PCs’ Baber grabs big lead early

Progressive Conservative Roman Baber was declared the winner in York Centre on Thursday night, owning 50 per cent of votes, with a quarter of polls reporting.

Baber was born and raised in the tt Soviet Union before moving to Israel with his family at age eight. The family then settled in York Centre in 1995. A lawyer, the candidate is an active member of the Jewish Russian Community mm Centre and a staunch advocate of multiculturalism and inclusiveness.

Liberal candidate Ramon Estaris was born and raised in the Philippines and emigrated to Canada with his family in 2001, after living and working in the United States and the Middle East. The real estate broker, entrepreneur, and community activist is co- founder and part owner oog lobal of Television, Pinoy Radio which and Net- is based in York Centre.

NDP candidate Andrea Vasquez qq Jimenez is a community organizer, activist, and educator. She is the community cochair of the Equity Policy Advisory vv Committee at the Toron- to District School Board, and co- director of the North Yorkbased Latinx, Afro- LatinAmerica, Abya Yala Education Network ( LAEN).

York Centre was held by longtime Liberal Monte Kwinter who ww announced last summer he would not seek reelection. The oldest serving MPP in the province’s history at age 87, Kwinter KK was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1985 and has served in several cabinet posts.