AJAX-PICKERING RIDING

Provincial campaign

It's not that type of campaign. With this campaign, Premier Dalton McGuinty is after all the federal candidates in Ontario to work to ensure Ontario is "treated equally."

In a letter to all candidates running in Ontario, Mr. McGuinty asks the candidates to answer six questions and to work to help Ontario. A sampling of the questions goes: The federal government takes more than $20 billion from Ontario for programs and services in the rest of Canada. How will you reduce the drain on Ontario casued by unfair federal transfers?

Mr. McGuinty states in his letter that the $20 billion "means $1,815 per Ontarian is transferred from our province to support federal spending in other parts of the country."

Given the statement on Monday by Ontario finance minister Dwight Duncan that he can't guarantee the Province couldn't slip into a deficit given the current financial mess, Mr. McGuinty would really like some of that $20 billion.

In a form letter to go with Mr. McGuinty's missive, Ajax-Pickering MPP Joe Dickson said, "All Ontarians have been working hard to move our province forward. But we could do more -- and do it faster -- if we could keep more of our own money, and invest right here in Ontario to make ourselves even more competitive."

A website, www.fairness.ca, has been set up where the responses of the federal candidates can be found. That is, those who responded.

LOL all-candidates' meeting

An all-candidates' meeting is being held in Claremont on Wednesday.

The anti-airport group, Land Over Landings, is co-sponsoring the Ajax-Pickering riding event with the Greenwood Area Ratepayers' Association. While LOL is helping put on the event, topics won't be limited to airport questions.

It's being held on Oct. 8 at  the Claremont Community Centre, on Old Brock Road, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m., candidates arriving at 7 p.m. and the debate running from 7:30 to 9 p.m., with the candidates available for informal discussions until 9:30 p.m.

All six candidates have been invited and are expected to attend.

Harper's here

Conservative leader Stephen Harper is coming to Ajax.

Mr. Harper will be at a rally at the Ajax Convention Centre, on Beck Crescent, in the Salem Road and Hwy. 401 area, on Saturday, Sept. 27. Doors to the centre open at 1:30 p.m. and Mr. Harper is scheduled to appear at 3 p.m.

Those wanting to attend have to register in advance and the number to call is 905-424-7706.

Make sure to check out www.newsdurhamregion.com for complete coverage of the event.

Bala's back

Bala Thavarajasoorier is again carrying the orange and green colours of the NDP.

Mr. Thavarajasoorier is the New Democratic Party candidate in Ajax-Pickering Riding. It's the second time he's run for the party in the riding, having been the candidate in the 2007 provincial election.

The Ajax resident says there isn't one reason for running. “People have lost their jobs in this area. There is a ripple effect.” He said the other parties “have no vision. If they had vision, we wouldn’t have a state like this. They just give money. They have no vision.”

Greens have a candidate

The Green Party has a candidate in Ajax-Pickering Riding. Mikhel (Mike) Harilaid will be leading the party here.

According to a posting on the Green Party website, Harilaid is "a new comer to the political arena but brings to the table a broad range of real life experience and a passion for doing what is right. He combines a practical approach with a commitment to the environment."

He had worked in the real estate field, as a licensed broker and the director of a national real estate organization, along with writing for texts.

In 1992, he formed Black Walk, a producer of music videos, both domestically and internationally. He also worked on films and documentaries, and is a member of the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association.

He operates an experimental farm in Pickering and he's a member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Harilaid lives in Pickering with his daughter Hannah and son Silas in the home that his father built in the late 1950s. He is currently working on the final draft of his first lifestyle/cookbook.

NDP to pick a candidate

With the election almost a week old, the New Democratic Party in Ajax-Pickering is getting around to nominating a candidate.

Riding association president Kevin Modeste said the party is holding a nomination meeting on Saturday, Sept. 13, starting at noon, at the Ajax Community Centre, on Centennial Road.

Where's Rick? (Part 2)

When Rick Johnson opens his campaign office on Saturday, he'll be joined by Jim Flaherty.

Johnson's campaign team has confirmed that the Whitby-Oshawa MP and finance minister will be there for the opening. The office will be official opened on Sept. 13 at 11 a.m.

The office is at the northwest corner of Brock Road and Hwy. 2, in Pickering. Mr. Johnson is running for the Conservatives in Ajax-Pickering Riding.

Where's Rick?

He's at 1970 Brock Rd. in Pickering. The Conservative candidate in Ajax-Pickering Riding, Rick Johnson, is officially opening his campaign headquarters on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the festivities.

The office is on the northwest corner of Brock and Hwy. 2, across the street from the Ajax-Pickering office of the Durham Regional Police.

For more on Johnson's campaign, visit his website at www.electrickjohnson.ca.

Council cancelled

Followers of Ajax council (and you know who you are) won't have to make a tough decision on election night.

Councillors on Monday, Sept. 8, decided to cancel the Oct. 14 meeting in light of the federal election. Instead, any business that needs taken care of will be done on Oct. 9, immediately following the General Government Committee meeting.

Another reason to cancel the meeting -- it would have been on a Tuesday and thusly, wouldn't be televised. So, with no TV there to televise their verbal nuggets, councillors figured, "Why bother?"

With a Pickering councillor running for the Conservatives, expect Pickering council to also cancel it's Oct. 14 meeting. Check back later.

Stephane coming

Liberal leader Stephane Dion is coming. He'll be Mark Holland's campaign office on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m.

Joining Mr. Holland (Ajax-Pickering) are other Liberal candidates -- Dan McTeague (Pickering-Scarborough East), Brent Fullard (Whitby-Oshawa), Sean Godfrey (Oshawa) and Bryan Ransom (Durham).

Following the rally with Mr. Dion, Mr. Holland will hold a party for campaign workers and supporters. It’s Mr. Dion’s first visit to the GTA in this election.

Mr. Holland’s campaign office is at 1755 Pickering Parkway, Unit 22a, next to the Amish Furniture outlet in the Home and Design Centre, in Pickering.