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Thursday September 21, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 21, 2017

What happens when the big tent is a mirage

At this rate, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown will be fighting the looming election on crutches, the result of his own party repeatedly shooting him in both feet.

August 23, 2017

Already facing numerous controversies and even a police investigation around candidate nominations, the PCs wounded themselves yet again, this time with the local riding association in Cambridge accusing party headquarters of rigging the nomination process in favour of its preferred candidates. The party apparently shortened the nomination deadline, arbitrarily and without consultation, so that local candidates planning to run were left with insufficient time to sell enough memberships to be competitive. The preferred candidates, critics charge, are already signed up and selling so locals won’t have a legitimate shot.

Party brass deny the allegations, but the damage is done, especially considering that this scandal is just one of many all around the same thing: PC party management overriding local members in making nomination decisions. Three local riding associations and numerous executives have resigned in protest. A former minister under Mike Harris has said electing Brown would be the worst possible choice. Allegations include ballot-stuffing, falsified membership forms, party-funded memberships and other irregularities.

Criticizing Brown and his team for this is like shooting fish in a barrel. Suffice it to say they’ve had months to make an impression. They’ve made one, all right, but it features corruption allegations, disdain for the grassroots and undemocratic behaviour. Hardly the sort of momentum they had hoped to create heading into the election next June.

September 12, 2017

In fairness, the PCs may be the poster children for this sort of nonsense, but the NDP and Liberals have had their own troubles, though not to the same degree. And the worst part? It’s completely unnecessary.

Parties have the right to choose their candidate in any riding, and party HQ is the final authority. They just need to be honest and transparent. It’s a tough sell, admittedly, but surely just saying out of the gate that a candidate has been chosen is preferable to making promises of grassroots inclusivity, accepting party membership fees and then kicking sand in the face of local riding associations.

The optics of having party central choose candidates are not good, granted. It’s tough to sell a big-tent, inclusive party vision while suits in boardrooms quietly make critical candidate decisions. But in the case of the Ontario PCs, that’s what is happening, and they’re compounding the problem by claiming to be one thing but demonstrating through their actions they are the polar opposite. Hand-pick candidates if that’s what you want to do. But at least have the integrity to be honest about it. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

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Thursday August 13, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday August 13, 2015 Harper heads north on campaign tour as Duffy trial resumes Stephen Harper is heading to Northern Canada in the days after his former chief of staff Nigel Wright begins testifying at the Mike Duffy trial, a campaign itinerary that will take the Conservative Leader far from the story as it begins unfolding in an Ottawa courtroom. Mr. HarperÕs chartered election plane is expected to fly to the Northwest Territories Thursday and Nunavut on Friday before heading south again. The Conservative Leader has made a habit of touring the North for about one week each summer as part of an effort to cement a legacy in the region Ð from defending sovereignty to promoting development Ð and he cancelled this yearÕs trip in favour of an early election call. His campaign stumping in the territories by comparison will be brief. Campaign spokesman Kory Teneycke declined to discuss Mr. HarperÕs itinerary this week, saying the Tories will Òprobably spend a couple of daysÓ in Northern Canada along the way. He dismissed the notion the Harper campaign is setting its travel itinerary by the Duffy case. ÒThe trialÕs going to be going on for three weeks during the middle of the campaign. WeÕre going to go to every corner of the country while the trial is on. And everywhere we go, weÕre going to have a bus or plane full of media and [weÕll be] taking questions from them,Ó Mr. Teneycke said. (Source: Globe & Mail) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-heads-north-on-campaign-tour-as-duffy-trial-resumes/article25920402/ Canada, Stephen Harper, Mike Duffy, Arctic, election, 2015, campaign, jet, Ottawa, court, Nigel Wright

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 13, 2015

Harper heads north on campaign tour as Duffy trial resumes

Stephen Harper is heading to Northern Canada in the days after his former chief of staff Nigel Wright begins testifying at the Mike Duffy trial, a campaign itinerary that will take the Conservative Leader far from the story as it begins unfolding in an Ottawa courtroom.

Mr. Harper’s chartered election plane is expected to fly to the Northwest Territories Thursday and Nunavut on Friday before heading south again.

The Conservative Leader has made a habit of touring the North for about one week each summer as part of an effort to cement a legacy in the region – from defending sovereignty to promoting development – and he cancelled this year’s trip in favour of an early election call. His campaign stumping in the territories by comparison will be brief.

Campaign spokesman Kory Teneycke declined to discuss Mr. Harper’s itinerary this week, saying the Tories will “probably spend a couple of days” in Northern Canada along the way.

He dismissed the notion the Harper campaign is setting its travel itinerary by the Duffy case.

“The trial’s going to be going on for three weeks during the middle of the campaign. We’re going to go to every corner of the country while the trial is on. And everywhere we go, we’re going to have a bus or plane full of media and [we’ll be] taking questions from them,” Mr. Teneycke said. (Source: Globe & Mail)

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Tuesday August 11, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday August 11, 2015 Stephen Harper defends travel ban to terror zones Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is defending his proposal to ban travel to parts of the world controlled by terrorists, saying itÕs not a Òhuman rightÓ that such travel is allowed. ÒThis is limited to only those areas that are clearly under the control of terrorist organizations. WeÕre talking about a few, small number of areas in the world,Ó Harper said Monday morning during a campaign stop in Markham. ÒObviously parts of Iraq and Syria would be the kinds of areas that weÕre talking about,Ó he said. On Sunday, Harper said a newly-elected Conservative government would introduce a legal crackdown on so-called terror tourism and go after Canadians who travel to such areas. Harper said that the government advises against such travel and anyone who does go to these hotspots is Òtaking their life into their hands.Ó ÒFrankly, these are not areas where families go. These are areas where we know why people are really going. They are going to terrorist training,Ó Harper said Monday. ÒThere is no human right to travel and visit ISIS. That is not a human right in this country,Ó he said. At an early-morning event in Montreal, Trudeau dismissed the travel ban idea as little more than a distraction from the Conservatives' dismal economic record. (Source: Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/08/10/stephen-harper-defends-travel-ban-to-terror-zones.html Canada, terror, C-51, anti-Terrorism, Mike Duffy, Nigel Wright, election 2015, court, Senate Expenses, Queen Elizabeth, judge

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday August 11, 2015

Stephen Harper defends travel ban to terror zones

After several weeks on break, the Mike Duffy trial resumes this week.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is defending his proposal to ban travel to parts of the world controlled by terrorists, saying it’s not a “human right” that such travel is allowed.

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“This is limited to only those areas that are clearly under the control of terrorist organizations. We’re talking about a few, small number of areas in the world,” Harper said Monday morning during a campaign stop in Markham.

“Obviously parts of Iraq and Syria would be the kinds of areas that we’re talking about,” he said.

On Sunday, Harper said a newly-elected Conservative government would introduce a legal crackdown on so-called terror tourism and go after Canadians who travel to such areas.

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Harper said that the government advises against such travel and anyone who does go to these hotspots is “taking their life into their hands.”

“Frankly, these are not areas where families go. These are areas where we know why people are really going. They are going to terrorist training,” Harper said Monday.

“There is no human right to travel and visit ISIS. That is not a human right in this country,” he said.

At an early-morning event in Montreal, Trudeau dismissed the travel ban idea as little more than a distraction from the Conservatives’ dismal economic record. (Source: Toronto Star)

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Friday May 8, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday May 8, 2015 Omar Khadr walks free on bail after 13 years in custody With those words, Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Myra Bielby turned down the federal governmentÕs last-ditch effort Thursday to keep the 28-year-old detained. Omar Khadr broke into a big, wide smile when the decision was read. His supporters in the courtroom erupted in cheers. At 2:03 p.m. Toronto time, his lawyer Nathan Whitling posted a picture on Twitter of Khadr walking out of the courtroom with the caption: Ò#omarkhadr walks free.Ó The burly young man wore sneakers, jeans and a black T-shirt with his other lawyer, Dennis Edney, flanking him. ÒWhatever anybody might think of Mr. Khadr he has now served his time.Ó Bielby had heard arguments in the case Tuesday but said she could not rule immediately and granted the government a 48-hour stay in the bail order. Her decision to turn down the governmentÕs emergency motion cannot be appealed, but Ottawa will appeal the bail order itself, which was granted in March by Justice June Ross. No date has been set yet for that appeal and Khadr is free on bail until the case works its way through the appeal court. "We are disappointed by the decision of the court, because we feel that victims should be considered in the decisions," Public Safety Minster Steven Blaney said at a press conference. Blaney said legal procedures against Khadr are "still underway" but he would not comment on whether the case will go to the Supreme Court. In an earlier statement, Blaney also said: ÒOmar Khadr pleaded guilty to heinous crimes, including the murder of American Army medic Sergeant Christopher Speer. By his own admission, as reported in the media, his ideology has not changed. (Source: Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/05/07/khadr-learns-his-fate-this-morning.html Canada, justice, Omar Khadr, court, detainee, terrorism, security, destiny, prison, release, jail

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 8, 2015

Omar Khadr walks free on bail after 13 years in custody

With those words, Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Myra Bielby turned down the federal government’s last-ditch effort Thursday to keep the 28-year-old detained.

Omar Khadr broke into a big, wide smile when the decision was read. His supporters in the courtroom erupted in cheers.

At 2:03 p.m. Toronto time, his lawyer Nathan Whitling posted a picture on Twitter of Khadr walking out of the courtroom with the caption: “#omarkhadr walks free.” The burly young man wore sneakers, jeans and a black T-shirt with his other lawyer, Dennis Edney, flanking him.

“Whatever anybody might think of Mr. Khadr he has now served his time.”

Bielby had heard arguments in the case Tuesday but said she could not rule immediately and granted the government a 48-hour stay in the bail order.

Her decision to turn down the government’s emergency motion cannot be appealed, but Ottawa will appeal the bail order itself, which was granted in March by Justice June Ross.

No date has been set yet for that appeal and Khadr is free on bail until the case works its way through the appeal court.

“We are disappointed by the decision of the court, because we feel that victims should be considered in the decisions,” Public Safety Minster Steven Blaney said at a press conference. Blaney said legal procedures against Khadr are “still underway” but he would not comment on whether the case will go to the Supreme Court.

In an earlier statement, Blaney also said: “Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to heinous crimes, including the murder of American Army medic Sergeant Christopher Speer. By his own admission, as reported in the media, his ideology has not changed. (Source: Toronto Star)

Tuesday April 28, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday April 28, 2015

Duffy trial could go longer than expected, Judge Vaillancourt warns

The trial of suspended senator Mike Duffy may drag past its scheduled end date in June and on into the summer, the fall federal election campaign or even beyond into 2016.

“At the rate we’re going” the trial will need more than the 41 days set aside in April, May and June, Judge Charles Vaillancourt suggested Wednesday, urging lawyers to think about scheduling more time to finish.

“I don’t see us completing our task in the assigned number of days,” he said in court.

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By day’s end, as Vaillancourt left the Ottawa courthouse he was asked by reporters if he is confident the trial will wrap up before the expected fall election Oct. 19. He began to reply: “I haven’t — ” when another reporter interjected: “Or this year even?”

“No comment,” he said. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take because I don’t control the number of witnesses or how long it takes with each witness. So we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Vaillancourt said his schedule can always be rearranged, and he is prepared to come back to Ottawa from Toronto to deal with the case but it’s not clear whether other court resources, including the courtroom, and other key players are available. (Source: Toronto Star)

Reposted to National Newswatch and Yahoo Canada News.