Page 10, WhItby Free Pres, Weéiosday, June 14,1995 Faety coasts to victory-iIIDurham :Centr.e 1ýy MikeKowalakl Reidents of Durham Centre riding will again be represented on. the government aide of the Ontario leislature. But un ie five years ago, thefr new M£PP belongs to a party on the opposite aide of the political spectrurn. <Progressive Conservative can- didate Jim Flaherty cruised te a resoundin victo7in l[ t Thura- day'a provicaléetion.ý Te 45-year-old Iawyer easily defeated New Democrat incum- bent Drummond White and Liberal challenger Allan Furlong to become MPP for the riding which takes in Whitby south of Taunton Road and a major por- tion of Oshawa. Flahertys total of 25,099 votes was more than 7,000 ahead of the combined tallies of his two opponents. Fomer MPP Furlong collected 9,823 votes te finish second while White tumbled from his fhrst- place showing in 1990 te third this time out with 8,107 votes. Flaherty's win means Durham Centre will now have been repre- sented by ail three parties smnce its creation in 1987. "This is a great day for Ontario," Flaherty told about 150 cheering supporters at the Royal Canadian Legion hall on Byron Street, «There will be real change in Ontario, not like what we've had in the past 10 years,» he said as television monitors recorded the maldng of the provinoes first Torygovrnmntsinoe 1985. "Our prerm e nated with the voter,- laherty said of Mse p rty's self.-çrocau'ned 'Common bq.ens Reoluiodoftai cuts, I >wer spending and beas govern- x aent regulation. "We, offered them (votera) res- pect and they responded." Flahert poessed te be both «humble and honoured" by the size of his victory and paid bornage te bis workers. «Tis9 is a credit to the cam- pain team. I didn't expect it woud be this much,» hie admit- ted. In fact, from the moment resulte of the firat poli were posted, Flaherty had more votes than Furlong and White tegether. A new subdivision on the west aide of Brock Street, south of Taunton, gave Flaherty 110 votes turongs 48 and White's 31 and the former was neyer headed. Shortly béfore 8:30 and 10' minutes after the television net- works had declared a Conserva- tive majority, Flaherty had 1,16 votes te Furlongs 302 4ýnd White's 268. The lead kept on building and after 44 of the riding's 183 poIls had reported, Flaherty was com- fortably ahead with nearly 60 per cent of the vote. Although he did not daim te forsee such a massive win, cam- paign manager Jerry Moskaluk detected a move te the Conserva- tives about three weeks before election day. "I started te feel it after the leaders' debate,» Moskaluk told the Free Press.P «From the volunteers coming ini the signa requested and the telephone calîs, it was more positive than negative,» he said. «During the lest week it (sup- port) real1ly came down hard.» According te Moskaluk, the majority of questions posed te Tory canvassers deaIt with the cnrerial proposai te slash the icorne tai rate by 30 per cent while cutting spending by $6 billion. "Once we explained where the cuts were coming frorn people Bawere quite prepared te accept it,» Local issues such*as retention of acute care services at Whitby General Hospital andprsra tion of the Lynde Crê Marsh also figured prominently, Moska- luk added. Flaherty teuched on both sub- jects in bis acceptance speech. "People want value for their money. They don't mind paying taxes but they want value for it, he said. «They want acute care services NEWLY-elected Durham Centre MPP Jim Flaherty has his hands ful paying attention to two of his triplet sons while carrying on a conversation on the telephone. Photo by Jererny Dresar, Whltby Free Press at their hospital. They want te be protected and they want qua- lity classroom education.» Premier-elect Mike Harris bas promised that a Conservative government will maintain fund- ing for bealth care, ,police ser- vices and 'classroom' education at current levels. Harris also pledged te resign if the Tories cannot eliminate the province's deficit at the same time. qI now see that if we have te resign there will b. a large crowd of us leaving qýueen's Pafrk," Fia- herty qua«pped m reference te the 82 new Conservative MPPs. Flaherty offered hie up«eraa commitmiet'te restormg- «24- hour emergency evie te Whitby General and reiterated bie and Harria' opposfition te a proosd ylechange for the hoe- The DrhamRegion District Health Council bas recommen- ded that Whitby General become a rehabilitationi treatment centre seringail of Durham. During a visit te Whitbhy o1 dave after the election was cal- led, Harris aaid the recommenda- tion would not ho implemented without further atudy. *As for the Lynde Shores bous- img project, bth Flaherty and Harris have called for an environmental assesmment of the proposed development which wvould put an estimated 5,000 p 1pl neit te the marsh. FlahMerty drew applause when ho said that next te the hospital, the marsh will bho Ms second priority afler he becomes MPP. If election night apeculation i. :gidication, Flaherty may be ab to ursue both matte ra with the aMUedclout of being a cabinet minister. Moskaluk noted this osibility when he introduced the candi- date as "our new MPP and I hope, in. a couple of weeks, the honourableJim Flaherty.» Flaherty did not broDach the subject diivinn bis speech and wes reluctan tet do so when questionned by reporters. "I got knté this te get our program mn place ... but'I will do Whatever Mike Harris wants me te do$" he said. A recognized authority on ini- surance law i Canada, Flaherty has written and lectured exten- sively on the topic. Flaherty also refuted Whites sugsto that ho will not be a fi-time MPP by noting that the legilature eat for only 20 day. in its moat recent session. "If that's fultime, anbody can do that,» ho saidbeor promising to do «everything that is necesaary for the constituency in the nextfive years.' MPP White crushed b y. Tory tide ]By John Diay Drummond VWhite's organkzers sat stone-faced and silent as they watched the Tory blue tide rush tbrough Durbam Centre on élection night. In the common room of the Northview Meadow housing co-operative in north Oshawa, White and bis supporters held a sombre party. They watched the election results on a large Hitachi television, and by 8:30 p.m., the writing was on the wall. The first resuit wes posted on large sheets of paper that were taped te, the wall. It read: Jim Flaberty 956, Allan Furlong 473 and White 460. At 9:30 p.m., White arrived te speak te, hi. people. Earlier, he bad visited winmnrg candidate Jim Flaberty te provide bis congratulations. 'We've had some difficult times, difficult press and media," be said te the crowd of about 50 persons. 'l think we dealt with a difficuit time in a fair way." However, be pointed out the co-operative as an example of bis government's good deeds. "Twenty-two hundred people would otherwise be homeless," if the housing complex wasnt built, he said. "In the most economic times, difficult of we in this OUTGOING1 congratulates Flaherty. Durham Centre MPP Drummond White, left, his successor, Progressive Conservative Jim Photo by Jerefny Dresar. Whihby Free Press province have not forgot our comnritmont to social justice." Even though the Tories have promnised te hold off on building more social housi*ng, White provided some hope for the residents by saying, lets going te take a lot to tako (the co-op) away." As well, sevon new schools that bave been built in the riding since the NDP took power in 1990 wiIl not be torn down, he said. I think that our government has delivered for Durham in a way that'. neyer happened b]:efore." White pointed out some of the miistakeste NDP made early in their mandate that contributed te his downfall. He singled out the issue of public auto insurance, which the goverament promidsed during the election but never delivered. However, ho said the government saved 40,000 public secter jobs with its social contra.ct. "The last several years we've seen a vory strong government dealing with bard circumstancos." While some may think that the NDP party i. dead, White refuted that statement. 'We'll rise again, we'll win again," he said te subdued applause. Speaking about bis own future, White said that lho bas not finalized bis plans, but added, "Fm not intending te retreat indefinitely." For the immediate future, he said hie wants te, take some time off to, get back te some of bis favourite leisure activities: running, swhnniing and canoeing. White had some harsh words for the Common Sense Revolution and its consequences for the poor people of the province, 'Nover, in the most frustrating of times, have we stooped te IcIng people when they're down." However, he did have some ind words for Flaherty. I wish him all the best." Whfttswarned that the Tories' plan may bave nmre erious consequences for the province 'Tou can't cut taxes and not touch health car.," ho said. FROM PAGE 3 walkways and signage. The main objective of the monitoring committee is protec- tion of the wetland by ensuring that all barriers, naturalization plantings of vegetation and stormwater facilities are func- tionig as intended. Te committee wil ho co- chaired b Whitby planning director Boý Short and an officiâl of the Central Lake Ontario Con- servation Authorifty. There will also be representa- tives from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources; and the Ontario Ministry of Environ- ment. The committee bas a projected life-span of 12 years and will ho funded with an initial $300,000 investmentby the principal land- owners. 1