A Provincial Election Newsletter for OPSEU Members
Issue 3 - September 23
Tories will fight back: Casselman
The Tories aren’t dead yet.
As three new public opinion polls show that just one in three voters still support the Ernie Eves Conservatives, OPSEU president Leah Casselman is asking union members to keep working hard to defeat the Tories in the Oct. 2 election.
“Over the last eight years, OPSEU members have seen how cunning these Tories can be,” she said. “They have more money than anyone and they will stop at nothing to win. Please keep working to defeat them.
“We’ll party next Thursday night, but for now we have to work.”
It’s not too late for more members to jump into the campaign, Casselman said.
“If you haven’t had a chance to volunteer yet, don’t worry - there’s still time,” she said. “Call your nearest election coordinator [see below], even if you can only help for an hour or two. There’s a lot to do, and fun people to do it with.”
OPSEU election coordinators
Region 1: Jayne McKenzie, (519) 671-5852, jaynemckenzie@sympatico.ca
Region 2: Neil Fraser or Brock Suddaby, (905) 527-6122; nopseu@hotmail.com
Region 3: Karrie Ouchas, (905) 579-2658, ouchas@sympatico.ca
Region 4: Rhéal Delaquis, (613) 932-8939, rheal.delaquis@sympatico.ca
Region 5: Maria Rodrigues, (416) 928-2489, tdowney@opseu.org
Region 6: Sue Brown (North Bay), (705) 499-5129, sbrown@opseu.org: Linda Aho (Sudbury/Sault Ste. Marie), (705) 669-7808, linda.aho@sympatico.ca ; Peter Wall (Timmins), (705) 372-3310,
peterw@ntl.sympatico.ca
Region 7: Charlie Faust (Thunder Bay), (807) 887-0328, cfaust@vianet.ca ; James Tocker (Kenora); (807) 626-4884; jtocker@tbaytel.net
Leaders’ debate won’t change Tory record
Tonight’s debate among leaders of Ontario’s main political parties won’t change what the Tories have done to the province since 1995, Leah Casselman says.
“Ninety minutes of television can’t erase the memory of eight long years of cuts, layoffs, privatization, and deteriorating public services,” she said. “That’s what this election is about today, and that’s what it will still be about on October 2.”
Tonight’s leaders’ debate will be carried on television on CP24, CFTO, CBC, CPAC, Global, and TVOntario. Tune it in on radio on CFRB-AM or CBC Radio One. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m.
You can vote NOW
You don’t have to wait until Oct. 2 to vote. Advance poll locations are open this week in every riding in the province.
Voting early is always a good idea. First, it guarantees that you actually will vote. You never know what might come up on Oct. 2. People get sick. Cars break down. Second, it frees up your time to work for an opposition candidate on Election Day. “Getting out the vote” is an easy job, but it’s also
a crucial one that needs to be done. So vote now!
For Advance Poll locations and hours of operation, watch for Elections Ontario ads in your local newspaper or check the Internet at www.electionsontario.on.ca . Simply click on the link that says, “Where do I vote?”
Basic facts: you and your vote
You can vote in the upcoming provincial election if you are 18 or older, a Canadian citizen, and a resident of an Ontario electoral district.
Ontario now uses a Permanent Register of Electors to prepare lists of voters for each riding. When an election is called, a Notice of Registration card is mailed to all voters on the list. It tells where and when to vote, including dates and locations for Advance Polls (if you choose to vote before
Election Day).
Bring your Notice of Registration card with you when you go to vote.
Most qualified voters will already be on the Permanent Register, but if you have moved recently, your name may not be on the voters list. If you do not receive a card, you may not be on the list. YOU CAN STILL VOTE.
How to vote if you’re not yet on the voters list
Most Ontario voters who are on the voters list should have received their Notice of Registration card by now.
If you have not, there are two ways you can vote: 1) Get a Certificate to Vote; or 2) Have your name added on Election Day at the polling place.
1. Obtain a Certificate to Vote from the Revision Assistant at your electoral district Returning Office or at any Advance Poll location. There’s a Returning Office for each riding.
Certificates to vote are issued up to 8:00 p.m. the day before Election Day. To have your name added to the voters list, you must:
· make a statutory declaration to establish your identity and qualifications, and swear that you have not already voted in the election; and
· confirm your identity and residence by providing appropriate identification.
2. Have your name added on Election Day. For this you need proper I.D. Take either:
· One identification document that shows your name, address, and signature (e.g., your driver’s licence) OR
· Two identification documents: one that shows your name and signature (e.g., Old Age Security card, credit card, passport, citizenship card) and one that shows your name and your residence address, such as a tax bill or a utility bill.
For any and all information on voting and the election, visit the excellent Elections Ontario web site at www.electionsontario.on.ca .
For election information, or to get involved in the OPSEU campaign, check the web at www.opseu.org .
Original authorized for distribution by Leah Casselman, president.
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