CURLING...polled 23,974 votes

TWO Jamaicans who ran on the Ontario Liberal Party's (OLP) ticket in the recent provincial elections in Canada won their seats convincingly, in what has been described as a landslide victory for the party.

The OLP won 72 of the 103 seats.

Chambers...polled 21,631 votes

Alvin Curling, who contested the constituency of Scarborough-Rouge River, retained the seat he has held since 1985, while Mary Anne Chambers, who ran in the constituency of Scarborough East, is a first-time winner.

With a total of 23,974 votes, Curling, who had previously served as minister of housing and minister of skills development in the 1980s, polled more than 14,000 votes over his closest rival.

Statistics show that more than 75 per cent of Curling's constituency is made up of minorities, and that the average household income is almost $56,000.

Meanwhile Chambers who polled 21,631 votes, polled 7,430 more than her closest rival.

Chambers later told JIS news that the victory was a humbling experience for her and that she was touched by the number of people who came out and gave of their time during her campaign.

More than 40 percent of the 108,000 residents in Scarborough East, where Chambers has lived since 1976, are minorities and the average household income is $58,000.

"I have no misconception of how challenging the job is going to be," said the former senior vice-president of Scotiabank.

"I am going to give it my best. I really want to return the respect, trust and confidence that people have placed in me by doing my very best," Chambers added.

There has been some speculation in the Toronto media that she is headed for a ministerial position, while some have linked Curling's name with Speaker of the Legislature.

Four Jamaicans contested the election. However Monica Purdy, who also ran on the Ontario Liberal Party's (OLP) ticket, and Yvette Blackburn, the Ontario New Democratic Party's (NDP) candidate, were not successful in their bids.

The Jamaicans were among more than 500 candidates who contested the October 2 provincial elections.

Curling, however, is the political veteran of the four Jamaicans, having served as a member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the past 18 years. He was first elected in 1985 to the constituency of Scarborough North, now called Scarborough-Rouge River.

As a member of the Liberal provincial government in the 1980s, he served as minister of housing from 1985 to 1987, and minister of skills development, with special responsibility for literacy from 1987 to 1989. During his career, he also served as parliamentary assistant to the Premier of Ontario and to the minister of inter-governmental affairs.

Born in Kingston, Curling migrated to Canada in the early 1970s.

Before entering politics, he worked as an educational administrator at Seneca College in Toronto. In 2000, he received the Order of Distinction, Commander class from the Jamaican government.

Chambers was also a recipient of the Prime Minister's Medal of Appreciation and was in Jamaica in July to receive her award from Prime Minister PJ Patterson.

Earlier this year, she was also presented with the 2003 Canada Day Achievement Award for voluntarism. Never forgetting the country of her birth, Chambers has adopted the Wait-A-Bit Basic School in Trelawny.

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