This opinion piece is supposed to proceed riding by riding, breaking down the issues to endorse candidates who this paper believes can best serve Scarborough.
We have the issues before us and we know where each candidate and party stand.
But to go through each riding one by one would be a waste of space and time.
There is only one party that has benefitted Scarborough for the past decade or so, and they have the record to prove it. Liberals own Scarborough, much as they do a majority of the suburbs of the Greater Toronto Area.
Liberal candidates have maintained control over this area for a reason. In the past it was due to the party’s views on immigration.
Some say that is not the case anymore. Some say other parties are speaking more in line with the ethnic communities that make up Scarborough.
But from Malvern to Rouge Valley and Miliken to Guildwood, Scarborough’s residents have a choice to make: Stay the course with the Liberals or vote against those that have run this area for more than 10 years?
John McKay, Dan McTeague, Jim Karygiannis, Michelle Simson and John Cannis have earned one more term to serve their respective ridings. Scarborough-Rouge River will greatly miss the leadership of Derek Lee, but it has a suitable and qualified replacement in Rana Sarkar. Sarkar worked under Lee and is prepared to step into the role of MP.
Scarborough-Southwest’s Simson became the first federal politician to put her expenses online for all to see and dissect, continuing her support of an open and transparent government.
Scarborough Centre’s John Cannis listened to his constituents after calls for tougher criminal laws, as he supported a bill to tighten auto theft and property crimes.
But we cannot simply look at what these candidates have done for their ridings. We must look at the alternatives. According to polls, the only close alternatives are the Conservatives.
In Scarborough-Southwest, the Conservatives offer us Gavan Paranchothy. Paranchothy has changed his name (and multiple online personas) to rid any mention of his Tamil background or television broadcasts paying tribute to the Tamil Tigers, a terrorist organization as declared by his Conservative government.
The Conservatives do not understand what Scarborough wants, needs or deserves. The Liberal streak must continue if this area is to prosper and rid itself of the inaccurate reputation it has garnished.
Scarborough must remain red and hope the rest of the country votes in a similar fashion.