Ridings

175 Parkdale-High Park

Riding Profile

This west Toronto riding runs from mansions along the Humber River to boarding houses near the Queen Street Mental Health Centre.

It stretches from Lake Ontario in the south to the CP Rail line in the north between the Humber River and the CN tracks and Dufferin Street. High Park and the Junction neighbourhoods are in this riding.

It is home to a mix of longtime and new Canadians, with an immigrant population of 42 per cent. It also has the greatest share of Polish speakers in the province. Primary employment sectors are manufacturing and service sector. Rentals outnumber homeowners, 62 per cent to 38 per cent. Average family income is $76,648 and unemployment is 6.6 per cent.

In 2004, the southeastern boundary has moved from Atlantic Avenue to Dufferin Street. Parkdale-High Park was established in 1976 from portions of the former ridings of Parkdale, High Park-Humber Valley and Davenport. In 1996 a part of York South-Weston was added.

Political History

1978 byelection: PC
1979, 1980: LIB
1984: PC
1988, 1993, 1997, 2000: LIB

In 2000 and in 1997, Liberal Sarmite Bulte defeated New Democrat Paul Schmidt.

Parkdale riding was Conservative from 1917 until 1949, then voted PC again in 1957 and 1958.

Liberal Stanley Haidasz was MP from 1962 to 1974. He was Canada's first minister of state for multiculturalism and was appointed to the Senate in 1978. In the newly formed Parkdale-High Park riding, PC Yuri Shymko won the 1978 byelection, then was defeated by Liberal Jesse Flis in 1979. In 1984, PC Andrew Witer defeated Flis, but Flis regained office in 1988 and the riding has since elected Liberals.

Sarmite (Sam) Bulte

Party: Liberal Party of Canada
Birth Date: Sept. 27, 1953
Age: 50
Birthplace: Hamilton, Ont.

University Degree: Yes
Education: BA, University of Toronto.
LL.B., University of Windsor.
Profession: Lawyer
Career Background: Lawyer
Community:
Founding member of Women Entrepreneurs of Canada.
Founding member and past director of the WEC Foundation.
Past president and chair of the Canadian Stage Company.
Member of the governing council of the Latvian National Federation in Canada.
On board of education and cultural foundation of Latvian National Federation in Canada.
Director of the Council of Business and the Arts in Canada.
Marital Status: Married
Name of Spouse: Steven Treiber
Children: David, Lara and Alex

Jurij Klufas

Party: Conservative Party of Canada

Profession: Businessman
Community:
Founder of the annual Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival.
Fundraiser for the St. Joseph's Health Centre.
Marital Status: Married
Children: Four

Peggy Nash

Party: The New Democratic Party of Canada

Career Background:
Currently works as an assistant to CAW President Buzz Hargrove. Led the development of pioneering programs for women, including negotiated women advocates in the workplace, anti-harassment policies and training and CAW women leadership courses. Headed the CAW Task Force on Working Class Politics in the 21st Century.
Community:
Selected as a Canadian observer for the first post-apartheid election in South Africa which saw Nelson Mandela elected president.
Member of the Board of METRAC, a Toronto agency committed to ending violence against women.
Name of Spouse/Partner: Carl
Children: Three

Neil Spiegel

Party: The Green Party of Canada
Age: 36

Education: Harvard graduate.
Career Background: Active in Toronto's Windshare Project, responsible for the installation of the wind turbine on Toronto's C.N.E. grounds.
Is currently working with Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation to build affordable housing in downtown Toronto.
Founded Front and Centre Stop to eliminate further traffic congestion and air pollution in Parkdale as a result of the construction of the Front Street extension.

Lorne Gershuny

Party: The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada

Terry Parker

Party: Marijuana Party

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