The Pickering 20 PAGES ✦ Pressrun 47,900 ✦ Metroland Durham Region Media Group ✦ SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2006 ✦ Optional delivery $6 / Newsstand $1 MAKE A DATE GET THE POINTS Check the Billboard for Panthers ready to activity in Pickering Attack in Ajax Page 10 Page 13 Martin the family man hits Durham Discusses Liberal Party’s plans for social programs By Jillian Follert Staff Writer DURHAM — During a campaign NEWS ADVERTISER stop here Friday morning, Prime Minister Paul Martin boasted of winning a family card tournament off to care for a seriously ill loved over the holidays, and indicated he one, increasing the Caregiver Tax is still holding a few political cards Credit by 50 per cent to $15,000, the close to his vest as some polls show creation of a Registered Disabilities his party losing ground to the Con- Savings Plan to help people with servatives. disabilities plan for the future and Surrounded by red-button-clad $135 million from the Post-Second- supporters, local MPs Judi Longfield ary Innovation Fund to improve ac- (Whitby-Oshawa), Mark Holland cess to education for people with (Ajax) and Dan McTeague (Picker- disabilities. ing-Scarborough East) and federal An initiative that received en- hopefuls Louise Parkes (Oshawa) thusiastic applause from the many and Doug Moffatt (Durham) at the seniors in attendance was the Mort- Whitby Seniors Activity Centre, Mr. gage Equity Access Now for Seniors Martin unveiled his party’s new plan (MEANS) program, that would to support families -- including ini- provide insurance for reverse mort- tiatives for seniors, caregivers, and gages -- a tool that many seniors people with disabilities. on fixed incomes use to access the “I believe that our social pro- equity they have in their homes. grams, the things we do to help each The prime minister noted that other out and help each other up, commercial institutions that offer speak to the kind of country we are reverse mortgages usually charge and the country we want to be,” he high interest, and said MEANS said. would help them save thousands of Ron Pietroniro / News Advertiser photo Key elements of the plan include dollars. Prime Minister Paul Martin makes his case during a campaign stop at the Whitby Seniors Activity Centre on Friday. Mr. a Family Leave Program that allows Martin was joined by Ajax-Pickering candidate Mark Holland and Dan McTeague, who’s carrying the Liberal banner for caregivers to take up to two months ✦ See Liberals, Page 2 Pickering-Scarborough East. Blaisdale First week fairly seamless for new transit MONTESSORI 35.2//-3s7).$/73s2//&).' School Manufacturer of SIX CAMPUSES IN DURHAM Drivers prepared in first week all is reported well with connected and affordable public SIX CAMPUSES IN DURHAM Durham Region Transit. transit. SUNROOMS NEW PRE-TODDLER PROGRAM (12 mo.-18 mo.) advance, says GM & WINDOWS SPACES AVAILABLE IN AJAX & PICKERING Durham Region Transit (DRT) “It was a fairly seamless transi- Call Head Office merged the transit services in Ajax/ tion,” said Ted Galinis, DRT’s gen- Visit our showroom By Erin Hatfield Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, Clar- eral manager. “The teams in existing 239 Station St., Ajax 905-509-5005 Staff Writer ington, Handi Transit and Special- transit did a good job merging the For more info visit www.blaisdale.com DURHAM — With the new year ized Services Jan. 1. The intent is 905-686-2445 12 mths - grade 8 came a new way to ride, and in its to provide convenient, comfortable, ✦ See Transit, Page 2 A/P PAGE 2 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, JANUARY 8, 2006 durhamregion.com Transit has fielded complaints, but ‘nothing unusual’ in first week ✦ Transit from page 1 been instructed to err on the side of routes across the region and a har- Scugog. This northern service was ✦ Reporter Erin Hatfield the customer. For example, if some- monized fare structure. actually introduced in late Decem- systems.” tests the new transit system one has cash fare when boarding Mr. Galinis explained the new ber because Mr. Galinis said it is The buses have been rebranded, ✦ Anderson asks for funds GO Transit, when what is required transit system brings with it im- not a fixed route and they wanted to the drivers are wearing new uni- is a DRT pass or transfer, the drivers proved service in Ajax, Pickering, work the bugs out in advance. forms, the new fairs are in place and, Page 4 have been instructed to let them Whitby, including service on holi- “The biggest thing is the new GO for the most part, all is well. on. days and weekends. As well, he transit fare agreement,” Mr. Galinis “When you merge four transit The site provides the latest in- Immediate changes were the new notes the new extended northern said. “One fare anywhere in Dur- systems in one day there are bound formation about Durham Region logo on buses and stops, integrated service into Brock, Uxbridge and ham.” to be some issues,” Mr. Galinis said. Transit, including routes, schedules, With a ridership every day of fares and new services. 30,000 and an annual ridership in Also, to make the transition a LUX LIMO SERVICES the area of 6.5 million, when un- smooth one, drivers were given bul- We can be veiled, transit officials were sure to letins and the appropriate training. receive some customer calls. Mr. As well, he explained GO Transit reached at Galinis said the DRT office fielded drivers have been involved in the DURHAM 905-683-5110 a large number, particularly Jan. 3, transition as they too must be aware Ajax/Pickering $55 when transit takers were gearing up of the new system because of a fare TORONTO (905) 914-3000 For Up To 3 People to return to work. agreement between the two. (416) 795-1111 (905) 725-0033 NEWS “People were looking for infor- “We had some minor transfer is- BOOK FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, B IRTHDAYS, A NNIVERSARY’S, C ASINO’S, mation on how it would work,” Mr. sues with the electronic fare boxes NIGHTS ON T HE T OWN OR ADVERTISER Galinis said, although he admits in the beginning,” Mr. Galinis said. ANY T OURIST DESTINATION. B OOK N OW F OR V ALENTINES some of the calls were complaints. “Just little minor gremlins.” “There are usually a few com- But he explained that drivers have Major Credit Cards Accepted Visit Us At: www.lux-limo.com plaints when you raise fares. But nothing unusual.” DRT also received a number of calls asking about its new website, www.durhamregiontransit.com, which Mr. Galinis said is up and running. “It seems to be getting a lot of hits,” he said. Liberals want to keep seniors in their homes ✦ Liberals from page 1 “Many seniors today have the ca- pacity to stay in their own homes, but they find that rising property taxes and high maintenance costs can outstrip increases in annual income... you’re nodding, you’re right,” he said to the crowd. “Our goal is to bring down interest costs and put more money in the pockets of Canada’s seniors.” Ms. Longfield said she is also ex- cited about the MEANS plan, noting that it will help local seniors over- whelmed by soaring property taxes. “We want to do everything we can to keep seniors in their homes,” Ms. Longfield said, noting that as former Parliamentary Secretary of Labour and Housing she is all too famil- iar with the challenges seniors face. “Property taxes are regressive, they aren’t based on ability to pay. This will help take some of the pressure off seniors on fixed incomes.” Telling the audience that Ca- nadians are going to elect “one of two people” as their leader on Jan. 23, Mr. Martin took square aim at his Conservative opponent several times over the course of his speech, accusing Stephen Harper of oppos- ing national child care and a ban on handguns, and supporting tax breaks for the wealthy. The prime minister shrugged off suggestions that his party is lagging in the polls and questions as to how he might turn the campaign around. “The fact is we’re obviously in a nar- row race, the polls seem to indicate that we’re neck and neck,” he said. “I’ve been there before.” durhamregion.com THE NEWS ADVERTISER, JANUARY 8, 2006 PAGE 3 A/P Tamils meet with Conservatives Groups gather to learn more about the party By Crystal Crimi Staff Writer DURHAM — Durham Tamil groups are working to expand their members’ political horizons. Various Tamil group representatives met Dec. 29 at the campaign office of NEWS ADVERTISER Rondo Thomas, Ajax-Pickering’s Con- servative candidate, to hear what the Balarajan said. party is selling and to spread that mes- Those attending suggested the party sage to other Tamils in the area. hold a GTA event to discuss its platform “For us, this is a very important event,” with minorities and explain the ben- said Pon Balarajan, president of Justice efits its policies could offer. Although and Freedom for Tamils Everywhere. the Conservative candidates said they “There are a lot of misunderstandings thought it was a good idea, they added among people.” they didn’t think it could occur before In an interview following the meet- the election. ing, Mr. Balarajan said most Tamils vote “You have made statements support- Liberal without studying Conservative ing Tamils... we have also heard things policies. He added some speeches made that were somewhat difficult to under- by Conservatives in the past have been stand,” said Dr. Sri B. Sri-Skanda-Ratah. hurtful and perceived to be anti-Tamil.