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Tuesday June 20, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 20, 2017

Ottawa wants provinces to keep pot tax low

The federal government will be urging the provinces and territories to keep pot taxes low, according to a senior government source.

March 28, 2017

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will make the pitch to his provincial and territorial counterparts, during a series of meetings to be held in Ottawa over the next two days.

Although the source says a price for pot is not expected to be set during these talks, provincial and territorial leaders will be urged to keep taxes low in an effort to undercut prices on the black market.

The discussions will take place at the semi-annual gathering of the country’s finance ministers, and will be the first formal sit down chat about the issue at this level.

Earlier this year, the federal government introduced legislation that will make the recreational use of marijuana legal by July 1, 2018. Many of the decisions about how the drug will be sold and taxed are being left up to individual provinces.

April 21, 2016

The source says Ottawa wants the provinces and territories to agree to three broad priorities when coming up with their marijuana strategies: a co-ordinated approach, a low taxation rate, and a commitment to ongoing collaboration and co-operation.

The co-ordinated approach is an effort to ensure prices and policies are similar across the country. The source says Ottawa does not want to see any “divergent regimes” spiking or dropping prices.

The low taxation rate is an effort to eliminate the black market. The Liberals have repeatedly said the purpose of making marijuana legal is to keep it out of the hands of children and criminals. By setting a low rate, the source says it will help drive drug dealers out of the market. (Source: CBC News) 

 

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Friday June 16, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 16, 2017

Netflix tax? Trudeau says no to MPs’ proposed broadband internet levy

February 11, 2016

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flatly rejected a controversial recommendation from a parliamentary committee calling for a five per cent tax on broadband internet services.

The new levy, included in a majority report of the Canadian Heritage committee released Thursday, was intended to boost a media sector struggling to adapt to technological changes and evolving consumer habits.

“We respect the independence of committees and Parliament and the work and the studies they do, but allow me to be clear: We’re not raising taxes on the middle class, we’re lowering them,” he said during an event in Montreal. “We’re not going to be raising taxes on the middle class through an internet broadband tax. That is not an idea we are taking on.”

September 24, 2014

Trudeau said his Liberal government was elected on a promise to lower taxes for the middle class and raise them on the wealthiest one per cent.

The committee’s report suggested the proposal would add hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues to the Canadian Media Fund, which already receives a levy on cable bills to finance the production of Canadian content.

The tax, levied on broadband internet providers, would apply to high-speed internet services that allow for the streaming of music, movies and TV shows, but not to slower and less costly services.

Revenue generated by the current cable levy is no longer seen as sufficient in an age of cord cutting and “over-the-top” services that stream content over the internet.

The Heritage committee has spent more than a year studying the industry, which has been steadily losing advertising revenue and market shares to online giants such as Facebook, Netflix and Google. (Source: CBC News) 

 

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Thursday July 21, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday July 21, 2016 Dick Pound says ban Russia from Rio 2016 Olympics The founder of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the answer is clear Ñ Russia should be banned from the 2016 Rio Olympics for the good of the movement. Dick Pound, a longtime IOC member and a former competitive swimmer himself, says the IOC has an opportunity to send a clear message about zero tolerance for doping in the Olympics. "This is institutional cheating. It's just not acceptable in sport," said Pound on Wednesday. But the enormity of Russia Ñ both athletically and politically Ñ seems to be giving the International Olympic Committee pause, and it's delayed any decision on the allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russia until Sunday. "It's political Ñ instead of focusing as we should on the sport aspects of this," Pound said. Far from marring the Olympic brand, Pound said banning Russia from the upcoming games would improve the reputation of the IOC and the Olympic movement more generally. "It would demonstrate that, on matters of principle, and the protection of clean athletes and the integrity of competition, that the Olympic movement is prepared to suspend even one of its most successful countries, because it has been demonstrated to endorse and in fact organize cheating.Ó Russia has been accused of running a widespread state-sponsored doping program designed to give Russian athletes an edge in international competition by WADA, the agency Pound founded, which has recommended that Russia be banned from the upcoming games. Pound said he understands the IOC delaying the decision for fear of legal reprisal from Russian athletes, but says they've missed an opportunity by not embracing WADA's recommendations. "If I were the president of the IOC, I would be on my knees saying, 'Thank you for taking this albatross from around my neck. We are happy to do what you recommend,'" Pound said. Russia is not the only country

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday July 21, 2016

Dick Pound says ban Russia from Rio 2016 Olympics

The founder of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the answer is clear — Russia should be banned from the 2016 Rio Olympics for the good of the movement.

Dick Pound, a longtime IOC member and a former competitive swimmer himself, says the IOC has an opportunity to send a clear message about zero tolerance for doping in the Olympics.

“This is institutional cheating. It’s just not acceptable in sport,” said Pound on Wednesday.

But the enormity of Russia — both athletically and politically — seems to be giving the International Olympic Committee pause, and it’s delayed any decision on the allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russia until Sunday.

“It’s political — instead of focusing as we should on the sport aspects of this,” Pound said.

Far from marring the Olympic brand, Pound said banning Russia from the upcoming games would improve the reputation of the IOC and the Olympic movement more generally.

“It would demonstrate that, on matters of principle, and the protection of clean athletes and the integrity of competition, that the Olympic movement is prepared to suspend even one of its most successful countries, because it has been demonstrated to endorse and in fact organize cheating.”

Russia has been accused of running a widespread state-sponsored doping program designed to give Russian athletes an edge in international competition by WADA, the agency Pound founded, which has recommended that Russia be banned from the upcoming games.

Pound said he understands the IOC delaying the decision for fear of legal reprisal from Russian athletes, but says they’ve missed an opportunity by not embracing WADA’s recommendations.

“If I were the president of the IOC, I would be on my knees saying, ‘Thank you for taking this albatross from around my neck. We are happy to do what you recommend,'” Pound said.

Russia is not the only country with a doping problem, but this situation is unique in that it was run by the state and extended to almost all areas of high-level sport in the country, he noted. (Source: CBC News)

Friday September 18, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday September 18, 2015 Wynne under fire over bonuses to Pan Am executives Ontario is paying big bonuses to Pan American Games executives, doubling the salaries of some top brass. Fifty-three executives on the TO2015 organizing committee are expected to share in $5.7-million worth of bonuses. Some of the money will be shelled out as a reward to executives for not quitting ahead of the Games; some of it is a reward for keeping the Games within their budget. The $2.5-billion Games, however, received a $74-million bailout from the provincial Liberal government last year, raising tough questions about whether the province set the budget artificially high so executives could meet it. The Games, which were held this summer, also saw several cost overruns and delays, most notably for the construction of a soccer stadium in Hamilton. But the contracts were structured so that individual companies building the venues absorbed the extra costs, making it easier for TO2015 to stay within its budget. On Wednesday, the Progressive Conservatives called on the province to freeze all bonus payments to Pan Am executives and asked the Auditor-General to conduct a value-for-money evaluation of the Games. They questioned why the province was choosing to make the payouts at a time when it is facing an $8.5-billion deficit. ÒYou look at these huge amounts being spent on the Pan Am Games É this is in the face of 800,000 Ontarians who donÕt have a family doctor. They just cut 50 residency spots. You see record wait times in long-term care,Ó PC Leader Patrick Brown said. ÒIt begs the question: Where are the governmentÕs priorities?Ó Tory deputy leader Steve Clark said he also wanted to know how the Games could possibly be under budget when the province handed them an extra $74-million last September. At the time, the Liberals said they had to give the Games more money because TO2015 had failed to bring in as much spons

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday September 18, 2015

Wynne under fire over bonuses to Pan Am executives

Ontario is paying big bonuses to Pan American Games executives, doubling the salaries of some top brass.

Fifty-three executives on the TO2015 organizing committee are expected to share in $5.7-million worth of bonuses. Some of the money will be shelled out as a reward to executives for not quitting ahead of the Games; some of it is a reward for keeping the Games within their budget.

Pan Am Guide | by Graeme MacKayThe $2.5-billion Games, however, received a $74-million bailout from the provincial Liberal government last year, raising tough questions about whether the province set the budget artificially high so executives could meet it.

The Games, which were held this summer, also saw several cost overruns and delays, most notably for the construction of a soccer stadium in Hamilton. But the contracts were structured so that individual companies building the venues absorbed the extra costs, making it easier for TO2015 to stay within its budget.

Thursday July 23, 2015On Wednesday, the Progressive Conservatives called on the province to freeze all bonus payments to Pan Am executives and asked the Auditor-General to conduct a value-for-money evaluation of the Games. They questioned why the province was choosing to make the payouts at a time when it is facing an $8.5-billion deficit.

“You look at these huge amounts being spent on the Pan Am Games … this is in the face of 800,000 Ontarians who don’t have a family doctor. They just cut 50 residency spots. You see record wait times in long-term care,” PC Leader Patrick Brown said. “It begs the question: Where are the government’s priorities?”

Tory deputy leader Steve Clark said he also wanted to know how the Games could possibly be under budget when the province handed them an extra $74-million last September. At the time, the Liberals said they had to give the Games more money because TO2015 had failed to bring in as much sponsorship revenue as it was hoping, and also needed more cash to do live broadcasts of some events, expand the torch relay to more communities and build more satellite villages for athletes.

Friday, July 19, 2013Both Pan Am chairman David Peterson, the former Liberal premier, and CEO Saad Rafi refused The Globe and Mail’s interview requests Wednesday.

In a radio interview on 680 News, Mr. Peterson said the Games spent $57-million less than expected on construction, plus saved $10-million from a capital contingency fund. The Pan Am organization also spent “tens of millions” less than it budgeted for operations, he said, but final figures are not yet available.

The bonuses were written into the executives’ contracts when they were hired, he said.

Mr. Peterson said big bonuses are just a fact of life. “When the president of the bank gets a bonus, do you approve of that?” he said. “When you do a good job in your company, you get a bonus – do you approve of that? It’s the way the world works.” (Source: Globe & Mail)