Tuesday May 18, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 18, 2004

Budget Day

Taxpayers are likely to be paying more after Finance Minister Greg Sorbara unveils the Ontario Liberals’ first budget this afternoon. And they can thank a deficit the Liberals say has grown to as much as $8 billion. 

Sorbara will read his budget speech in the Legislature to an attentive audience of groups advocating for more public funding and critics demanding that he hold the line on taxes. Watching from the sidelines is a general public that voted for both those policies in last October’s provincial election.

The Liberals under Premier Dalton McGuinty are expected to move to deliver on a promise to improve public services. And they are expected to reveal the final amount of the deficit they inherited from the former Conservative government as well as what the books will look like for their first fiscal year in office.

Former provincial auditor Erik Peters pegged the shortfall from last year (fiscal 2003-04) at $5.6 billion, although the Liberals have said that when hospital and children’s aid societies’ debt is included, the real deficit for last year is closer to $8 billion. The total provincial budget will exceed $71 billion. (Source: CBC)

 

Monday May 17, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday May 17, 2004

Passing the torch

October 3, 2002

Sheila Copps is joining the list of MPS who won’t be running in the next Federal Election. 

The former Heritage Minister held back tears on Friday as she told the House of Commons she won’t re-offer. 

But the Hamilton Liberal MP says it’s not a final good-bye, suggesting she could make a comeback. 

“I turn the page today at peace…at peace that we have built a stronger Canada,” Copps told the House of Commons on what was likely its final day of sitting before an election call expected next week. 

“Today I’d like to say goodbye, but not adieu,” she said in French. 

There had been speculation Copps would consider running as an independent after being pushed out of her Hamilton east seat in a bitter nomination battle. 

Other MPS not running again include Art Eggleton, Joe Clark, Elsie Wayne and Herb Dhaliwal. (CP)

 

Thursday March 17, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday March 17, 2004 Hamilton's Provincial Duds Perhaps Hamilton's five representatives to Queen's Park -- Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop and Ted McMeekin -- should be known as MIAs rather than MPPs.Harsh? Perhaps. But on the issue of the crushing costs to municipalities of downloaded social service, we have yet to hear any of our government members offer any significant support, let alone aid. While Hamilton pleads to an indifferent premier, our MPPs have been mostly silent. Yes, the downloading was by a different Queen's Park regime, and perhaps some or all of the "Hamilton Five" are working behind the scenes as Dalton McGuinty tries to balance promises with fiscal realities. But in the absence of any of them publicly championing Hamilton's cause, Mayor Larry Di Ianni is left sticking his neck out as he proposes an economic ultimatum to the province. Without $19.5 million for social services, Hamilton will not balance its budget, he says. Confrontation with the premier and his ministers has its risks, since municipalities essentially exist at the will and whim of the provincial government. But playing nice hasn't worked for two past mayors, and the stars-are-aligned promise of having a unified caucus of Hamilton MPPs has so far not delivered in any consequential way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Hamilton, QueenÕs Park, Toni Valeri, Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop, Ted McMeekin, social service, pooling, Ontario, Liberal, Flamborough, Flamboro, MPP, amalgamation, Liberal, AncasterÑDundasÑFlamboroughÑAldershot

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 17, 2004

Hamilton’s Provincial Duds

Perhaps Hamilton’s five representatives to Queen’s Park — Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop and Ted McMeekin — should be known as MIAs rather than MPPs.Harsh? Perhaps. But on the issue of the crushing costs to municipalities of downloaded social service, we have yet to hear any of our government members offer any significant support, let alone aid. While Hamilton pleads to an indifferent premier, our MPPs have been mostly silent.

Yes, the downloading was by a different Queen’s Park regime, and perhaps some or all of the “Hamilton Five” are working behind the scenes as Dalton McGuinty tries to balance promises with fiscal realities. But in the absence of any of them publicly championing Hamilton’s cause, Mayor Larry Di Ianni is left sticking his neck out as he proposes an economic ultimatum to the province. Without $19.5 million for social services, Hamilton will not balance its budget, he says.

Confrontation with the premier and his ministers has its risks, since municipalities essentially exist at the will and whim of the provincial government. But playing nice hasn’t worked for two past mayors, and the stars-are-aligned promise of having a unified caucus of Hamilton MPPs has so far not delivered in any consequential way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday February 20, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 20, 2004

Cutting back on the GG’s exces

The federal government has frozen the circum- polar travels of Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, just days after the Star revealed it cost taxpayers $5.3 million for her northern trip last fall.The decision, announced yesterday by Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, was explained in diplomatic terms.

“The first trip was a huge success,” Graham told reporters. “We don’t need to replicate that at this time, and we’ll be looking at future trips for the GG in the light of what we can do with the GG, but at this particular time we don’t intend to pursue anything to do with the Nordic trip.”

The first “circumpolar” tour last fall by Clarkson — with her husband John Ralston Saul, 22 staffers, and 59 “prominent Canadians” — racked up bills of $5.3 million.

It burned up nearly a third of the $16 million annual foreign travel budget for the GG, Prime Minister and foreign affairs minister combined.

When the bill came in the total exceeded even the government’s own projections, which were around $4.5 million. Coming in the midst of the sponsorship scandal over wasted taxpayer dollars, the tab embarrassed an already embattled government.

The second leg of the trip, to Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Greenland that Clarkson was slated to conduct later this year, is now off. (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

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Wednesday February 18, 2004

February 18, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 18, 2004

The latest political news from Hamilton

The sponsorship scandal plaguing the Liberal government appears to be costing more than percentage points in public opinion polls. 

John Bryden announced Tuesday that he is leaving the party after more than a decade in Parliament. 

“I’ve been holding off these past number of weeks as I’ve watched things happen here in Ottawa, and I’ve been very disturbed,” Mr. Bryden told a Calgary radio talk show Tuesday. 

“I can’t be in the Liberal caucus under the circumstances because, basically, what I’ve said is I’ve lost confidence in the prime minister and I’ve lost confidence in the Liberal party.” 

The MP for the southern Ontario riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot released a one-line statement Tuesday morning that read “Liberal MP Bryden quits party. Looks to the Conservatives.” (Globe & Mail)