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Wednesday October 31, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 31, 2019

Scheer faces more criticism as Conservative caucus reminded of new rules that could trigger a leadership review

On a day when three prominent conservatives publicly criticized Andrew Scheer’s leadership, a note went out to the Conservative caucus reminding them of new parliamentary rules that could allow a leadership review to be held as early as next week.

Peter MacKay Gallery

Peter MacKay, one of the co-founders of the modern Conservative party, told a Washington audience Wednesday that in the face of Justin Trudeau’s stumbles, the Conservative leader’s failure to win the Oct. 21 election was “like having a breakaway on an open net” and missing the chance to put the puck in.

Appearing on a panel at the Wilson Centre’s Canada Institute, MacKay — who up to now has said he supports Scheer — nevertheless took his own shots at the Conservative leader and the campaign he ran.

“People didn’t want to talk about women’s reproductive rights, or revisiting same-sex marriage,” said MacKay, but it was “thrust onto the agenda” and “hung around Andrew Scheer’s neck like a stinking albatross, quite frankly, and he wasn’t able to deftly deal with those issues when the opportunities arose.”

MacKay said it “created a nervousness” among women who might have considered voting Conservative.

October 16, 2019

But MacKay, who left politics in 2015, may not be as big an immediate threat to Scheer as those sitting inside Scheer’s Conservative caucus.

Le Devoir has reported Quebec Conservative senators Jean-Guy Dagenais, and Josée Verner, a former Conservative cabinet minister who sits in the Senate as an independent, are publicly calling for Scheer to step aside. Dagenais told the paper that Scheer’s social conservative beliefs hurt the party in Quebec, and suggested it might be better for Scheer to bow out. Verner said it was time for the party to “change the recipe.”

As the political pressure continued to build Wednesday, the Conservative caucus was reminded of new parliamentary rules that could conceivably enable a vote on Scheer’s leadership as early as next week.

In an email sent to all MPs and obtained by the Star on Wednesday, Conservative MP Michael Chong reminded his parliamentary colleagues of the “legal obligations” of each caucus to vote at its first meeting on a number of questions of protocol, including what powers it has for ousting its leader. The first Conservative caucus meeting will be held Nov. 6 in Ottawa.

Chong spearheaded parliamentary reforms in 2015 that allow every caucus to, among other things, empower itself to oust the party leader. If Conservatives decide to do so, a leadership review could be triggered if 20 per cent of all Conservative MPs and senators call for it. In other words, should the caucus choose to adopt the new rules and then 30 members vote for a leadership review, a secret ballot vote would be held on whether Scheer can continue as leader. (Toronto Star) 

 

Friday August 31, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 31, 2018

Change your stance on overdose prevention sites, health groups urge Ford

More than 100 health groups plan to send an open letter to Premier Doug Ford on Thursday, urging him to reconsider his Progressive Conservative government’s position on overdose prevention sites.

The letter — signed by 120 organizations including the Canadian AIDS Society and the Canadian Medical Association — urged Ford “to heed the recommendations of experts in public health, front-line clinicians, harm reduction staff, and people with lived experience of drug use.”

“Rather than impeding access to life-saving health services, we urge you to work with community organizations and other health services providers to ensure greater, equitable access to supervised consumption sites and overdose prevention sites for the people of Ontario.”

Since coming into power, Ford’s conservative government has put several approved sites on pause — including one in Toronto — while the government studies the issue.

“Minister Elliott is undertaking an evidence-based review, listening to experts, community leaders, community members and individuals who have lived through addiction to ensure that any continuation of drug injection sites introduce people into rehabilitation and ensure those struggling with addiction get the help they need,” a spokesperson for Elliott said in a statement to CBC Toronto.

“All of these voices will inform the review and recommendation. In the interim, the ministry has indicated that no new sites should open to the public. We expect this review to conclude in short order and will be making a recommendation on how to proceed.”

The organizations claim in the letter that the delays and closures of the sites could mean “more preventable overdose deaths and new infections of HIV, Hepatitis C and other illnesses.” (Source: CBC News) 

 

Tuesday May 8, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 8, 2018

Trudeau to stay out of June Ontario election

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has no plans to campaign for Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals during the Ontario election, but the federal Conservative and NDP leaders are helping their provincial counterparts as the race officially kicks off this week.

Mr. Trudeau appeared with Ms. Wynne in Cambridge, Ont., last week as Toyota announced a $1.4-billion upgrade to its Canadian manufacturing operations, backstopped by $220-million from the federal and Ontario governments.

But Mr. Trudeau will stay out of the campaign once the writ drops on Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“As the [Prime Minister has] said before, Ontarians will make their decision on who to elect as premier and he will work with whomever they choose,” PMO spokeswoman Chantal Gagnon said in an e-mail. “Since taking office, we have worked hard with the province of Ontario and achieved much.”

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Mr. Trudeau has generally steered clear of provincial campaigns since becoming Prime Minister, Ms. Gagnon said, although he campaigned in an Ontario by-election in 2016. He also campaigned with Ms. Wynne when he was Liberal leader during the 2014 Ontario election. During the 2015 federal election, Ms. Wynne promised to do everything she could to defeat Stephen Harper and elect Mr. Trudeau.

“The federal Liberals anticipate, as almost everyone … that the Liberals are going to lose the election,” said Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto.

“Associating Trudeau directly with that is not a positive.”

A recent Nanos poll puts Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives at 42-per-cent support, 11 points ahead of the Liberals. The Ontario New Democrats sit 10 points behind the Liberals, but Ms. Wynne still scores lower than Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Mr. Ford for preferred premier, the poll said. The leaders will square off for a first televised debate on Monday night. (Source: Globe & Mail) 

 

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Friday February 17, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 17, 2017

Limited supply, high demand in hot Hamilton housing market ‘without precedent’

Warning bells are being sounded in some quarters about an overheated housing market that is trending toward fewer listings, higher prices and yet increased sales, at least locally.

July 13, 2016

But the president of the Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington suggests the situation is neither worrisome nor difficult to understand.

“It’s Economics 101,” said Lou Piriano. “There is less supply, and more and constant demand.”

A report released Wednesday by the Canadian Real Estate Association describes a “severe” shortage of homes available for sale “particularly in and around Toronto and in parts of B.C.”

The report said “the imbalance between limited housing supply and robust demand in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe region is without precedent.”

And an economist was quoted in the Toronto Star saying that the housing market in Toronto “and any city remotely within commuting distance is overheating, and perhaps dangerously so.”

May 7, 2014

In Hamilton-Burlington, the number of properties listed in January was 1,139, down 9.7 per cent from January of last year — but sales of all properties were up 17.4 per cent.

“There is less product and just as many people want it,” Piriano said.

That influenced the average home price rising 12.8 per cent over this time last year.

Piriano said it’s problematic to focus on national figures when just one housing market can distort the numbers but said the GTA continues to exert tremendous influence on Hamilton’s market. Fifteen per cent of all home sales in this area are done by Toronto realtors.

How hot is the market?

It’s just one house, but anecdotally it perhaps represents stories that area home buyers and sellers have been telling of their experiences: A central Mountain home on Desoto Drive, near Upper Wellington Street and just north of Stone Church Road, listed Feb.6 for $599,500 and received 18 offers, according to Mississauga-based ReMax realtor Carl Schuy. It sold Monday, a week later, for $740,000. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

Friday, January 10, 2014

Friday, January 10, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, January 10, 2014

Bratina brings amalgamation debate back

Mayor Bob Bratina says he’s resurrecting a three-year-old election vow to review Hamilton’s contentious 2001 merger to “heal the rifts that divide us” — but he won’t rule out the prospect of deamalgamation.

Bratina, who hasn’t said if he’ll run for office again this fall, startled the audience at his state of the city address Wednesday by arguing it is “reasonable and perhaps critical” to look back at the 13-year-old amalgamation after years of silence on the issue.

He followed up with an afternoon promise to independently ask the province to review a new Western University study on amalgamation.

Bratina repeatedly refused to rule out deamalgamation but added it would be unlikely anytime soon.

“There may also be some way of relieving the costs that were brought on the amalgamation process by further, in-depth review by the province,” he suggested.

The announcement, made at a hastily arranged study presentation at the Sheraton, infuriated several councillors who called the move electioneering.
“He’s not registered to run yet (as a candidate) but he’s using his office to campaign,” said Councillor Sam Merulla.

He noted that the mayor’s office paid for equipment for the state of the city address as well as the cost of a Sheraton room for the study presentation. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)