지정된 온주 선거일자 변경할수 밖에.... 온타리오 정부는 주의원 선거일자를 변경하게 된다. 온주 정부는 닥아오는 주의회선거일자를 약속데로 지키지 못하 고 변경해야만 될 압력에 직면했다. 토론토- 온주 정부는 닥아오는 온주의회선거일을 당초 약속한데 로 지키지 못하고 변경 해야만 될 압력에 직면했다. 온주의 지정된 날자에 치러질 첫번째 선거일은 닥아오는 10월 4 일로 확정돼 있었다. 그러나 정부 당국자는 말하기를, 확정된 선거일자는 종교적 휴가날자와 겹쳐, 10월 4일로 확정된 날로 부터 1주일 뒤로 미루어 10월10일에 유권자들은 투표장에 나가 야 한다고 발표했다. 연방-주정부관계 담당장관 Marie Bountrogianni씨가 발표한 성 명서에 의하면 "우리의 선거법은 온타리오 주민들의 필요에 맞추 는것이 매우 중요한 것이다. 우리 온주의 지정된 선거일자의 골 격은 다양한 종교적, 문화적 형편에 맞추어 시행될수 있도록 고 안된 것이다" 라고 설명했다. 온주 선거법에 의하면, 온주 선거일은 매 4년째 되는 10월 첫째 목요일에 투표하게 되여 있다. 그러나 온주 선거관리 위원장은, 오는 10월 4일은 유태인 할리데이인,Shemini Atzeret 이기 때 문에, 닥아오는 선거 일자는 변경돼야 좋을것이라고 의견을 피력 했다. 유태인 정교회원들은 이날 선거에 참여 할수 없게된다, 라 고 Ms Bountrogianni 씨는 말했다. 달튼 맥귄티 온주 수상은 2005년 12월에 선거법 개정을 해서, 각정당들은 더이상 선거날자 조정을 두고, 손익을 따지게 될 이 유가 없게 됐었다. 한편, 유권자들은 목요일에 시행되는 3곳의 온주내 보궐선거에 나가게 된다. 주= 지키지도 못할 법은 심심해서 개정했나? 어느 종교단체의 압력에 온주민전체를 대표한 의회의원들 개정한 선거법을 임의로 변경하다니..... 쯧쯧. Ontario government changes election date The Ontario government was forced today to break a promise over when it will hold the next provincial election KAREN HOWLETT Globe and Mail Update TORONTO ― The Ontario government was forced today to break a promise over when it will hold the next provincial election. The date had been set in stone for Oct. 4, which was to mark the province's first fixed election date. But the government said voters will now go to the polls a week later, on Oct. 10, because the initial date conflicts with a religious holiday. "It is important that our Election Act respond to the needs of Ontarians," Marie Bountrogianni, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, said in a statement. "Our fixed election date framework was designed with the flexibility to accommodate our cultural and religious diversity." Under the province's Election Act, the general election is to be held the first Thursday in October every four years. But the province's Chief Election Officer recommended that the date for the next election be changed because Oct. 4 is the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret. Members of the Orthodox Jewish community would not be able to vote that date, Ms. Bountrogianni said. Premier Dalton McGuinty's government said it amended the Election Act in December, 2005 so that partisan considerations would no longer control the selection of election dates. Meanwhile, voters will head to the polls Thursday in three by-elections in the province. Tuesday, Mr. McGuinty, whose government is fighting to hang on to one Liberal stronghold, changed his tune on the minimum wage for the working poor. The New Democratic Party's campaign to boost the minimum wage to $10 an hour has become the key issue in York South-Weston, a hard-scrabble Toronto riding where the average household income is the second lowest in Ontario. The campaign has picked up considerable traction and that has the Liberals worried. But instead of attacking the NDP, the Liberals have decided to join them. On Friday, Laura Albanese, 49, an Italian-language news anchor for OMNI TV and the riding's Liberal candidate, issued a flyer saying, "Fighting for a fair minimum wage." York South-Weston, in the northwest end of Toronto, is one of three by-elections being held tomorrow to fill seats vacated by MPPs who retired or jumped to municipal politics. Joe Cordiano, a former cabinet minister in the McGuinty government, resigned from York South-Weston in September after 21 years at Queen's Park. Liberal backbencher Tony Wong resigned his seat in Markham and is now a municipal councillor. And Cam Jackson, a Progressive Conservative MPP for 20 years, left his seat in Burlington to make a successful run for mayor of the city. A government source told The Globe and Mail that both York South-Weston and Markham are "in play." Losing York South-Weston to the NDP would be a blow for the Liberals, who won 61.6 per cent of the votes in the last provincial election. The Tories are expected to hang on to Burlington. "I'm not going to speculate on the outcome," Mr. McGuinty told reporters Tuesday. "We're just working as hard as we can." In York South-Weston, the New Democrats have tapped into a deep vein of anger over the 25-per-cent pay rise the McGuinty government awarded MPPs just before Christmas. Their increase has become entangled with the province's minimum wage, which rose 25 cents to $8 an hour on Feb. 1. "If politicians can give themselves a 25-per-cent raise and the Premier himself can take $40,000 into his own back pocket four days before Christmas, then surely the lowest paid working people deserve a bigger raise as well," said Paul Ferreira, the NDP candidate, who is 34. In a brief interview after a rally in the riding Saturday, Mr. McGuinty said both the Liberals and the NDP called for an $8 minimum wage during the 2003 election campaign. "We've done that," he said. "The only issue now is what's the best way to get to $10." While the Liberals are now saying it is just a matter of time before the minimum wage rises to $10, they rejected the NDP campaign in December, arguing that many employers can not afford it. In Burlington, a fast-growing city of 150,000 people, the Liberals are hoping to gain on the Tories, who won 46 per cent of the votes in 2003. Liberal candidate Joan Lougheed, a 55-year-old nurse and former city councillor, is running against Tory candidate Joyce Savoline, 61, who was chairwoman of Halton Region for 12 years. Both women were instantly recognized by many residents as they campaigned around the city on Monday. "Joyce Savoline! I know you!," Merna Dack, a resident of a seniors apartment building, exclaimed. "It's terrible that you and Joan are running against each other." Both Ms. Lougheed and Ms. Savoline said they would push for improvements at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital if elected. But no one seemed much interested in talking about the hospital, the traffic gridlock or other issues. Ms. Lougheed braved the bitter cold by going door to door on Delaware Avenue, where both seniors and young families live in the pretty houses. There is no answer at most of the doors, but at the very last house, Ms. Lougheed was thrilled when Jane Riccardi opened her door. "You've got my vote," Ms. Riccardi said. "I think you're doing a great job."