classroom

Thursday December 5, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday December 5, 2019

Ford government’s climate change plan is not based on ‘sound evidence,’ auditor general says

Young Doug Ford: the mini-series

Premier Doug Ford’s plan to fight climate change is not based on “sound evidence” and will fall well short of Ontario’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets, auditor general Bonnie Lysyk warns in a damning new annual report.

Despite repeated assurances from Ford as recently as Tuesday that the plan is on track, an internal analysis by the environment ministry acknowledges that proposed measures won’t do the job, the auditor revealed in her massive report released Wednesday.

“Ontario is warming faster than the global average,” Lysyk said in her three-volume, 1,176-page report, noting the Paris Agreement target is to reduce emissions 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

December 11, 2014

But the Progressive Conservative government’s calculations have been flawed on many levels, she said, such as the inclusion of impacts from renewable energy projects and the previous Liberal administration’s cap-and-trade program that were scrapped in the summer of 2018.

The environment ministry also projects sales of electric vehicles will rise to 1.3 million in 2030 from 41,000 this year but has “no policy mechanisms” to drive an increase after cancelling cash incentives for buyers and the installation of more charging stations more than a year ago, Lysyk found.

July 11, 2018

An end to cash incentives, which were bankrolled by the Liberal cap-and-trade program that generated $1.9 billion annually, has resulted in a drop of 53 per cent in the number of electric vehicles purchased or leased.

As well, “some emissions reductions were double counted and overstated” because they are targeted in more than one program, said the report.

The auditor general also found troubles in the health care system, court backlogs caused by a lack of modernization, higher rates of fatalities and injuries in commercial vehicle crashes and use food that is past its best-before date in nursing homes. (Hamilton Spectator)


 

Friday January 25, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 25, 2019

Ontario education minister says no decisions made yet on removing class size caps

Ontario teacher and education worker groups raised concerns Thursday that the government’s consideration of removing kindergarten and primary class size caps sets the stage for vast cuts.

The Progressive Conservative government met with education partners Wednesday to launch consultations on class sizes and teacher hiring practices.

A government consultation document poses questions such as whether hard caps on class sizes should continue, and if they were removed, what would be an appropriate way to set effective class sizes.

Ontario teacher and education worker groups raised concerns Thursday that the government’s consideration of removing kindergarten and primary class size caps sets the stage for vast cuts.

The Progressive Conservative government met with education partners Wednesday to launch consultations on class sizes and teacher hiring practices.

A government consultation document poses questions such as whether hard caps on class sizes should continue, and if they were removed, what would be an appropriate way to set effective class sizes. (Source: Global News)

 

Friday May 27, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday May 27, 2016 Premier Wynne wonders why debate, believes decision made Pressure is building on Hamilton council to formally accept or reject the province's $1-billion offer to build LRT in the city Ñ but don't expect it to happen anytime soon. Council has twice in May put off a contentious motion to endorse the province's offer to pay 100 per cent of capital costs for light rail transit, with some councillors even floating the idea of a referendum. The uncertainty prompted Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, local MPP Ted McMeekin and two major city developers this week to urge council to publicly back the project Ñ or at least make a decision. "I honestly thought that the conversation was done," said Wynne on Tuesday at an unrelated press conference. "I was very surprised that it was being revisited. My hope will be that they will be able to go through this process and we'll have a final answer soon rather than later.Ó Mayor Fred Eisenberger said after council Wednesday he understands the premier's "frustration," but added it's possible the council motion to support the project will be put off until fall. "I think a definitive statement, in my mind, has already been made," he said, pointing out the city "asked for the money, and the province delivered.Ó "Are there additional questions councillors feel they need answered? Apparently so. Whether we resolve that in June, or later, is another issue.Ó But the mayor also argued the proposed vote won't guarantee or kill the project, which requires several layers of council approval, including a design sign-off and other formal legal agreements. Coun. Sam Merulla, who put forward the oft-deferred motion, said he's fine with waiting until the fall, when answers to questions about LRT traffic impacts and expropriation requirements will be available. He added the delay also allows time to address councillor concerns "and bring support back up" for the p

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 27, 2016

Premier Wynne wonders why debate, believes decision made

Pressure is building on Hamilton council to formally accept or reject the province’s $1-billion offer to build LRT in the city — but don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday May 17, 2016 Wavering on building LRT Spectator Editorial - Now that the LRT pot is on the front burner at full boil, it would be wise for everyone to take a deep breath.Ê Yes, it's disappointing that city council didn't take the opportunity to render a public display of support at last week's meeting. They should have. But as ourÊelected representatives, they have a right to express reservations and ask for more information and time. Hopefully putting it off for a week Ñ the matter isÊback before council in its general issues committee form tomorrow Ñ will give staff the time to provide the requisite information and councillors time to reflect. But if the matter is deferred again tomorrow, it will be more problematic. Quite simply, the time has come for council to send another clear, unequivocalÊmessage to the province: Thanks for the billion dollars, and yes, we will use it to build LRT. Arguments against LRT these days tend to fall into two categories. It's not something Hamilton needs now or ever, or it might be something Hamilton needs,Êbut it's premature. The first argument is the territory occupied by people who simply don't believe in modern, environmentally sound, economically catalytic public transit. ThoseÊof us who support improving and modernizing transit probably aren't going to convince this crowd. Their minds are closed. They're the ones who think theÊHSR in its current form was good enough in the '70s and '80s, so it's good enough for the future, perhaps with a few tweaks around the edges.Ê The other anti-LRT position Ñ that it's premature Ñ is more interesting and promising. You can make a solid case LRT might be a better fit eight or 10 yearsÊon, when the rest of our transit system is still not optimized to get full value from having LRT as a transit fulcrum. But here's the thing: a billion provincialÊdollars.Ê It's unlikely that any time in the foreseeable future a provi

Tuesday May 17, 2016

Council has twice in May put off a contentious motion to endorse the province’s offer to pay 100 per cent of capital costs for light rail transit, with some councillors even floating the idea of a referendum.

The uncertainty prompted Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, local MPP Ted McMeekin and two major city developers this week to urge council to publicly back the project — or at least make a decision.

“I honestly thought that the conversation was done,” said Wynne on Tuesday at an unrelated press conference. “I was very surprised that it was being revisited. My hope will be that they will be able to go through this process and we’ll have a final answer soon rather than later.”

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said after council Wednesday he understands the premier’s “frustration,” but added it’s possible the council motion to support the project will be put off until fall.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

June 10, 2014

“I think a definitive statement, in my mind, has already been made,” he said, pointing out the city “asked for the money, and the province delivered.”

“Are there additional questions councillors feel they need answered? Apparently so. Whether we resolve that in June, or later, is another issue.”

But the mayor also argued the proposed vote won’t guarantee or kill the project, which requires several layers of council approval, including a design sign-off and other formal legal agreements.

Coun. Sam Merulla, who put forward the oft-deferred motion, said he’s fine with waiting until the fall, when answers to questions about LRT traffic impacts and expropriation requirements will be available.

Saturday, April 28 2013

April 28 2013

He added the delay also allows time to address councillor concerns “and bring support back up” for the project — which some council members campaigned against in the last election.

“What I’m trying to prevent is an 11th-hour travesty,” he said. “What we’ve learned is that support is not as strong as it needs to be.”

Several councillors Wednesday questioned the need to have a vote at all, however.(Continued: Hamilton Spectator)