Markham's municipal race taking shape

Markham Economist & Sun
January 23, 2014
By Amanda Persico

The race for one of four regional councillor seats on Markham council is heating up.

To date, there are six names on the list of registered candidates all vying for one of four Markham regional councillor spots.

The top four vote-getters will become Markham’s voices at regional council. The candidate with the most votes earns the title deputy mayor.

In the race are incumbent regional councillors Jack Heath, Jim Jones and Joe Li. Also in the race are Nirmala Armstrong, a local lawyer, Bin Chang, and Peter Pavlovic, president of the Aileen-Willowbrook Ratepayers Association.

Both Ms Armstrong and Mr. Pavlovic ran in the 2010 municipal election for regional councillor.

Other incumbents running in the 2014 municipal election include Howard Shore in the new ward 1, Carolina Moretti in the new ward 4, Colin Campbell in the new ward 5, Logan Kanapathi in the new ward 7 and Alex Chiu in the new ward 8.

Mr. Campbell is up against Siva Siagnanam and Raj Subramaniam.

Mr. Kanapathi, who is also seeking the Liberal nomination for the new federal Scarborough North riding, is up against Sothy Sella.

Mr. Chiu is up against Josephy (Mohan) Remisiar, president of the Milliken Mills Lions Club and the Markham Tamil Organization.

Mr. Remisiar came in second behind the incumbent Mr. Chiu in the 2010 municipal election.

There is also a race shaping up in the new ward 6 between Amanda Yeung Collucci and Raymond Miu.

Other registered candidates include Rukshan Para for York Region School Board trustee for Markham wards 4 and 5; Juanita Nathan and Yogi Suri for public school board trustee for Markham wards 7 and 8.

The municipal election is Oct. 27.

The nomination process closes Sept. 12 at 2 p.m.

Those interested in running for either mayor, regional councillor or ward councillor as well as school board trustee can submit their nomination form to the city clerk during regular business hours along with the applicable fee: $200 for the office of mayor and $100 for other offices.

WHO CAN RUN?

To run for a spot on Markham council you must be:
• 18 or older;
• a Canadian citizen;
• a Markham resident or Markham landowner or tenant or the spouse of said person; and
• eligible to vote.

Candidates will also be asked to provide photo identification, proof of age, residency and citizenship.

For more information, visit markham.ca