By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban
Joe Ortona was re-elected chairman of the English Montreal School Board by a wide margin and his entire team was elected, defeating challenger Katherine Korakakis and her team. The voter turnout was 22 percent and observers feel it would have been higher had registration rules not been changed in mid-campaign by the returning officer and Elections Quebec.
The election was contested vigorously, with some barbs at times as seen on social media. Volunteers called potential voters as late as this past Saturday night.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to vote today,” Ortona said Sunday night. “Your support means everything to us, and we’re proud to continue advocating for the needs of our English-speaking community. The journey to protect our schools never stops, and we’re honoured to have your trust. Here’s to a brighter future for the EMSB, our students and our community. Together, we’ll keep building something great.”
Ortona touted the board’s success rate of 95.9 percent graduation, and talked about the political battles the board is waging against the Quebec government over Bill 96, Bill 21, and Bill 40 – the contentious bid by the government to abolish school boards, as they did for the French sector (which some have blamed for the Ecole Bedford fiasco).
Ortona says the results send a strong message to the CAQ in terms of the community being in control of its own schools.
The results were:• For chair:Joe Ortona, Team Joe Ortona 13,289
Katherine Korakakis, Team Katherine Korakakis 4,674
• Ward 1 (Ahuntsic-Cartierville–Montréal-Nord)
Susan Perera , Team Joe Ortona 916
Franco Mazzariello, Team Katherine Korakakis 425
• Ward 2 (Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce)
Chelsea Craig, Team Joe Ortona 1,039
Howie Silbiger, Team Katherine Korakakis 631
• Ward 3 (Côte-Saint-Luc. Montreal West, Hampstead)
Paola Samuel, Team Joe Ortona 1,607
Samara Perez, Team Katherine Korakakis 1,110
• Ward 4 (Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve–Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie–Plateau-Mont-Royal–Anjou–Montreal-Est)
Maria Corsi, Team Joe Ortona 1,121
Viktoriya Grosko, Team Katherine Korakakis 333
• Ward 5 (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce)
Sharon Nelson, Team Joe Ortona 1,132
Joseph Lalla, Team Katherine Korakakis 853
• Ward 6 (Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles)
Pietro Mercuri, Team Joe Ortona 2,248
Tony Aversano, Team Katherine Korakakis 340
• Ward 7 (Saint-Laurent)
James Kromida, Team Joe Ortona 974
Vicky Pololos, Team Katherine Korakakis 471
• Ward 8 (Saint-Léonard)
Mario Pietrangelo, Team Joe Ortona 1,681
Antonio Zaruso, Team Katherine Korakakis 521
• Ward 9 (Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension–Mont-Royal–Outremont
Paula Kilian, Team Joe Ortona 938
Joanne Charron, Team Katherine Korakakis 310
• Ward 10 (Westmount–Sud-Ouest–Ville-Marie)
Julien Feldman, Team Joe Ortona 1,243
Shalani Bel, Team Katherine Korakakis 752 n