Trudeau, Wynne lend support to Racco campaign

Vaughan Weekly
January 22, 2014
By Angela Gismondi

The byelection in Thornhill was called less than a week ago and Sandra Yeung Racco, the Ontario Liberal candidate for Thornhill and a Vaughan city councillor, has already received visits from two key players to support her campaign

The byelection was triggered by the resignation of Conservative MPP Peter Shurman last month. Byelections will be held in Thornhill and Niagara Falls Feb. 13.

“It’s time for Thornhill to benefit from real, local leadership, including support for fantastic small businesses like these,” said Yeung Racco. “The people of this community have a clear choice ahead of them - our plan to continue to invest in transit, people and opportunities, or the Hudak PC plan to cut jobs, drive down wages and threaten pensions. I want my family to live in a Thornhill that thrives and will continue to fight for the issues that matter to this community each and every day.”

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau helped Yeung Racco kick-off her campaign last Thursday. Trudeau began his visit to the riding by meeting with seniors at the Giuseppe Garibaldi Seniors Club at the Dufferin Clark Community Centre before speaking to the media and meeting constituents at Yeung Racco’s constituency office at 11 Disera Dr. (Unit 270).

Trudeau said he was pleased to receive such an “extremely positive response in Thornhill.”

“There’s a sense of optimism in the community,” said Trudeau, adding Yeung Racco is the candidate of choice. “She has deep roots in municipal politics, is a strong representative that people will feel close to and will be a strong voice for them at Queen’s Park.”

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was in Thornhill Monday to lend her support to the byelection hopeful. Wynne said Yeung Racco, a municipal councillor with more than 10 years experience, brings the local leadership, focus and an understanding of transit and job creation that is important to Thornhill families.

“Sandra has represented Thornhill for more than a decade and knows the issues better than any candidate,” said Wynne to a crowd of supporters at Yeung Racco’s campaign headquarters. “She has been committed to this community for the past 10 years. She is deeply rooted in the community and knows what the community wants and needs. We need Sandra Yeung Racco at Queen’s Park to stand up and fight for the most important issues in this community, like transit, investing in jobs and strengthening pensions.”

Wynne pointed out that transit is an important issue in Thornhill and the Liberals have already delivered on that promise in York Region.

“We are the only party who has a plan to build transit,” said Wynne. “Since 2003, $640-million has been invested in transit in this region, in this area. We need to continue that building. If we’re not the government, that’s not going to happen.”

One of Yeung Racco’s election platforms is extending the Yonge Street subway line to York Region. There is currently no funding for the project, but Yeung Racco hopes to change that.

The Premier visited a number of locations throughout the riding including T&T supermarket, where she and Yeung Racco handed out traditional Chinese red envelopes, a symbol of good luck and best wishes just before the coming Chinese New Year. The Premier and Yeung Racco then met with a number of residents walking through the Promenade Mall. Following their meet-and-greet at the mall, Wynne and Yeung Racco met privately with members of the Filipino community. The Premier and Yeung Racco then visited Zeytoon restaurant for a reception with Persian community leaders hosted by MPP Reza Moridi, before concluding the visit with a tour of local Persian businesses.

Yeung Racco has been the Concord/North Thornhill councillor since 2003. As a municipal councillor she has been instrumental in building new parks, leading arts, culture and diversity initiatives and working with other levels of government to bring the subway outside of Toronto’s borders and into Thornhill.

Yeung Racco is also the president of the Thornhill Provincial Liberal riding association. Her husband, Mario Racco, was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Peter Shurman in the 2007 provincial election. Shurman resigned his seat last month.