It’s voting season. Yes, and it’s pretty hard to miss isn’t it.  Whether you walk or drive, you are bound to see an array of promotional signs at almost every intersection.  Walk around your neighbourhood and the lawn signs are at every turn, so it’s hard to not know that there is an election going on. 

     What election is it?  Well it’s the municipal election and if you have small kids probably one of the most important voting decisions.  With your local mayor or ward councillor you will be able to contact them to ask questions specific to your town.  You can have your local MPP champion your cause and feel like you were heard.  Your local representative is your link to what you want in your community.

     Before I voted, I decided to contact a few of the representative for mayor and since I’m in Vaughan, I contacted the Vaughan candidates.  Now it’s always confusing what is considered Vaughan, from some research Vaughan  include:
•  Woodbridge, Ontario, North/South - Teston/Steeles, East/West - Hwy 400/Hwy 50
• Maple, Ontario, North/South - King Vaughan Line/Rutherford, East/West -   Bathurst/Hwy 400
• Thornhill, Ontario, North/South - Rutherford/Steeles, East/West - Yonge/Dufferin
• Concord, Ontario, North/South - Rutherford/Steeles, East/West - Dufferin/Hwy 400
• Kleinburg, Ontario, North/South - Kirby/Major Mac, East/West - Pine Valley/Hwy 50

     I sent emails or left messages with the question “are families a priority”.  The two candidates that did get back to me are Paul Donofrio, who is running for Mayor of Vaughan and Sandra Yeung Racco who is running to be the councillor for ward 4.  
Mr. Donofrio promises to support families and programs that support families included the Life With a Baby (LWAB) program and to show his commitment to his words, this statement on his website.  He affirms that community support is a very important part of his platform and will work towards this end.  Mrs. Racco is well known in the community for her accomplishments over the 7 years as councillor of ward 4, one of the most recent is the opening of the North Thornhill Community Centre as well as many parks and parklettes in our neighbourhood.  Mrs. Racco re-affirms her continued support of families and issued a press release singling out the LWAB program as one that in important and integral in the community of new parents.
So what does this election mean for you and your family? 

     Personally, I never thought about voting until I had my daughter and now when I think about voting, I am careful in my decision, I make sure that I contact the candidates or read about them on their website. I ask the question: what do are your priorities?  I need to know their priorities because in the long run, this may be the difference between your child growing up in a family oriented environment with parks,  community centres,  local schools and programs that you value or not.  

     So whatever you do on this October, it’s important to vote. Who you vote for is up to you and should be done an in informed manner by researching the candidates and not by whose sign you like more or whose name you can remember.  Ask yourself, do what do they stand for, are families a priority and how will this affect me.
You don’t have to wait until October 25th to vote, you can vote in advance by visiting www.vaughanvotes.ca

     For more information about the candidates in Vaughan that responded to my questions, their websites are below.
www.pauldonofrio.com
http://www.votesandra.ca/

Your vote counts and it does make a difference!