The Pickering 48 PAGES ✦ Metroland Durham Region Media Group ✦ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2006 ✦ Optional delivery $6 / Newsstand $1 It fits to a ‘T’ Off to Juniors Toyota Yaris Pickering Swim Club quite a ride members advance Wheels pullout Page B2 [ Briefly ] Pickering helps T ough financial times for Pickering mark 50 years PICKERING — There was a By Danielle Milley find a balance between the needs of the receptive to the idea. factored in. No changes were made to its distinctly Durham flavour as the Staff Writer City and the external restrictions that “Surveys show library materials are allocation in the budget, but CAO Tom Toronto and Region Conservation PICKERING — Imagine a Pickering have been placed upon us,” said Mayor the lifeblood of what we do,” she said, Quinn said it could be something talked authority celebrated a significant with no Dunbarton pool, a significantly Dave Ryan after a day and a adding it would cut a substan- about at a one-day session he is plan- milestone recently. reduced library collection, and a scaled half of budget committee dis- tial amount of materials and ning with council to discuss a number Uxbridge Mayor Gerri Lynn back Canada Day celebration. cussions. have a significant impact. of issues. O’Connor was re-elected vice- At the 2006 budget committee meet- Looking to the future, he Coun. Dickerson asked if Ward 1 City Councillor Kevin Ashe chairwoman as the conservation group, which serves west Dur- ing councillors rejected that Pickering, said a 15 per cent increase $100,000 could be cut from the questioned the expense of Dunbarton ham, held its 50th annual meeting but, faced with tough financial times, wouldn’t be acceptable to total budget of $4,311,000. pool; the cost for gas to heat it has gone recently in Brampton. Over 450 they did consider it. residents or council and the “That’s a hefty amount and from $38,302 in 2004 to $174,320 in the individuals from nine watershed The City’s proposed tax increase of 5.9 possibility of restricting ser- I’d have to go back and talk to 2006 budget. regions came together to honour per cent isn’t going to get residents much vices exists. the board,” she said. “It would “It might impact a community, but the past and present accomplish- in the way of new projects or services. Councillors each took a mean service cuts.” these numbers don’t make sense,” he ments of the TRCA. Faced with low assessment growth and turn at trying to save resi- No one else supported the said. “At some point we have to think The meeting featured reflec- rising costs, that’s how much Pickering dents’ money. Ward 2 City Doug Dickerson idea. about making some tough decisions. tions from award-winning Ca- has to hike taxes just to keep the status Councillor Doug Dickerson Coun. Dickerson also drew Mr. Quinn said he didn’t believe the nadian playwright Dan Needles, quo. Next year that increase is projected asked library CEO Cynthia Mearns if attention to the amount being spent on gas charges were correct and it was being creator of the ‘Wingfield Farm’ at more than 15 per cent. they could do with $400,000 for ma- Pickering’s Canada Day celebrations plays, along with greetings from “There’s been a concerted effort to terials instead of $500,000. She wasn’t – more than $100,000 when all costs are ✦ See Budget, Page A4 Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan on behalf of Durham Region, and Pickering Regional Councillor Bill McLean, who served as chief ad- ministrative officer of the TRCA from 1983 to 1992. Ajax Regional Durham College to release Councillor Colleen Jordan is also FOOD TO GO a TRCA member. Dick O’Brien was re-elected to his 11th term as TRCA chair- tentative plan for students man. [ Police ] Pupils to hear ideas “I think it is up to management to put up a plan of action for the stu- for making up time; dents we teach,” said Ms. Rautins. Help police find management won’t take “We knew that was certainly even- missing man tually going to happen... it’s an ex- over teaching duties pected thing and we’ll wait to see DURHAM — Police have how each college is going to do that.” made another appeal for infor- The teachers were in a legal strike mation on a Durham man who By Crystal Crimi position on March 7, following failed has been missing since last May. Staff Writer contract negotiations between the Investigators believe 37-year- DURHAM — With a faculty strike College Compensation and Appoint- old Gary Newman may still be in entering its second week, Ontario’s ments Council and OPSEU, the latter the GTA. He has not been seen colleges are preparing plans to make representing college academic staff. since May 6, 2005. up for lost student time. According to information handed Mr. Newman most recently lived in Oshawa. On March 14, the Association of out by those picketing last Tuesday, He is also familiar with Ajax Colleges of Applied Arts and Technol- faculty want workload, salary and and Toronto. ogy of Ontario (ACAATO) announced staffing improvements. Anyone with information on community colleges are working on It says the faculty at the Province’s the man’s whereabouts is asked strategies to ensure students will not 24 colleges want a contract that ad- to call Detective Mitch Martin at lose their semester because of the dresses smaller classes, more teach- 905-579-1520, ext. 5405, or Crime strike. ers and more faculty time for stu- Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. “I promise every student our plan dents. will work,” says Durham College In response to ACAATO accusa- President Gary Polonsky. tions that OPSEU only tabled a spe- [ Index ] On Tuesday morning, Mr. Polonsky cific proposal on class size once, on said a tentative plan specifically for the final day of bargaining March 7, Editorial Page, A6 Durham will be released to students Ms. Rautins said it is not true and it Sports, B1 electronically in the next day or two. was tabled during an in-camera ses- Classified, B4 He added the plan will not be final- sion in February. Entertainment, B7 ized until after the strike is over and A March 14 ACAATO release states Durham College’s management can elements of Ontario colleges offer to consult with faculty on its implemen- OPSEU include a 12.6 per cent in- [ Call us] tation. crease in salary by April 2009, which “Management will not be teaching would increase the maximum pay to General: 905 683 5110 at Durham College,” he said. “Our $94,277, and no increase to work- Distribution: 905 683 5117 faculty are experts in the classroom load. General Fax: 905 683 7363 and our managers respect that fully.” Ms. Rautins has heard no recent Newsroom Fax: 905 683 0386 Debbie Rautins, vice-president of word of a return to the bargaining A.J. Groen / News Advertiser photo the Ontario Public Service Employ- table. PICKERING — Pickering Town Centre employee Melanie Loyer loads some Pressrun 48,900 ees Union (OPSEU) local 354 and the “I don’t think (management) wants of the centre’s 200-pound food donation to the St. Paul’s On the Hill Com- infodurhamregion.com Durham strike co-ordinator, said she to negotiate,” she said. munity Food Bank Monday. There’s more to come, as the PTC’s March Break couldn’t comment on any proposed Ms. Rautins said OPSEU has indi- Food Drive continues until Friday and visitors are encouraged to bring non- plans by Ontario’s community col- cated it will not return to the bargain- perishable food items. leges because she hadn’t seen any ing table until management puts up a yet. fair offer. Pickering student garners national attention Selected from pool “It is overwhelming,” said the “I know the stress it would put on Afzal’s record of extracurricular in- Pine Ridge Secondary School stu- my parents,” Afzal said, referring to volvement stretches back to his first of 3,500 applicants dent. “Everyone is really proud and the university costs for all the chil- year of high school. In Grade 10 he for $75,000 scholarship I am happy I was able to make them dren. served as junior affairs officer, then proud. He is considering attending either vice-president of the student council “But it is the people who are com- York University in Toronto or the Uni- in Grade 11 and he is president in ANNANDALE By Erin Hatfield ing up to say congratulations to me versity of British Colombia to study Grade 12. Staff Writer that I think are the people who got international business. He intends to He also is active in Toastmasters, GOLF TOURNAMENTS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS PICKERING — The inspiration of me there.” use that as an undergraduate degree Students Together Against Racism a grandfather, love of siblings and a Afzal applied for the scholarship to further his studies so he can work (STAR), anti-bullying, respect cam- and MON.-THURS. ...................... $395 DINNER PACKAGES passion for equality culminated in a on the advice of guidance counsel- in law or for the United Nations. paigns and many other initiatives. MON.-FRI. .............................. $425 $75,000 scholarship for a Pickering lors. The scholarship requires a mini- Modestly, Afzal said when he met WEEKDAYS .................. $56 FULL 7 DAYS ........................ $945 WEEKENDS ............. $61.50 youth. “I have been told by a lot of people mum of an 85 per cent average, as the other students in the running he COUPLES FULL ................