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Chocolate

Tuesday February 2, 2021

February 9, 2021 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday February 2, 2021

No written guarantee on EU vaccine shipments, says international trade minister

January 28, 2021

Minister of International Trade Mary Ng said she has received assurances that export controls on vaccines introduced by the European Union will not affect Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine orders. 

Testifying at the House of Commons trade committee Monday, Ng said the government received verbal assurances in phone conversations with EU officials that Canada’s shipments will not be disrupted.

Opposition MPs asked Ng why the government had not secured a more formal, written guarantee from the EU.

Ng said she spoke with EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“I reiterated that Canada has advanced purchase agreements with vaccine manufacturers in Europe, and we expect that those agreements be respected,” Ng said.

January 7, 2021

“Vice-President Dombrovskis provided strong reassurances that this mechanism will not delay vaccine shipments to Canada, and we both committed to continue to work together, as we have since the beginning of the pandemic.”

On Jan. 29, the European Commission introduced new export controls for the 27-member bloc, which requires member states to get authorization before they can export vaccine doses out of the EU.

The export controls have raised concerns that Canada’s advance purchase agreements may not be honoured, which would threaten the supply of vaccines coming into the country. Canada is not on a list of countries exempted from the controls.

While Ng said Canada would prefer to get on that list, she did not elaborate on a pathway to do so. She repeatedly brought up that other countries such as the United States and Australia are also not exempt.

Ng said she spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium Sunday, Sophie Wilmès, who gave similar assurances that Canada’s advanced purchase agreements would be honoured.  The Pfizer vaccines Canada has ordered are being manufactured at a facility in Puurs, Belgium.

Conservative MP Ziad Aboultaif said the government should have pushed for a written guarantee. 

“There’s a term here — if it’s not in writing, [it] never happened. Do you agree?” Aboultaif asked.

Ng responded that she was confident in the assurances she had received.

“What I would say is that assurances by a vice-president and commissioner of the European Union, as well as the European Union president, to a prime minister, is a … good thing,” Ng said. (CBC) 

 

Posted in: Canada, International Tagged: 2021-04, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chocolate, covid-19, Editorial Cartoon, EU, Greece, Latvia, pandemic, Trade, Vaccine

Thursday February 14, 2019

February 21, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 14, 2019

Blasting Premier Doug Ford for cronyism in appointments

February 14, 2018

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is cranking up the heat on Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford as MPPs prepare to return to Queen’s Park next week.

In a fiery speech last Friday to New Democrats at an Ajax caucus meeting, Horwath accused Ford of cronyism.

“He’s handing out tickets on his gravy train. And while the appointments, the backroom deals, and the favours to friends are piling up, the rest of Ontario is paying for it,” she said.

January 12, 2019

That’s an apparent reference to the Tories’ bid to install Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner, a Ford pal, as commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.

Integrity commissioner J. David Wake is currently doing an ethics investigation into the appointment, which has raised questions about the independence of the OPP. Taverner, 72, is in limbo until Wake’s probe, which was triggered by an NDP complaint, is complete.

Horwath also took aim at Dr. Rueben Devlin, head of the premier’s council on tackling hospital overcrowding.

Animated!

“What has Doug Ford done? He has launched a sham health-care consultation and given his buddy a $1-million contract to consult, all while scheming behind closed doors to overhaul health care, and throw open the door to unprecedented levels of privatization,” she said.

Last week, the NDP was leaked draft legislation that proposes to reform the health-care system by creating a new super agency that Horwath claims would increase privatization of medical services.

Health Minister Christine Elliott has denied that charge, insisting nothing has been “finalized.” (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2019-06, Chocolate, crony, cronyism, Doug Ford, Ontario, patronage, valentines day

Saturday June 7, 2014

June 7, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Saturday June 7, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 7, 2014

Stephen Harper to attend swearing-in for Ukraine’s new president, Petro Poroshenko

Stephen Harper announced Tuesday that he will travel to Kyiv during his upcoming European trip to attend the swearing-in of Ukraine’s new president, Petro Poroshenko.

The ceremony is set for Saturday, and if Harper does indeed attend it will mark his second trip to Ukraine since mass protests toppled the government of former president Viktor Yanukovych in February.

Russia has since annexed Crimea and Ukrainian forces have battled pro-Russian forces in the country’s east. In response, Canada has levied sanctions against Russia.

“Canada has been a leader in the global response to Russian aggression in Ukraine,” said a statement about the trip released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Canada also sent a large team of election officials to help oversee Ukraine’s national election, which Poroshenko — a billionaire chocolate magnate — won in May.

Harper’s decision to stand behind Poroshenko during the swearing-in – several other high profile politicians including U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden will be there as well – is likely intended to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Harper has taken a harder line than most toward the Russian leader, the CBC’s Chris Hall reports.

“His boldness has increased since Russian troops first made an open grab for power in Crimea,” Harper said in a recent speech. (Source: CBC News)

 

Posted in: Canada, International Tagged: candy, Chocolate, Editorial Cartoon, Kiev, Petro Poroshenko, Stephen Harper, Ukraine

December 1, 2007

December 1, 2007 by Graeme MacKay

Buried beneath the weight of all the news over Karlheinz Schreiber’s tedious performance before the House of Commons Ethics Committee was the announcement of another probe by Parliament into allegations of price fixing by Canada’s largest chocolate making companies. It’s been reported that the Canadian divisions of Nestle, Cadbury, Hershey and Mars are under investigation by regulators over alleged price fixing of chocolate bars. The Competition Bureau of Canada has requested that the companies hand over documents related to their pricing arrangements. It is understood that no charges have yet been made and that there is no solid evidence of any wrongdoing. Well, I thought it warranted a cartoon, even though I’m probably the only cartoonist who bothered with this story:

Posted in: Canada, Cartooning Tagged: cartel, Chocolate, commentary, price fixing, process

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