Two Pinoy candidates vie for lone trustee seat in Ward 12

Two Pinoy candidates vie for lone trustee seat in Ward 12

ACE ALVAREZ

By Veronica C. Silva

Two Filipino Canadian candidates are trying to bring the Pinoy voice to the Toronto separate school system by running for a post in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB).

Community social activist Paulina Corpuz and journalist Ace Alvarez are competing with three other candidates – including incumbent Nancy Crawford — in Ward 12 in Scarborough, which is known to be home to a big number of Filipinos.

The other candidates in the ward include Ronald Nevins-Selvadurai and Ryan Nutter.

Corpuz lives in the ward while Alvarez is from Ward 8, where incumbent Garry Tanuan, a fellow Filipino-Canadian, is running for re-election.

Rules of the city’s Election Services allow candidates to run in any ward within the city, but they can vote only in the ward where they live.

The fact that two Filipino-Canadians are aiming for the same political post intrigued some in the community as indicated in a recent media forum where some Filipino Canadian candidates presented their platforms.

PAULINA CORPUZ

At the event, organized by Philippine Press Club of Ontario (PCCO) last Sept. 19 and held at the Bathurst-Wilson area, the audience quizzed Corpuz and Alvarez on why they are running against each other which could divide the community vote and result in no representation in the school board.

Alvarez replied that he filed his nomination as early as March.

“Why did I run in Ward 12 when I live in Ward 8? The rule is you must be a voter within the city in order to run in any ward. I would have run in the ward where I live where Garry (Tanuan) is an incumbent. But then sabi nga natin kung Filipino tayo, kakalabanin ko ba naman si Garry? (But we have a saying, if we’re Filipinos, why would I compete with Garry?)… But I realize this is democracy. If Paulina could file her nomination in the same ward, then it’s welcome,” he said.

Corpuz, on the other hand, said that as a ward resident and mother with kids attending TCDSB schools, she could relate to and represent the parents and communities in the ward.

“My running for school trustee — I thought about that way, way longer than just this year … I believe I can present my voice more — (my) views and my perspective — at the board level. I am a mother; I know the challenges of a parent who has children currently in school. I run for my conviction. I know we want to forward Filipinos but Filipinos will have to make their vote count,” said Corpuz.

At the same forum, the Pinoy candidates, including Corpuz and Alvarez, were given opportunities to share their stand on critical issues that affect the Filipino community, particularly in the Catholic school board system.

One of the issues is whether other non-Catholics should be allowed to register in Catholic schools.

“I would rather have only Catholics enrolled in Catholic schools,” said Alvarez. “However, it is a far shot to do it otherwise because … in the Catholic school system in Toronto, we’re using public funds, and we cannot segregate other religions from the others.”

Corpuz, on the other hand, welcomes other faiths in Catholic schools.

“Our new Pope is very open in terms of the Catholic education. He wants the schools to be a hub for engaging the community,” said Corpuz. “Because our main mission as Catholics is to evangelize, to spread the word of God. If people want to come to our Catholic schools, it’s fine for as long as they abide by the Catholic education we have at our Catholic schools.”

Seated from left: Manny Ching, Louroz Mercader, Michelle Serrano, Joey Abrenilla, Paulina Corpuz and Linda Insigne. Standing from left: Randy Bucao, Willie Reodica, Julius Tiangson, Ace Alvarez, Manny Yanga, Gary Tanuan. (3 PHOTOS: ARIEL RAMOS)

Other issues asked of the candidates at the forum include controversial issues in the Catholic Church, including same-sex marriage, abortion, and contraceptives; and other school issues such as bullying and racism. For most of these issues, most of the candidates in the forum were not in favor of same sex marriage, abortion and were pro-life.

Louroz Mercader, candidate for Councillor in Mississauge, however, said same-sex marriage was no longer an issue since the Parliament had passed a law legalizing it.

Ward 12 for TCDSB covers city wards 35, 36, 38, and 43. The ward’s boundaries are portions of Victoria Park and Brimley Road to the west, portions of Eglinton Avenue and Highway 401 to the north, a portion of Morningside Avenue to the west and a portion of Kingston Road down south. The school board ward includes 17 Catholic elementary schools and three Catholic secondary schools.