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Saturday November 4, 2023

Canada's Environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault, faces internal conflict within the Liberal government due to a sudden policy reversal on climate change, particularly the exemption for home-heating oil in Atlantic Canada, sparking criticism and raising concerns about the coherence and consistency of the government's climate policies.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 4, 2023

The Frustration of Steven Guilbeault, Once an Activist, Now a Minister Facing Carbon Tax Flip-Flops

October 28, 2021

Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Environment Minister, faces a perplexing shift within the Liberal government, causing internal conflict with his former activist stance on climate change. The recent about-face in policy decisions appears to be a move aimed at reviving plummeting polls, especially in Atlantic Canada. Guilbeault, who once championed climate change causes, may find himself increasingly frustrated by the governmental reversals he’s now a part of.

A month ago, Guilbeault adamantly stood by the federal mandate for a net-zero power grid by 2035, dismissing requests from Alberta for an extended timeline. This firm stance faced opposition from Alberta’s Environment Minister, Rebecca Schulz, and Premier Danielle Smith, who vocally criticized the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) as impractical and disconnected from reality, potentially leading to blackouts in a province heavily reliant on natural gas.

Analysis: Playing defence on the carbon tax has put Trudeau’s Liberals on the defensive  

February 3, 2023

Guilbeault, defending the federal regulation, emphasized the necessity to avoid exceptions for provinces, highlighting the importance of a unified approach across the federation. However, the subsequent announcement of an exemption for home-heating oil in Atlantic Canada saw a complete reversal from the federal government’s firm stance. This shift provoked further demands from other provinces, including Saskatchewan and Alberta, for similar exemptions in their regions.

The stark contrast between Guilbeault’s initial commitment and the recent exemptions, particularly for home-heating oil, suggests a significant departure from the consistent climate-focused policies he once advocated for. The exemptions raised concerns about the logical inconsistency and fairness of the carbon tax application. This move has left the Liberals in a defensive position, contradicting their previous arguments about the carbon tax rebate.

The internal discord within the Liberal government and the public critique underscore the complexity of policy implementation and the pressure faced by the Liberals to address concerns in Atlantic Canada. Despite the ongoing debates and mounting pressure for additional exemptions, Guilbeault maintains a resolute stance against further carve-outs as long as he holds the environment minister position.

Opinion: Trudeau’s new carbon pricing rules are really a not so subtle bribe  

The federal government, led by Justin Trudeau, is making changes to its climate policy, which primarily benefit Atlantic Canada. These changes include increased rural rebates and exemptions for home heating oil from the carbon tax. This has generated mixed reactions and debates.

October 28, 2023

The Liberals’ strategy to navigate the current political storm remains unclear. While attempting to address concerns in Atlantic Canada, the exemptions granted may have inadvertently compounded the challenges faced by the government, inviting criticism and intensifying the existing political turbulence.

Ultimately, the government’s recent decisions seem to have created more complexities than resolutions, fostering doubts about the coherence and consistency of their climate policy agenda. As Guilbeault, once an advocate, grapples with these policy shifts, the government faces an uphill battle to justify their recent actions while maintaining the integrity of their climate initiatives. (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:

 

Thursday January 17, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday January 17, 2019

Ontario reviewing regional governments, raising prospect of future amalgamations

Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives have announced a plan Tuesday to comprehensively review the province’s regional governments.

Hamilton Amalgamation Octopus, 1999

The review includes all eight regional municipalities — Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Niagara, Peel, Muskoka District, Oxford County, and the County of Simcoe — and their lower-tier municipalities, according to a government news release.

A total of 82 municipalities will be examined, and the province hasn’t ruled out the possibility that some could be amalgamated in the future.

The PCs say the review will focus on three areas: governance, decision-making and service delivery.

“Our government is committed to improving the way regional government works and we will be looking at ways to make better use of taxpayers’ dollars and make it easier for residents and businesses to access important municipal services,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark in a news release.

Common Sense Revolution, 1995

Under former PC premier Mike Harris, Ontario amalgamated a series of local governments ranging from Kawartha Lakes to Toronto in a similar bid to improve efficiency, though the effectiveness of that strategy has been questioned in the years since.

“There’s always opportunity for two municipalities to come together to talk about that aspect, but we’re not talking about that in this regional government review,” he said during an interview at Queen’s Park.

In Ontario, upper-tier municipalities or regions typically oversee services such as policing and garbage pickup, while lower-tier muncipalities handle local bylaws. The current system was introduced in the 1970s.

Mayors from around the GTHA were meeting with Toronto Mayor John Tory on Tuesday afternoon as details about the review first emerged.

Toronto Megacity, 1996

During a news conference following the meeting, several mayors said they would support the review as long as their communities are made part of the process.

“Consult with us before unilaterally making changes, consult with our community before making changes and allow us to educate you a little bit on what we think needs to be done,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie acknowledged that the decades-old system has room for improvement. She noted that the three municipalities that form Peel Region — Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon —are each at different growth stages, with different priorities.

“I think this is a great opportunity to re-evaluate our relationship; this is a relationship that is 44 years old now. It perhaps doesn’t make sense as the way it used to,” she told reporters.

Megacity, 1997

Results of the review are expected in early summer, the PCs said. However, political observers are already questioning if such a sweeping and quick review will be effective, especially given the short timeline.

“There’s a lot of things to cover. Trying to get them all within a single review strikes me as a fairly large task,” said Robert Williams, a professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo who studies municipal governance.

Williams drew comparisons to the amalgamations carried out by the Harris government, and the current government’s decision to slash the size of Toronto city council nearly in half last year. (Source: CBC News)