Ontario

Friday May 30, 2003

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 30, 2003

Mid-pen concerns deserve a response

There’s little doubt that the province has been ham-handed and insensitive in its plans for a mid-peninsula highway. While we believe the so-called “mid-pen” is needed and important to relieving serious highway congestion in the Niagara Peninsula, we have sympathy for Burlington, which prides itself on careful planning and smart growth, only to see a highway rammed through its protected rural area.

Burlington was brought into the process after Niagara region and Hamilton had been consulted, and had virtually signed off on the proposal.

Burlington has one of the most carefully managed planning and growth strategies of any municipality in Ontario. But it is likely where the mid-pen would dump its traffic load onto the QEW and highways 403 and 407. To make those connections, it would have to cross the Niagara Escarpment.

The province has identified several options to bring the eastern terminus of the mid-pen down to existing highways, including Highway 403 between Mohawk and Aberdeen/Main Street East, and Highway 6 south of Clappison’s Cut. But few people see those as anything but decoys; the smart money is on what the province calls “Option C” — crossing the escarpment in rural north Burlington.

That was made even more unpalatable to Burlington by the province setting short timelines for response to its 179-page draft terms of reference, which includes its route options. (Source: COPE) 

 

Tuesday May 27, 2003

May 27, 2003‘This was the year in which it seemed the province waited – and waited – for an election to be called. The SARS outbreak was the first reason for the Tories to delay an election; by August the great blackout did it again. By October, the delays had taken their toll on the government and voters went for change.’ - Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 27, 2003

Election Switched to ‘Off’ Position

Graeme’s Gallery 2003

With the window for a spring election rapidly closing, Premier Ernie Eves has apparently put election plans on hold because of the latest SARS outbreak, a move observers suggest is designed to shield the Conservative government from being dubbed insensitive in a crisis.

Eves strongly hinted on the weekend the new SARS scare in Toronto will cause him to delay a vote that had been widely expected at any time.

Elections in Ontario must be held on a Thursday and June 26 is thought to be the last day a vote could be held before summer. That would mean an election call within days.

It’s almost unheard of to hold an election in July or August, so if a vote is not called, the next window would appear to be the fall. (CP)

 

Wednesday November 6, 2002

Wednesday November 6, 2002By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 6, 2002

Tory Minister Demands Hydro Rates be Capped

Labour Minister Brad Clark is calling on his government to cap electricity rates for several years as Conservative MPPs try to head off the growing public outrage over skyrocketing prices.

Tuesday February 3, 2015Clark, the MPP for Stoney Creek, said rates should be capped “to prevent the wild fluctuations we are seeing.

“There has to be some kind of equalization of those fluctuations right now. I would suggest then if they were doing it over the next five to 10 years, while power generation is developed, it would be easier on the consumer,” Clark told reporters yesterday.

Experts blame the shortage of power generation in Ontario for bills going through the roof, since the shortfall has to be made up by buying more expensive imported power.

Clark said people in his riding are “having a difficult time making the payments, so I think that there is some just cause for alarm and we have to figure out a way to mitigate those wild fluctuations.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Saturday September 21, 2002

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday September 21, 2002

Ernie Eves the Davisian

May 5, 1999

Premier Ernie Eves says Ontario voters want the steady management style of former Conservative premier Bill Davis, not the hot-button politics of Mike Harris.

“I think premier Davis was one of the better premiers the province of Ontario has had,” Eves told reporters yesterday at the Tories’ two-day caucus retreat that was to end today. 

“He certainly reformed the post secondary education system … he did all kinds of things.” 

When Davis left politics in 1985, it marked the beginning of the end for more than 42 years of Tory rule. 

Since taking over, Eves has dismantled some of the basic tenets of the Common Sense Revolution, such as the idea that tax cuts pay for themselves and that major crown corporation such as Hydro One should be sold. 

Eves said he is not about to pushed into putting all his government’s plans in a 35-page document, as was the Common Sense Revolution that helped catapult Harris into power in 1995. It promised tax cuts, and getting tough on crime and welfare, among other things. (CP)

 

Tuesday October 30, 2001

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday October 30, 2001

Highway Mess

There have been 80 accidents where Highway 407 meets Highway 403 in Burlington since the end of July.Ontario Provincial Police say only 10 of the accidents resulted in injuries, but all caused major traffic tieups and added to drivers’ frustration.

The 407 was supposed to move traffic through this area faster, not create more gridlock.

The issue is the design of the 407 ETR (express toll route) access.

The left lane on the non-toll Highway 403 flows directly on to the toll-charging 407.

Drivers who aren’t paying attention could find themselves either driving on the toll road or having to make a quick lane change to avoid it.

These changes have been blamed for several minor collisions.

The situation caused a public outcry when the 407 opened at the Freeman interchange in Burlington in August.

The Ontario Transportation Ministry and 407 officials put up more signs that provide more advanced notice of the left lane becoming part of the 407 and this seemed to ease the situation. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

The cartoon above is the colourized version published in the book, “You Might be From Hamilton If.”  It is posted online and its original URL may be accessed here.