code

Tuesday September 22, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday September 22, 2015 Stephen Harper 'playing a very divisive game' with niqabs, Tom Mulcair says Stephen Harper is "playing a very divisive game" with his government's effort to impose a ban on niqabs during the citizenship oath, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday, just days before a French-language debate in Quebec Ñ a province in which identity politics continues to drive a wedge between voters. "I'm not about the politics of fear and division. Mr. Harper is going to always go after that. If he senses that there's something there that can divide Canadians one against the other, he'll do it," said Mulcair during a morning campaign stop in Nova Scotia. The Bloc QuŽbŽcois has also taken up the issue, saying it would go even further than the Tories and impose a ban on face coverings during citizenship ceremonies and in the voting booth. For his part, Mulcair has had to negotiate a tricky path on the issue. His party needs to retain the hard-won votes it secured in Quebec in 2011, but cannot risk losing support in the diverse suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver, where voters appear to be opposed to the government's effort to impose a ban. Part of his approach has been to accuse Harper of dog-whistle politics. "He talks about 'old stock Canadians,'" Mulcair said this morning, alluding to a comment Harper made during last week's leaders' debate in Calgary. "That's a code word. He knows what he's doing when he does that." Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that the Grits have "always been crystal clear" about their opposition to a ban on niqabs and other veils. (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-niqab-bloc-1.3236837 Canada, Stephen Harper, dog whistle, politics, dogs, social media, old stock Canadians, code, hidden agenda, racism, Lynton Crosby, twitter, facebook

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 22, 2015

Stephen Harper ‘playing a very divisive game’ with niqabs, Tom Mulcair says

Stephen Harper is “playing a very divisive game” with his government’s effort to impose a ban on niqabs during the citizenship oath, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday, just days before a French-language debate in Quebec — a province in which identity politics continues to drive a wedge between voters.

Friday March 13, 2015“I’m not about the politics of fear and division. Mr. Harper is going to always go after that. If he senses that there’s something there that can divide Canadians one against the other, he’ll do it,” said Mulcair during a morning campaign stop in Nova Scotia.

The Bloc Québécois has also taken up the issue, saying it would go even further than the Tories and impose a ban on face coverings during citizenship ceremonies and in the voting booth.

For his part, Mulcair has had to negotiate a tricky path on the issue. His party needs to retain the hard-won votes it secured in Quebec in 2011, but cannot risk losing support in the diverse suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver, where voters appear to be opposed to the government’s effort to impose a ban.

Part of his approach has been to accuse Harper of dog-whistle politics.

“He talks about ‘old stock Canadians,'” Mulcair said this morning, alluding to a comment Harper made during last week’s leaders’ debate in Calgary.

“That’s a code word. He knows what he’s doing when he does that.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that the Grits have “always been crystal clear” about their opposition to a ban on niqabs and other veils. (Source: CBC News)

Saskatoo Star Phoenix, September 23, 2015

Saskatoo Star Phoenix, September 23, 2015

Thursday December 6, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday December 6, 2012

Designing the Pan-Am Stadium

A confidential report says City staff is working with the team designing the new Pan Am stadium to make sure the facility meets its design standards.

Members of the Ontario Sports Solutions consortium are meeting with staff “all the time” to alleviate concerns, said Robert Johnston, designer with the Cannon Group.

These concerns include having a public-friendly civic square, a unique aesthetic and enough of a covering behind the stands that the neighbourhood isn’t exposed to beams and the rough underside of the seating.

Those were among the concerns councillors brought up during a city planning committee meeting Tuesday, when Johnston showed the latest renderings of the new Pan Am stadium, scheduled to replace Ivor Wynne in its east-end location in July 2014.

The committee heard that the space behind the stands will be masonry at the base, and screens extending over a large portion of the sides of the mostly outdoor stadium.

This will produce a “light and airy” feeling, and the screens can be changed depending on the event being hosted, Johnston said after his presentation to the committee.

Large solid walls would have overpowered the residential neighbourhood, he said.

The screening “produces the effect of hiding all the structure, but it’s light and airy, so it’s more festive,” Johnston said. Councillors had plenty of questions about the $147.5-million stadium, of which the city is paying 40 per cent. The stadium will host 32 men’s and women’s soccer games for the 2015 Pan Am games, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats starting with the 2014 CFL season. (Source: CBC News)