CHILD POVERTY
OUR VIEW
ADDRESSING ISSUE EARLY KEY TO FUTURE SUCCESS PAGE A3
TIME HAS COME TO DO AWAY WITH OMB PAGE A6
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COMMUNITY
Petition urges York to ban Canada Day shopping BY LISA QUEEN
R
lqueen@yrmg.com
egardless of religion or culture, Canadians should put their wallets away on Canada Day by foregoing shopping in favour of celebrating our country’s past achievements and future promise. That is the message of two York Region residents who have launched a petition asking the region to ban shopping on July 1.
‘There are enough days in the year when people can go shopping so it doesn’t have to be on that day. I think it’s much more important to think of the country, involve the whole family, be together as a family and enjoy the day.’ “I think we live in a country which is peaceful and I think is a very good country so I think we should appreciate what we have, where we’re living,” said Kettleby resident Rolf Ehrat. “We shouldn’t always just think of money, money, money because obviously opening the stores is so businesses can make more money. I think in this case, that should be
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of secondary importance. There are enough days in the year when people can go shopping so it doesn’t have to be on that day. I think it’s much more important to think of the country, involve the whole family, be together as a family and enjoy the day.” Ehrat and Newmarket resident Ross Carson, retired minister at King’s York Pines United Church, launched the petition last week calling on the region to put an end to shopping on Canada Day. “I think it’s the social cohesion that’s important. Our country needs a day when people really rejoice in their country and also reflect on the role it plays in the world. I think to have a day when stores are closed is a good thing. It says to the population we’re in this together,” Carson said. “Rolf and I are senior citizens. We’re trying to encourage young people to see the world as we do, that our nation is important and identifying ourselves as Canadians with a purpose in this world is I hope something that will appeal to the younger people.” Every time 100 people sign the petition,
Steve Somerville/Metroland
Rolf Ehrat and Ross Carson have launched a petition asking York Region to ban shopping on Canada Day.
See page A12.
PUBLIC SAFETY
York Regional Police looking at making use of body cameras Entire fleet of police cruisers being outfitted with in-car cameras now JEREMY GRIMALDI
jgrimaldi@yrmg.com
T
Metroland file photo
York Regional Police is taking steps to make sure all of its cruisers are outfitted with in-car cameras.
he jury remains out on whether York police will be wearing body cameras in the coming years or not. In the meantime though, the service is taking steps to ensure all its cruisers will be outfitted with in-car cameras. The service’s latest budget proposal includes a request for $131,000 to ensure each of the force’s 225 cruisers will have the capability of filming interactions between police and the public in 2017. However not all interactions will be filmed by the cameras. York police admitted that although the cameras are automatically switched on when the emergency lights are activated, Const. Andy Pattenden added the
cameras can also be turned off by officers. When asked when and if York police will be deciding on whether to purchase body cameras, manager of financial services, Jeff Channel, said the force is currently looking at Toronto police’s 18-month pilot project to see how it turns out. “It’s an ongoing evaluation of body-worn cameras,” he said. “We are considering it, I think all are looking towards Toronto’s pilot. Is it effective and efficient for YRP? That’s an open question.” In September, an estimate to outfit about 5,000 Toronto officers with body cameras came in at $85 million over 10 years. A survey showed 95 per cent of public and 85 per cent of officers supported the use of cameras. Details about the new in-car cameras were released as part of
this year’s budget request at York Regional Police Services Board on Wednesday Oct. 26. The budget also included a further $197,000 to purchase new guns and tasers, bringing the force’s total number of ‘conductive energy weapons’ to 155. It further requests $630,000 for the new King substation that is to be completed alongside the King Township municipal offices at the end of 2017. If passed, the police budget - at $310 million - will mark the first time a budget will breach the $300 million mark and will signify about one per cent of the region’s approximate three per cent tax rise. The in-car camera scheme is the continuation of a 2012 program at a then-cost of $2.1 million. The budget will be voted on by regional council on Dec. 8.
EDUCATION
Residents east of Bayview Avenue demand new high school TERESA LATCHFORD
tlatchford@yrmg.com
R
esidents east of Bayview Avenue are demanding a new high school for their children. It was standing room only at the Oct. 25 council meeting as Aurora parents cheered as a few took to the podium to ask for town council’s support in lobbying the York District School Board to build a new high school at Conover Avenue and Spring Farm Road, a vacant property currently owned by the public board. “It has been a long time since a new high school was constructed in Aurora despite the population boom and new development,” resident Kelly Steedman said. Her children will face over an hour’s commute to G. W. Williams Secondary School and public tran-
sit fares will be costly for three children. Walking also poses a safety issue with the congestion surrounding the GO station. Two new elementary schools have been constructed to accommodate the population boom in the area and a third will break ground soon. However, there is no word on the high school, she said. Students from East of Bayview Avenue, who make up almost 60 per cent of the G. W. Williams Secondary School student population, are driven or take transit to school and average six kilometres away, said resident Sandra Manherz. Not being able to walk to school means students are missing out on the health, wellness and social benefits associated with walking. Working around transit schedules also make it challenging for students to participate in extracurricular activities, she added.
“Having a high school on Bayview isn’t just a good idea but it is essential to our children’s health and wellbeing,” she said. “We want to be Canada’s most active community, so help us do that.” Residents have formed a group called Local School Smart Decision and have been collecting signatures on a petition since the beginning of the year. Residents indicated they have been in touch with school board trustees and were told a business case would need to be conducted to determine the need in the area. However, the residents confirmed there has been no action taken to do so, to their knowledge. Capital projects, such as the construction of new schools, are funded by the province’s educaSee page A12.
Teresa Latchford/Metroland
Aurora resident Sandra Manherz advocates for the construction of a new high school east of Bayview Avenue as fellow parents look on at the Oct. 25 Aurora council meeting.
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