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Population growth taken into account in federal riding boundary changes
BY L.H. TIFFANY HSIEH
BY L.H. TIFFANY HSIEH
thsieh@yrmg.com
See PARENTS, page 12.
any oil change package
New ridings proposed for Markham
Lack of awareness issue for companies as boards nix busing Concerns over the lack of awareness for alternative school transportation has some York parents scrambling to find rides for their children before classes start Tuesday. “There are some decisions we have to make. I’m in a limbo right now,” said Vicky Yakabuski of Stouffville. Ms Yakabuski’s daughter, Julia, is starting Grade 9 in Unionville High School’s drama program. Since arts programs are considered optional, school boards do not provide school buses for those enrolled. However, there are some exceptions, such as if they live within the school boundary or in a community not served by public transit and are qualified for busing. By chance, Ms Yakabuski’s husband found out about a Concord company that specializes in school transportation for those who don’t qualify for busing with the school boards — by running into one of the company’s bus drivers. Ms Yakabuski said the school board should make it easier for
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thsieh@yrmg.com
York Region could be better represented in Ottawa with three additional members of Parliament as proposed this week. However, some critics are concerned with the implication of tax dollars and the mix of rural and urban areas. John McCallum, Liberal MP for Markham-Unionville, praised the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario for doing “a good job” with redistributing the ridings to reflect population shift and increase. “What they’ve done doesn’t strike me as unreasonable,” Mr. McCallum said. “My preliminary reaction is I’m not complaining.”
Every riding in York Region affected Overall, the province will gain 15 electoral districts as a result of population growth. While two of the three proposed additional ridings are in Markham and one is to be shared by Aurora and Richmond Hill, every riding in York is affected. Four of the region’s seven existing ridings — York-Simcoe, Newmarket-Aurora, Richmond Hill and MarkhamUnionville — will keep the same names, but have different boundaries. The other six ridings proposed are Markham, Markham-Stouffville, Oak Ridges, Vaughan-Thornhill, Vaughan-Woodbridge and Aurora-Richmond Hill. The Markham-Unionville riding will stretch north of 19th Avenue and lose part of the south and southeast sections of Markham to the proposed Markham and Markham-Stouffville ridings. These changes are “fairly neutral”, Mr. McCallum
STAFF PHOTO/NICK IWANYSHYN
Tom Hansford (left) and John Peiou race for a ball during the Markham Old-Timers Rec Slo-Pitch League Alumni Day match, where player alumni from as far back as the 1970s returned to play in a game to celebrate the league’s 35th anniversary, at Centennial Park on Sunday.
See ONTARIO, page 8.
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