Burlington

Thursday June 22, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 22, 2023

Ford’s Tentacled Reach

May 12, 2023

The Ontario government is moving forward with its plan to expand the powers of mayors in more municipalities, allowing them to exert greater control over local affairs. However, critics remain skeptical of Premier Doug Ford’s intentions, comparing his influence to that of a Cthulhu-like monster with multiple arms controlling puppet mayors. These enhanced powers, already implemented in Toronto and Ottawa, grant mayors the authority to pass bylaws related to the province’s housing initiatives, even with just a third of their local councils in support.

Additionally, these stronger powers give mayors the ability to veto budget amendments unless they receive a two-thirds majority vote from the council. Mayors also gain the authority to hire senior bureaucrats and establish new departments within their municipalities. While many cities in the United States, such as Chicago and New York, grant their mayors substantial influence, critics argue that the provision allowing the passing of bylaws with only a third of the votes undermines the principles of democracy, labeling it as “minority rule.”

News: Doug Ford gives ‘strong mayor’ powers to 26 more Ontario cities  

January 28, 2023

The provincial government has defined specific regulations designating these priorities as contributing to their ambitious target of constructing 1.5 million homes and providing housing-related infrastructure, including roads and sewer pipes, by 2031. Ontario’s Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, Steve Clark, made the announcement alongside mayors from Guelph, Burlington, and London, who will soon possess these expanded powers. The decision was reached after a meeting at Queen’s Park between Clark, other cabinet ministers, and the mayors of the province’s largest cities.

Effective July 1, the new powers will be implemented through regulations and will be granted to municipalities with a population exceeding 100,000 or projected to reach that threshold by 2031. Additionally, these municipalities must have signed a “housing pledge” to support Ontario’s target for new homes. The list of municipalities receiving these powers includes Barrie, Niagara Falls, Windsor, Hamilton, Mississauga, and Markham. Notably, Newmarket, located north of Toronto, is excluded from the list due to the local government’s failure to sign the housing pledge.

Mayor John Taylor of Newmarket cited the town’s insufficient sewer capacity as the reason for not signing the pledge. He attributes this problem to the province’s decision to block the construction of a planned regional sewage plant and instead build pipes to an existing facility in Durham Region, a process that may take up to eight years. Mayor Taylor also stated that, regardless of the powers granted, he would not utilize them.

News: These 26 Ontario cities are getting strong-mayor powers. Is yours?  

August 21, 2019

Patrick Brown, the former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party who now serves as the mayor of Brampton, disagrees with the notion that these powers are antidemocratic, claiming that people already assume mayors possess such authority. Brown believes that Premier Doug Ford, who spent time at Toronto City Hall, understands the inconsistency between public perception and the actual powers held by mayors.

It is worth noting that Premier Ford’s late brother, Rob Ford, served as the mayor of Toronto, but his powers were significantly reduced by the city council in 2013 following his erratic behavior and struggles with substance abuse. In Ottawa, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has pledged not to use the “minority rule” power to pass bylaws. Interestingly, it was former Toronto mayor John Tory who initially requested this additional measure from Premier Ford, even after the province had already announced plans to strengthen mayoral control over budgets and bureaucracy.

As the by-election is currently underway due to Mr. Tory’s resignation and admission of an affair with a subordinate, frontrunner Olivia Chow and other candidates, including Josh Matlow, Ana Bailão, and Mitzie Hunter, have already expressed their disinterest in utilizing the “minority rule” bylaw power if elected. (AI)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro. If you’re creative, give illustration a try:

 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Wednesday, August 6, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Bad Drive, Good Flight

After five days of traffic nightmares, the Burlington Skyway has reopened.

The Ministry of Transportation made the announcement on Monday at 3 p.m. after removing four damaged vehicles from the bridge, making temporary repairs, and removing all debris.

Friday, February 21, 2014All lanes opened at around 6 p.m. after workers paved a 60-metre stretch and repainted the road lines.

According to the MTO, permanent repairs still need to be made, including the fabrication and installation of a new steel beam to replace the one that was damaged in Thursday’s crash. That work will be done at night over the next two months to ensure any lane reductions will have a minimal impact on traffic.

Astrid Poei from MTO said it is too early to estimate the cost of damages, but it could run into the millions.

“This is not a cheap endeavour,” said Poei.

The Toronto-bound lanes of the Skyway were closed on Thursday afternoon after a dump truck with its box open struck the overhead truss of the bridge.

Sukhvinder Singh Rai, 34, of Brampton, faces impaired driving charges and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 22.

In the aftermath of the crash, traffic was diverted to Eastport Drive, the Red Hill Valley Parkway, the Linc, Burlington Street and Fruitland Road. David Ferguson, superintendent of traffic engineering for the city, said the impact was felt throughout the city, including on the Mountain. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Meanwhile, Major roads and highways have reopened Tuesday in the wake of severe flash flooding across Burlington and parts of Halton Region over the Civic holiday.

Burlington was hit with the equivalent of two months of rainfall in one day.

According to Environment Canada, 150 millimetres fell in highly localized areas Monday night. Another 20 millimetres was expected. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Lancaster has safely landed at Goose Bay, Labrador, finishing the first leg of its journey to England.

According to a tweet from Matthew Munson, who paid $79,100 in an eBay auction for a seat on the historic trip, the bomber “landed at Goose Bay after a few fly pasts. What an epic journey here.”

On Wednesday the plane is scheduled to fly to Keflavik, Iceland, and continue from there to RAF Coningsby in England on Friday. Over its six-week tour, the bomber will take part in a series of air shows, many of which will also feature the world’s only other airworthy Lancaster owned by the RAF.

The celebrated Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum plane took off from Hamilton shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday before a crowd of hundreds of cheering onlookers. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Friday, February 21, 2014Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, February 21, 2014

Tories want to dump Lift Bridge

The federal government wants to off-load the half-century-old Burlington Canal Lift Bridge onto the cities of Hamilton and Burlington.

But outraged local politicians say cash-strapped cities can’t afford to take on responsibility for more aging infrastructure — especially a bridge that controls commercial ship traffic and acts as a critical emergency detour for the QEW.

Coyotes and the lift bridge

“It’s a real jaw-dropper,” said Councillor Chad Collins, who has been pushing the federal government to add a safe, multi-use pathway to the bridge that connects the Hamilton and Burlington sections of the beach strip.
“There is no financial reason — and no capability — for us to take on something like that,” he said, pointing to the city’s estimated $200-million infrastructure deficit.

His cross-bridge colleague in Burlington, Rick Craven, was even more blunt in his dismissal of the idea.

“For them to abandon their responsibilities and dump on the municipalities, that is not acceptable … they are not going to get away with it,” said the Ward 1 councillor.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Opposite the lift bridge

Craven called the bridge an “absolutely critical piece of infrastructure” because of its twin service to 10,000 vehicles and 6,500 vessels each year.
The bridge serves local motorists and the HSR, but also acts as an emergency route for the QEW when the skyway bridge is blocked. The lift bridge also rises and falls about 4,000 times a year to allow vessels into Hamilton Harbour.

Council received a letter Wednesday from Diane Finley, the minister of public works and government services, responding to the request for a safe trail across the bridge. Finley wrote the ministry has been “directed to divest of the bridge” and, therefore, can’t spend money on non-essential improvements. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday, January 31, 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, January 31, 2014

Canada’s lonely tower on Hamilton Harbour

For SaleWhen the Canada Centre for Inland Waters officially opened in May 1972, it was described as the “finest of its kind in North America, maybe in the world,” by the federal environment minister at the time.

But 40 years later, critics say the sprawling agency on the Beach Strip is a shadow of its former self, a victim of a steady stream of downsizing and changing government priorities. They say it is backtracking on its Great Lakes research mandate and is no longer the steady hand of science it once was to guide the restoration of Hamilton Harbour.

Thursday, February 21, 2013The centre was intended to be Canada’s flagship headquarters for fresh water management, a 54,000-square-foot complex of six interconnected buildings with more than 520 federal employees (with claims, apparently unrealized, of eventually having 1,000 workers). Now it’s estimated there are closer to 350.

Environment Canada, the main government department in the facility, won’t say how many scientists work at the facility or how many used to work there.

2011-2015

2011-2015

Spokesperson Mark Johnson said in a statement the department is focused on “achieving and maintaining a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for Canadians” and the government is spending “significant money each year in direct research to support these goals. Environment Canada’s Canada Centre for Inland Waters (CCIW) provides scientific information to support informed decisions about the environment…”

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the other main government department at the CCIW, did not respond to a request for staffing numbers.

Thursday, October 24, 2013According to the union that represents scientists in the federal government — the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada — there are nearly 25 fewer scientists at the CCIW than in 2010.

But Tom Muir, a retired environmental economist who worked at the CCIW for 30 years, says that’s only part of the story. He says the decline in scientists — through attrition and layoffs — has been going on for more than a decade. And he estimates the number of positions has fallen by 40 to 60 over a 10-year period. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

SOCIAL MEDIA

This cartoon was somewhat of a sensation on Facebook, with over 30,000 hits over the Feb. 1 2014 weekend and over 750 shares. It was also featured on the iPolitics website showcase of cartoons. This cartoon is available for print through the Artizans syndicate.