VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 8 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 30TH 2018
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BREAKING RECORDS JELANI GRANT/TORONTO CARIBBEAN
With a record number of black candidates running for this year’s Ontario election, the Jamaican Canadian Association invited each of these candidates to join a meet and greet for the community to support and personally hear from each party. Last year a record was broken for black candidates elected. This year, the Liberal, NDP, PC and Green parties each had at least one black elective. Organized by First Fridays, the Black Health Alliance, the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE), the BBPA, the Jamaican Canadian Association and BAND, the event was developed with the intention of showcasing the growing number of black political leaders in Ontario. Following the Black Community Provincial Leaders Debate in April, the Jamaican Canadian Association welcomed nearly 450 community members to the center so they could hear directly from party representatives on issues af-
fecting the black community such as streaming in education, carding in policing, equity in health care, and support for black business. First Fridays CEO Warren Salmon regulated the evening, organizing the order of candidates who would come to the stage, as well as keeping guests informed of some candidates who couldn’t make it. “This is a follow-up event on the heels of the black community provincial leaders debate, we really want to showcase the different candidates in the community and we’ve identified twenty-one from across the province from the four parties who are running,” Salmon said. In addition to highlighting this year’s black candidates, Salmon said the event gives the opportunity for candidates to reach out to the community for support including volunteering, donations, and community voices. Continued On Page 8