Communication

Saturday April 11, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 11, 2020

Families celebrating Easter and Passover must get ‘creative’ amid pandemic

Coronavirus cartoons

Eating in front of a computer isn’t quite the same as feasting with family, but that is likely the reality for most celebrating Easter, Passover and other faith-based holidays as the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed people of the chance to gather.

Gatherings of more than five people are illegal.

Organizers of groups of more than five may be charged under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, which carries a fine starting at $750.

But the law won’t apply to households that have more than five residents.

It will force families to get creative.

April 19, 2003

“Many pastors have been able to provide streaming and online Masses and other adapted forms of prayer to support people’s personal prayers,” Monsignor Murray Kroetsch of Hamilton’s Roman Catholic Diocese said in a statement from the city.

Families can also have a virtual family dinner with others through programs like Skype or Zoom or host an online Easter egg hunt for children.

(Remember, Doug Ford did deem the Easter Bunny as an essential worker.)

“While the doors to our houses of worship may be closed, the gateways to both Heaven and our soul remain open. During these holidays, let our spirt soar with genuine connection,” Rabbi Daniel Green from the Adas Israel Congregation and Dean of the Hamilton Hebrew Academy, added. (CBC) 

 

Wednesday July 19, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday July 19, 2017

Justin Trudeau offers strongest defence yet of Omar Khadr settlement

Justin Trudeau offered his strongest defence yet of his government’s $10.5-million settlement with Omar Khadr on Saturday, saying he hopes it serves as an example to future governments.

July 6, 2017

“When governments violate Canadians’ fundamental rights, there have to be consequences and we hope that the message going forward to all future governments is: you can not ignore or be complicit in the violation of Canadians fundamental rights, regardless of what they did,” said Trudeau.

The prime minister spoke at the Indian Village on the Calgary Stampede grounds, initially reiterating what he’s been saying for the past few days: he understands why people are frustrated but he thinks the government would have lost the case to Khadr if they had fought in court, and it would have cost between $30-40 million in the process. Trudeau then went on to offer the more strident human rights defence.

October 2, 2012

Trudeau spent the day in Calgary, attending two pancake breakfasts in the morning before visiting the Indian Village in the afternoon and rounding off the day at the rodeo.

He’s faced widespread criticism over the past few days over the Khadr payment. Khadr fought against coalition forces in Afghanistan as a 15 year old, before being sent to Guantanamo Bay where he was repeatedly tortured. (Source: Calgary Herald) 

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

Friday May 22, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday May 22, 2015 NDP says they would bring back door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton The federal NDP will reinstate door-to-door delivery and get rid of super mailboxes on the Mountain if the party forms government after the upcoming election. Hamilton MPs David Christopherson and Wayne Marston made the announcement at city hall this morning, lauding council for being "at the forefront" of the effort to save traditional mail delivery through its court battle with Canada Post. "If we have to change the legislation, we'll do it," Christopherson said of the plan to reverse Canada Post's multi-year plan to replace door-to-door delivery with super mailboxes across Canada. He acknowledged there would be cost to removing thousands of recently installed super mailboxes - including several hundred alone on the Mountain. But he said those costs, as yet not calculated, have to be "weighed against the cost to the (postal) service." He argued Canadians are better served by door-to-door mail delivery and added at a minimum, residents "deserve to be consulted" about the future of the service. The city will face off against Canada Post in court sometime next week over the legality of a bylaw that seeks to regulate where super mailboxes are installed in the municipal right-of-way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5637988-ndp-says-they-would-bring-back-door-to-door-mail-delivery-in-hamilton/ Canada, Thomas Mulcair, NDP, mail, postal, delivery, snail, election, promise, service, communication

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 22, 2015

NDP says they would bring back door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton

The federal NDP will reinstate door-to-door delivery and get rid of super mailboxes on the Mountain if the party forms government after the upcoming election.

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday April 25, 2015 Canada Post strikes back in mailbox battle Canada Post has asked the courts to strike down Hamilton's mailbox installation bylaw the day after eight charges were laid under the new rules. Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton said the legal counter-move came after the agency received a city order to stop ongoing installation of the controversial community mailboxes based on the recently passed bylaw. He said he wasn't aware of any charges under the bylaw, but added a hearing to consider Canada Post's application is scheduled for April 28. City spokesperson Mike Kirkopoulos said Friday eight charges related to three unidentified mailbox locations were sworn late Thursday Ð six against Canada Post and two against a subcontractor, SNC Lavalin. He couldn't immediately comment on what the latest court filing means to the city. "We regret that court action is necessary É but we're at a point where we need to continue to move forward," said Hamilton, noting, the agency has been in contact with the city since last June over the planned installations. The legal battle started when the city enacted a new bylaw earlier this month that requires the Crown corporation to apply for a $200 permit for each of an estimated 4,000 community mailboxes meant to replace door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton. Council followed up on Wednesday by asking its lawyers to file a court application to "restrain" ongoing installation by Canada Post. The agency's counter-move appears to have been filed first, however. Canada Post has argued from the get-go its federal mandate trumps municipal bylaws and installation of the first of 1,000 mailboxes on the Mountain began last Friday. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5575336-canada-post-strikes-back-in-mailbox-battle/ Hamilton, Canada, Canada Post, mail, post, postal service, Superbox, court, legal, military, mission, bomb

Hamilton MPs David Christopherson and Wayne Marston made the announcement at city hall this morning, lauding council for being “at the forefront” of the effort to save traditional mail delivery through its court battle with Canada Post.

“If we have to change the legislation, we’ll do it,” Christopherson said of the plan to reverse Canada Post’s multi-year plan to replace door-to-door delivery with super mailboxes across Canada.

He acknowledged there would be cost to removing thousands of recently installed super mailboxes – including several hundred alone on the Mountain.

But he said those costs, as yet not calculated, have to be “weighed against the cost to the (postal) service.”

Thursday April 16, 2015He argued Canadians are better served by door-to-door mail delivery and added at a minimum, residents “deserve to be consulted” about the future of the service.

The city will face off against Canada Post in court sometime next week over the legality of a bylaw that seeks to regulate where super mailboxes are installed in the municipal right-of-way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Published in Opinion 250 (Prince George BC), L’Acadie Nouvelles, Gull Lake Advance, Brandon Sun, Nanaimo Daily News, Regina LEader Post, Calgary Herald, and The Corner Brook Newspaper

 

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Thursday, December 12, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, December 12, 2013

Canada Post to phase out urban home mail delivery

Canada Post is phasing out door-to-door delivery of regular mail to urban residents and increasing the cost of stamps in a major move to try to reduce significant, regular losses.

The Crown corporation announced its plans Wednesday, saying urban home delivery will be phased out over the next five years.

Starting March 31, the cost of a stamp will increase to 85 cents each if bought in a pack, up from 63 cents. Individual stamps will cost a dollar.
Canada Post said that over the next five years, it will eliminate 6,000 to 8,000 positions, but it expects 15,000 workers will leave the company or retire within that period.

“With the increasing use of digital communication and the historic decline of letter mail volumes, Canada Post has begun to post significant financial losses,” the corporation said in a news release.
“If left unchecked, continued losses would soon jeopardize its financial self-sufficiency and become a significant burden on taxpayers and customers.”

The first communities that will switch to community mailboxes will be announced in the second half of 2014, according to the release.

Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said in September the idea of cutting door-to-door delivery in urban areas was worth considering in the face of $104 million in losses in the second quarter.

Ottawa Citizen - December 18Her office issued a news release Wednesday saying she looks forward to seeing progress because of this plan.

“The Government of Canada supports Canada Post in its efforts to fulfil its mandate of operating on a self-sustaining financial basis in order to protect taxpayers, while modernizing its business and aligning postal services with the choices of Canadians,” she said in the release.
Raitt’s office added that mail volumes have dropped almost 25 per cent per household in the last five years.

NDP MP Peter Julian accused the Conservative government of being disrespectful by making the announcement the day after Parliament took its annual Christmas break. (Source: CBC News)