bus

Wednesday September 13, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 13, 2017

Jagmeet Singh praised for ‘calm and positive’ reaction to anti-Muslim heckler

Federal NDP leadership hopeful Jagmeet Singh is garnering praise for the way he reacted to a woman who accused him last week of supporting Islamic extremism, because he chose to come out against “all forms of hate” instead of emphasizing that he is Sikh rather than Muslim.

August 3, 2017

The Ontario MPP was interrupted by an angry heckler at a meet and greet last Wednesday in Brampton, Ont. The woman stood in front of the candidate and shouted as aides tried to usher her aside in an incident that was caught on video and shared widely on social media well beyond Canada’s borders.

The woman accused Singh of wanting to impose Shariah law, an Islamic legal code based on the Qur’an, and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, an 89-year-old religious and political group. The exchange was caught on video and lasted more than four minutes.

“Many people have commented that I could have just said I’m not Muslim. In fact, many have clarified that I’m actually Sikh,” Singh explained in a statement.  

“While I’m proud of who I am, I purposely didn’t go down that road because it suggests their hate would be OK if I was Muslim.”

A political science professor told CBC News on Monday that Singh took the right approach.

“It suggests the fact that he is not Muslim is irrelevant,” said Erin Tolley, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

“You can just imagine for example a white politician standing in front of a room and heard something racist being said. The exact wrong reaction is to say, ‘Well, I’m white, I’m not a person of colour, so this isn’t important to me.’”

Singh wanted to defuse the situation, she said, highlighting that hate of all forms is wrong, whether it’s directed at your community or not.

His response also signals that Singh, who wears a turban, has experience dealing with direct threats because of his outwardly religious appearance.  (Source: CBC News) 


This cartoon received an unusual amount of criticism through the mackaycartoons Facebook Page: 


Republished in a number of publications. Below the Edmonton Journal and the Western Star, Corner Brook, Newfoundland:

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Thursday August 20, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday August 20, 2015 Duffy trial sapping Conservatives' morale Even a contrarian would not argue that Stephen HarperÕs campaign is off to an inspiring start. A mega-trade deal that would have given the Conservatives a win on the economic front just in time for the election call failed to materialize. Looking at the polls, there is little evidence of the lift in party fortunes that last monthÕs round of child benefit cheques was meant to result in. HarperÕs main rivals each used the first leaders debate of the campaign productively enough to keep the contest too competitive for the incumbentÕs comfort. In Quebec, the positive impact of the return of Gilles Duceppe on Bloc QuŽbŽcois fortunes has turned out to be short-lived, throwing a wrench in the Conservative game plan. The party needs the Bloc to soften up New Democrats in the ridings that Harper has targeted for gains in October. Now the Senate scandal is again front-and-centre in the media, predictably sucking out the oxygen from the Conservative election tour. Nigel WrightÕs long-awaited appearance at Sen. Mike DuffyÕs trial may not have implicated Harper further in the spending scandal but it certainly did not give the 2011 Conservative supporters who have since strayed to other parties a reason to run back to the fold. (Chantal Hebert, Continued: http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/08/14/duffy-trial-making-it-hard-for-many-loyal-conservatives-to-feel-proud-hbert.html) Canada, election, Senate Expenses, scandal, Mike Duffy, media, election, Stephen Harper, campaign, bus

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 20, 2015

Duffy trial sapping Conservatives’ morale

Even a contrarian would not argue that Stephen Harper’s campaign is off to an inspiring start.

A mega-trade deal that would have given the Conservatives a win on the economic front just in time for the election call failed to materialize.

Looking at the polls, there is little evidence of the lift in party fortunes that last month’s round of child benefit cheques was meant to result in.

Harper’s main rivals each used the first leaders debate of the campaign productively enough to keep the contest too competitive for the incumbent’s comfort.

In Quebec, the positive impact of the return of Gilles Duceppe on Bloc Québécois fortunes has turned out to be short-lived, throwing a wrench in the Conservative game plan. The party needs the Bloc to soften up New Democrats in the ridings that Harper has targeted for gains in October.
Now the Senate scandal is again front-and-centre in the media, predictably sucking out the oxygen from the Conservative election tour.

Nigel Wright’s long-awaited appearance at Sen. Mike Duffy’s trial may not have implicated Harper further in the spending scandal but it certainly did not give the 2011 Conservative supporters who have since strayed to other parties a reason to run back to the fold. (Chantal Hebert, Continued: Toronto Star)

 

Tuesday May 5, 2015

Tuesday September 8, 2009Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 5, 2015

Thousands of parents keep kids home from school in sex-ed protest

Parents of thousands of elementary students across Toronto kept their children out of class Monday to protest the sex-ed portion of Ontario’s new health curriculum.

The hardest hit school was Thorncliffe Park Public School, where only about 130 children showed up for class out of the usual 1,350 — or roughly 10 per cent. At nearby Gateway Public School, some 400 students were away, nearly half the usual enrolment. At Valley Park Middle School, some 590 students were absent out of the total 950.

Thursday, February 26, 2015At Fraser Mustard, an all-kindergarten school in Thorncliffe Park, only 90 of 650 students turned up. The sex-ed curriculum doesn’t actually kick in until Grade 1.

“In Grade 1 they should be learning about the ABCs, not sex,” said Thorncliffe Park parent Lubna Awah, who kept her kindergarten son home.

“Boys are boys and girls are girls — why should they learn about a third (gender) in Grade 1?” asked Awah, who said she believes children will be encouraged to question their gender identity as early as Grade 1.

Awah said she learned much of what she is concerned about regarding the new curriculum earlier this spring on a flyer circulated by what she called a “Chinese Christian group,” because she said the school did not educate parents.

The new curriculum, endorsed by a coalition of doctors, educators, mental health experts as long overdue in an age of sexting, easy access to online pornography and a falling age of puberty, includes references to anal and oral sex in the context of warning students these alternatives to intercourse can also be risky because they can spread sexually transmitted disease, yet many protesters said they believe the curriculum encourages such behaviour. Critics have seized onto this, as well as possible explanations about masturbation that teachers would offer if asked by students, as encouraging all these behaviours — something educators have insisted in not the case. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Saturday March 7, 2015

Saturday March 7, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday March 7, 2015

HSR bus cash vs. Hamilton LRT

Welcome to the bus battle.

Council will consider its first major HSR budget boost in years this morning along with a controversial new rapid transit request from the province.

The political showdown will be over a $302 million request to the province for dozens of new buses and a garage outlined as part of a 10-year transit plan. That request would have to come on top of the existing $811 million request for LRT.

November 4, 1998Light rail advocates fear another request would muddy the water and give a cash-strapped province the chance to put off LRT funding indefinitely.

At the same time, new transit director Dave Dixon is asking for a $6 million HSR boost – including 50 new drivers and 25 new buses – over the next two years.

He said the money is critical for council to address “immediate needs” like overcrowded buses and poor service on existing routes.

But council is also struggling with a 2015 operating budget that appears on target for a 4.4 per cent average tax increase.

Finance head Mike Zegarac will start the morning with an update on whether that financial picture has improved. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, October 25, 2013

No bus-only tickets issued, says red-faced McHattie

For SaleHamilton police did not ticket anyone in the city’s new bus-only lane, a red-faced councillor now says.

Ward 1 Councillor Brian McHattie announced at Wednesday’s council meeting that police had incorrectly ticketed 20 to 25 drivers that day, as the new transit-only lane launched on King Street. He says he got his information from an anonymous call he didn’t confirm before making a public statement.

It turns out police handed out 26 educational pamphlets to drivers using the bus-only lane — but not a single ticket or demerit point.

“It seems someone tried to lead us astray,” said the recently announced mayoral candidate, who admitted jumping the gun by publicly announcing the allegations as fact.

“I guess I was thinking you want to get on top of an issue like this, if it’s true,” said McHattie, who noted anxiety has been high among some councillors and commuters over the bus-only lane experiment.
“But in this case I moved too fast.”

McHattie said police Chief Glenn De Caire called him Thursday morning after investigating the allegations. While six tickets were issued on King, none was related to the bus-only lane.

“I’ve apologized to the chief,” he said. “This has kept him jumping.”

McHattie said an anonymous person left a message with his office staff alleging he had received a $200-plus ticket and two demerit points. The message also alleged between 20 and 25 people received the tickets.

McHattie said Wednesday night his staff had checked with police over the figure. On Thursday morning, he clarified his staff had not received confirmation from police. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)