Mayoral Race

Clarington

By Les Broszkowski, Maricel Dicion and Sean Bailey, Centennial College

Profile

Known as the Town of Newcastle until 1993, Clarington's name originated from the two towns of Clarke and Darlington, which made up the geographical area.

Clarington, which is less than an hour's drive from Toronto, offers a lot to those wishing to visit. The most notable attraction is the Bowmanville Zoo, which has been in operation since 1919. As well, the Bowmanville Museum showcases a restored home from the early 20th century.

The work force of Clarington is nearly half its population and it has an unemployment rate of 4.9 per cent (2001, StatsCan).

Major industries in the area include tourism and the manufacture of rubber, steel, metal and wood products.

The area is also home to the Darlington Nuclear Generation Station, which provides nearly 20 per cent of Ontario's electricity. Known as the Town of Newcastle until 1993, Clarington's name originated from the two towns of Clarke and Darlington, which made up the geographical area.

Clarington, which is less than an hour's drive from Toronto, offers a lot to those wishing to visit. The most notable attraction is the Bowmanville Zoo, which has been in operation since 1919. As well, the Bowmanville Museum showcases a restored home from the early 20th century.

The work force of Clarington is nearly half its population and it has an unemployment rate of 4.9 per cent (2001, StatsCan).

Major industries in the area include tourism and the manufacture of rubber, steel, metal and wood products.

The area is also home to the Darlington Nuclear Generation Station, which provides nearly 20 per cent of Ontario's electricity.

Campaign Snapshot

Mutton was elected mayor in 2000. During his first two terms he was successful in developing a transit system for the city.

"There's still a lot of work that I've got to do," Mutton said. "We were working on building new facilities and developing the city's infrastructure. I want to get (Highway) 407 out here as soon as possible."

Mutton is a fifth-generation resident of Clarington and lives in the Newcastle Village area with his wife Jennifer and two daughters.

Also running for mayor is current councillor for Wards 1 and 2, Jim Schell. If elected mayor, Schell's first initiative is to improve Clarington's business community.

"We have a partnership between the (Clarington) board of trade and the municipality," Schell said. "I would like to give them more financial and staff support, so that they can encourage more industrial growth in Clarington."

The Clarington Board of Trade is responsible for preserving and attracting business to the area.

Money management for the municipality is an issue Jim Abernethy would like to address if elected mayor.

Abernethy is running for mayor of Clarington because he wants to lower the debt in his community.

"My biggest concern though is that the debt load of the municipality is now approaching $40 million," Abernethy said. "That's after a wave of building recreational facilities."

Abernethy said that he plans to lower the debt load by controlling spending in the area.

"I guess it's a growth and tax issue," he said. "Growth should be absorbed by the community. The community should not be absorbed by the growth."

Abernethy has lived north of Orono since 1999 and has lived in Courtice area for about 14 years with his wife and two sons. He believes that his business background would make him right for mayor.

Another candidate who says he knows Clarington is Wayne Chaskavich. Chaskavich's reason for running for mayor is simple; he wants to make improvements in his community. He owns his own business and has lived in Courtice since 1953.

Even though he has no political background, he believes taxes in Clarington are too high.

"The taxes are my biggest concern," he said. "Everybody that I talk to over the last few years is complaining about the damn taxes and it's a hell of a fight to get them dropped down again."

Chaskavich said that in 1998 the taxes almost doubled and no one has done anything about it.

It's not attention for the roads that candidate Richard Ward worries about; it's for the people of Clarington.

Ward wants to run for mayor so that he can make efficient use of taxpayer's money.

"I've been fighting on behalf of the taxpayers for 18 years," he said. "I've been called a political watchdog by Metroland as early as nine years ago."

This is the second time that Ward is running for mayor of Clarington after losing in the last municipal election.

Ward, 56, was born in the community and has lived in Clarington for the last 15 years. Ward says he wants to "open the government to where anyone that wants to criticize the actions is open to put forth legitimate comments and not follow that which is previously determined."

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