Toronto-Danforth Question and Answer.
Provincial candidates for the riding of Toronto-Danforth. Top: Rita Jethi (PC Party); Marisa Sterling (Liberal). Bottom: Peter Tabuns (NDP); Tim Whalley (Green).
Photo/COURTESY
Toronto-Danforth, represented provincially by NDP MPP Peter Tabuns since 2006, is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, Taylor Creek and the Don River East Branch to the north, Coxwell Avenue/Coxwell Boulevard to the east and the Don River to the west.
The federal electoral district encompasses municipal wards 29 and 30 (Toronto-Danforth) and is home to several neighbourhoods namely Riverdale, Leslieville, The Danforth, Riverside, East York, Pape Village and Playter Estates.
Running to represent the riding at Queen's Park is Liberal candidate Marisa Sterling, Green Party candidate Tim Whalley and Conservative Rita Jethi. Tabuns, the riding's incumbent, is also running for re-election.
RITA JETHI - PC PARTY
Phone: 416-321-9043
Website: http://ritajethi.ca
1) What election issue have you been hearing about in your riding that you plan to act on? How?
As I go door-to-door, I hear all too often that for some families even the basics have become out of reach, as they are working harder but not making any gains. Unexpected taxes and ever-increasing hydro bills have been taking too much from their budgets. I will be pushing for immediate action to give them relief, starting with taking the HST off our home hydro and heating bills. PC party will lower income taxes by five per cent on the first $75,000 of taxable income. We will allow all couples to share up to $50,000 of their income for tax purposes.
2) What action do you feel the province should take in ensuring a long-term, growth-appropriate transit plan for Toronto?
We need to ask one question of all proposed road and transit projects: Will they move more people and more goods more quickly while being a good deal for the people who are paying for them. We need to work cooperatively with other levels of government to develop realistic plans that will make a difference for our families who are spending too much time away from each other while stuck in gridlock. We will invest more than $35 billion to pay for new infrastructure - much of it in transit and transportation.
3) How do you plan to improve health care for your local constituents?
I will be a strong advocate for our local needs and focusing our health-care system on the needs of the patient - not bureaucracy, forms and administration. Reducing administration and waste, like the LHINs, will allow us to redirect that funding to the frontlines where it should be. We will increase $6.1 billion investment in health care. We will establish wait time guarantees for emergency room visits. We will improve health care for Ontario seniors with 40,000 long-term care beds. We will introduce a rigorous system of patient satisfaction and health outcome measures.
4) Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in India and immigrated to Canada in 1999. Currently, I am working as a realtor and an independent certified financial advisor. I am married to Anil and have two boys living in Toronto. I have worked with YMCA. As chair of Ontario Women's Cricket Development Program, I am encouraging women to adopt active life through sports. I am also helping seniors at Villa Karuna, a home for seniors, as a director.
MARISA STERLING - LIBERAL
Phone: 416-466-5790
Email: marisa@votesterling.ca
Website: www.votesterling.ca
Twitter: @marisasterling
1) What election issue have you been hearing about in your riding that you plan to act on? How?
Toronto-Danforth residents are saying "we need change from the NDP in this area instead of a third city councillor on the provincial payroll." Toronto-Danforth wants leadership and a seat at the provincial government table. Opposition is no longer good enough for our diverse community. It is an issue of making a change toward action versus just complaining and reaction. By electing a Liberal, we can take action to continue to give our children the best education they deserve; ensure our aging parents can stay healthy and stay at home; and encourage entrepreneurship and small business growth to create jobs.
2) What action do you feel the province should take in ensuring a long-term, growth-appropriate transit plan for Toronto?
Ontario Liberals have a record of supporting long-term growth of public transit. Since 2003, we've made the largest transit investment in Ontario in 40 years, including approximately $4 billion to improve and expand transit in Toronto. I believe in a coordinated transit strategy for the GTA. We are committed to moving forward with building rapid transit infrastructure in Toronto and will continue to work with the city to build new transit. We're expanding and improving GO train service with two-way, all-day service on all corridors to help reduce the volume of traffic.
3) How do you plan to improve healthcare for your local constituents?
Ontario Liberals have made significant improvements to health care across the province. We've hired 11,000 new nurses, opened 18 new hospitals and achieved the shortest surgical wait times in Canada. By providing funding for doctors to make house calls, we will serve more seniors in their homes freeing up hospital beds. We've recently committed to funding the much needed expansion of the Toronto East General Hospital. I have observed how TEGH has become one of the most effective community hospitals. As a declared healthy candidate by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, I will focus on health prevention and promotion.
4) Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was interested in politics and community action when I worked as a page in the Ontario Legislature when I was 12. My parents instilled in me a strong sense of giving back, which I have continued to do over the last 20 years. Now, as an engineer, I sit on several boards and advocate for students across the province. I'm passionate about healthy communities and the environment, accessible education and a prosperous economy.
PETER TABUNS - NDP
Phone: 647-547-8155
Email: petertabuns@ontariondp.ca
Website: www.petertabuns.ca
Twitter: @peter_tabuns
1) What election issue have you been hearing about in your riding that you plan to act on? How?
People have been incredibly concerned about threatened cuts to local community services and they understand the impact the provincial government can have on the quality of services Toronto receives. We shouldn't have to even discuss funding cuts for day care, the arts and libraries. But the Liberal government chose to prioritize billions in corporate giveaways over better funding for municipalities and that has contributed to what's happening in Toronto today. I'm committed to showing the leadership that Toronto expects by reversing years of downloading and ensuring reliable funding for municipalities.
2) What action do you feel the province should take in ensuring a long-term, growth-appropriate transit plan for Toronto?
I'm committed to ensuring that the TTC receives stable operating funds from the province in exchange for a transit fare freeze. It's a solution that is good for transit users, will ease congestion on our roads and makes effective transit funding a priority. Years of struggling for funds to simply maintain the system has meant that effective plans for growth, like Transit City, never got off the ground. Queen's Park needs to commit to reliable funding so that we can move ahead with smart plans to grow the system.
3) How do you plan to improve health care for your local constituents?
We invest billions of dollars in health care every year but we still have an enormous problem with wait times for the services we all rely on. Whether it's a scared parent waiting eight hours in an emergency room or a senior waiting months for access to a homecare program, we need to make sure everyone gets the care they need in a reasonable time. We will cut emergency room wait times in half and help those who need health-care services at home by funding an additional one million hours and eliminating the waiting list for home care.
4) Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have proudly served the residents of Toronto-Danforth since being elected in 2006. I have an adult son, Anton, and live with my partner, Shawn Kerwin. She's a theatre professor at York University. I am a former executive director of Greenpeace and was a city councillor before entering provincial politics. It's been my pleasure to work with so many residents on important community issues like fighting to stop high-voltage transmission lines through our community.
TIM WHALLEY - GREEN
Phone: 416-273-8247
Email: tim@danforthgreens.ca
Website: danforthgreens.ca
Twitter: @TimWhalleyGreen
1) What election issue have you been hearing about in your riding that you plan to act on? How?
I have spoken with Toronto-Danforth residents and there is a concern about the need for high-quality and accessible education. Education is a top priority for the Green Party. Our plan would support a healthy, inclusive and responsive educational system for students of all ages. This includes investment in healthy food programs for children, training and apprenticeship programs in growth industries such as green building and renewable energy and a freeze on tuition fees for post-secondary education. Our education plan will allow Ontarians to build skills needed for 21st century jobs that will also result in healthy and livable communities.
2) What action do you feel the province should take in ensuring a long-term, growth-appropriate transit plan for Toronto?
As someone who relies on my bike and the TTC to commute to work, I know how important it is to support sustainable and diverse modes of transportation. It is imperative the province act quickly on transit in Toronto. The Green Party is focused on a long-term plan to reduce gridlock and pollution on our roads and support the growth of sustainable transportation in Toronto. The Green Party platform includes a $200 million fund for investment in cycling, walking and active transportation infrastructure, tax credits for ride sharing, car pooling and transit users and maintenance of funding for public transit.
3) How do you plan to improve healthcare for your local constituents?
The Green Party plan would refocus our health-care system on programs that will prevent illness while improving access and quality of care. Ontario spends $7 per person on health promotion and illness prevention in comparison with $21 per person in British Columbia. We would promote education regarding healthier lifestyles, ensure physical education is supported in schools, invest in good food programs and support cycling and walking infrastructure. I would put local communities at the forefront of local health care decisions while working to support doctors and other health care professionals for community health care clinics integrated with public health.
4) Tell us a bit about yourself.
When I am not meeting Toronto-Danforth residents, I am usually hanging out with my wife and baby or enjoying some down time with a book or listening to music from my growing vinyl collection. This is my first time running for election as a provincial candidate and I am enjoying the experience a lot. We have a great team of volunteers and are finding a lot of support in this very green riding.