bos VeRanac Chronicle Staff WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001 + WATERLOO, ONTARIO WATERNLCZT PUELG LIBRARY Serving your community since 1856 Remembering a friend is 5; â€" those questions could be answered this hy weekend at the cÂ¥ party‘s â€" policy 1 convention ‘ s c h e d u1e d 1e ‘ down the road in London. Liz Witmer The convenâ€" tion is being held in an area that helped spur on some of the poliâ€" cies of Mike Harris‘ Common Sense Revolution, a platform that saw him ride to power six years ago against an unpopular NDP governâ€" ment led by Bob Rae. If the party turns to the right and becomes more conservative than progressive, moderates or consensusâ€"builders like Witmer could fall by the wayside. But if the party decides that it needs to cast a wider net to win the next general election, that could be called sometime in 2004, they might go with a more middleâ€"ofâ€" the road candidate like Witmer who could revive her party‘s flagâ€" ging interest in the public opinion polls. __ Witmer would only say that she will be all ears at this weekend‘s convention, to see which way the "I am seriously considering it," said Witmer, about her potential candidacy. "I‘ve had a dialogue with many people inside and outâ€" side the party this past week, and 1 have been quite encouraged and flattered by the level of support by people who are prepared to work party goes. Continued on page 3 $1 INCLUDING GST ANDREA BAILEY PHOTO e Region of Waterloo has taken another step toward fulâ€" filling its commitment to proâ€" vide 1,000 affordable housing units over the next five years. Last week, the municipality‘s community . services committee approved the allocation of $2.1 milâ€" lion for the construction or renovaâ€" tion of 145 units throughout the Region committed to providing 1,000 units over next five years spent on close to 30 new units specifically planned for Waterloo‘s eastâ€"end, near RIM Park. "We are looking at the long term," said Waterloo regional Coun. Sean Strickland, chair of the community services committee. With this decision, this year the region has accounted for 185 of the promised number of units â€"â€" close to 20 per cent of its overall goal â€" which is intended to help balance the region‘s low vacancy rate of 0.7 per cent, and decrease the length of the waiting list for affordable housâ€" ing, which exceeds more than 3,900 households. However, Strickland‘s committee still hopes to receive combined funding from the federal and provinâ€" cial governments to offset about 40 per cent of the overall cost of the project _ _ _ One step closer to affordable housing While the region has approved the use of $6.5 million from its Social Housing Reserve Pund for the capiâ€" tal costs of the affordable housing strategy, Strickland has said that without the added political aid, the region‘s goal will be difficult to achieve. Strickland said his committee is also looking at the feasibility of conâ€" modiel of affordable home ownership, Continued on page 2 Of that money, $450,000 will be By Anpaza Barey Chronicle Staff