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efficiency

Tuesday June 10, 2024

June 11, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

The Ontario government's decision to cut funding for wastewater surveillance echoes the past mistakes of the Walkerton tragedy, risking public health in the name of efficiency.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 10, 2024

Government Oversight Should Not Take a Backseat to Efficiency

April 2, 2022

In a recent move that has sparked considerable debate, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government announced the cancellation of funding for the province’s comprehensive wastewater surveillance program. This decision, ostensibly made to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and avoid duplication with a modestly expanded federal program, raises significant concerns about public health preparedness. The irony of this situation becomes even more pronounced when we recall the Walkerton tragedy of 2000, a dark chapter in Ontario’s history that vividly illustrated the catastrophic consequences of prioritizing efficiency over essential government oversight.

In May 2000, the town of Walkerton experienced a devastating public health crisis when its water supply became contaminated with E. coli and Campylobacter bacteria. The contamination led to the deaths of seven people and caused severe illness in more than 2,000 residents. The root cause of this tragedy was found to be inadequate chlorination and monitoring of the water supply, compounded by heavy rainfall that washed manure from nearby farms into the water system.

News: Ontario pulls plug on COVID-19 wastewater surveillance

July 4, 2001

Crucially, this disaster occurred in the context of significant budget cuts and deregulation efforts spearheaded by the then Premier Mike Harris, father of the newly appointed Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Mike Harris Jr. These cuts included reductions in the Ministry of the Environment’s staff and the closure of government laboratories responsible for water testing. The Walkerton tragedy starkly highlighted the dangers of reducing government oversight in the name of efficiency.

Fast forward to 2024, and it appears that history may be poised to repeat itself. The Ford government’s decision to end funding for the provincial wastewater surveillance program is a troubling echo of past mistakes. Wastewater surveillance has proven to be an invaluable tool in the fight against COVID-19, providing early detection of outbreaks and enabling timely public health responses. It offers a non-invasive, cost-effective method to monitor community health and detect a wide range of pathogens, potentially preventing large-scale health crises.

July 21, 2023

Yet, the decision to dismantle this program is justified by a desire to streamline operations and reduce perceived redundancies. The federal government’s expanded wastewater surveillance network, which will have significantly fewer sites and less integration with provincial health infrastructure, is no match for the comprehensive system Ontario had in place. This move undermines the progress made in public health surveillance and leaves Ontario less prepared for future pandemics or public health emergencies.

The push for efficiency and reduced bureaucracy is understandable, particularly in a business context where excessive red tape can stifle innovation and growth. However, public health is not an area where corners can be cut without severe consequences. Effective regulation and oversight are critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of the population. The Walkerton tragedy is a poignant reminder of what can happen when these safeguards are neglected.

Governments must strike a balance between efficiency and the need to maintain robust public health protections. Cutting essential programs like wastewater surveillance in the name of efficiency is a false economy. The short-term financial savings are far outweighed by the potential long-term costs of undetected outbreaks and public health crises.

Editorial: Doug Ford is again ignoring the lessons of the past

October 15, 2021

The Ford government must reconsider its decision to end funding for the provincial wastewater surveillance program. Public health initiatives require sustained investment and commitment. Effective oversight and monitoring are not bureaucratic luxuries; they are essential components of a functioning society that prioritizes the health and safety of its citizens.

Moreover, this is not just about preserving a specific program but about recognizing the broader importance of government oversight in critical areas. Policymakers must learn from past mistakes, such as the Walkerton tragedy, and ensure that the pursuit of efficiency does not come at the expense of public health and safety.

March 10, 2022

As Ontario moves forward, it is crucial that we do not lose sight of the lessons of the past. The tragedy of Walkerton stands as a stark warning of the dangers of reducing government oversight in the name of efficiency. By dismantling the provincial wastewater surveillance program, the Ford government risks repeating these mistakes, compromising the health and safety of Ontarians. We must demand that public health oversight remains a priority, ensuring that efficiency does not take precedence over the well-being of the population. Only then can we truly be prepared for the challenges of the future. (AI)

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2024-11, bureaucracy, cabinet, Doug Ford, efficiency, federalism, Mike Harris, Ontario, red tape, shuffle, testing, walkerton, waste water

Saturday June 8, 2024

June 8, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Premier Doug Ford's cabinet shuffle, boasting the largest ensemble in Ontario's history, is marred by accusations of hypocrisy, cronyism, and nepotism, epitomized by the appointment of Mike Harris' son as Minister of Red Tape Reduction, raising concerns about the government's commitment to governance and accountability.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 8, 2024

*Animated version of this cartoon is here!

A Symphony of Hypocrisy, Cronyism, and Nepotism

January 17, 2019

In the grand opera of Ontario politics, Premier Doug Ford has orchestrated a performance that could rival even the most absurd of comedies. With 36 cabinet ministers, his government now boasts the largest ensemble in Ontario’s history, leaving little room for doubt: welcome aboard the gravy train, folks.

But amidst the standing room only spectacle, one appointment stands out as the crescendo of tone-deafness, cronyism, and nepotism: the anointment of Mike Harris’ son as Minister to Reduce Red Tape. It’s a move that not only ignores the lessons of the Walkerton tragedy but mocks them with a smirk.

News: Ontario Premier Doug Ford shuffles cabinet

July 4, 2001

Let’s pause for a moment of reflection. Remember Walkerton? The catastrophic consequences of diminished government oversight? Well, now we have Harris Jr. tasked with the oxymoronic mission of Red Tape Reduction. One can’t help but wonder if he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps and stop water inspections altogether. After all, that worked out so well, didn’t it?

And if that weren’t enough, we have Doug’s own nephew, Michael Ford, joining the Cabinet, proving that nepotism knows no bounds in the Ford dynasty. But fear not, for he shall oversee Citizenship and Multiculturalism, a portfolio ripe for business meetings reminiscent of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s escapades in Grade 9.

June 27, 2019

But wait, there’s more! Doug’s solution to the overcrowded stage? Creating a slew of associate minister positions, ensuring that more of his MPPs can bask in the glory of inflated titles and padded paycheques. Because who needs efficiency when you can have bureaucracy masquerading as progress?

And what about that promise of small government? The rallying cry of conservatives everywhere? Well, Doug’s administration seems to have missed the memo, as they gleefully expand their executive council while crying foul at the mere mention of big government.

News: Insiders say Doug Ford’s cabinet shuffle reveals anger at surprise kaffiyeh ban, confidence he’ll be exonerated in RCMP Greenbelt probe  

March 22, 2019

But fret not, dear Ontarians, for Doug Ford is here to navigate the ship of state. Or rather, rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. As the legislature takes an extended summer break, one can’t help but wonder: when will the real work begin? Or is cottage season simply too sacred to interrupt?

In the end, Doug Ford’s cabinet shuffle reads like a tragicomedy of errors, with hypocrisy, cronyism, and nepotism taking centre stage. But worry not, for the show must go on. And who knows? Perhaps one day we’ll look back on this spectacle with fondness, as the day the circus came to town. (AI)

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2024-11, bureaucracy, cabinet, Doug Ford, efficiency, Mike Harris, Ontario, red tape, shuffle, walkerton

Wednesday March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 1, 2023

Sliding toward a new reality in health care

January 17, 2023

According to an Ipsos opinion poll released in February, more Canadians than ever are open to the idea of private-sector delivery of publicly-funded health-care service. Not only did the poll find 59 per cent of respondents support private delivery, 60 per cent supported the idea of private care for those who can afford it.

But wait — just a couple of months earlier half of the respondents to an Angus Reid Institute poll said more private care options would a negative impact on the system, with only 32 per cent believing private options would improve things.

Vagaries of methodology and ideology aside, what’s going on here. Could both things be true? Neither?

It’s a relevant discussion as Ontario and other provinces look to the private sector to deliver more services, reducing wait times and allowing more people to get needed care. But how much private-sector involvement is too much? When does the Canada Health Act, the blueprint for universal health care, become more of a suggestion than the rule?

It certainly doesn’t help when governments, in particular the Ontario government, are more interested in promoting their preferred ideological and political outcome than in providing straight answers.

August 19, 2022

Consider Premier Doug Ford’s promise that Ontarians will always be able to access care with their “health card not a credit card.” Lovely sentiment, but is it true?

There is a lot of private-sector delivery of health services already in the market, so no one can credibly claim private delivery doesn’t work. But increasingly there are some grey areas that should make us worry.

For example, consider the pediatric practice in Toronto that offers same-day virtual access to registered practical nurse services, but only to people willing to pay a monthly subscription and per visit fee. Yes, sick young patients will be seen regardless, but if you want to be sure of same-day virtual care and in-person consultation within a day or so, you need to pay.

Without casting aspersions, does that really sound like equitable access to care, as described in the Canada Health Act? Or does it sound more like real two-tier care, one tier for those who can afford it, the other for those who cannot?

January 18, 2023

There are other anecdotal examples, including some where people say they’ve been told they can get access to services and procedures, but it might take a year or more, unless they want to pay in which case they can get access in short order.

Some tiered service has existed for years now, such as in cataract surgery, where patients are offered different options for lenses, one covered by OHIP, others not and available if you can afford them or have insurance coverage.

The point here is not to denigrate services, patients or providers dealing with this changing landscape. It is that the system is evolving, in real time, without much reflection, debate or study. We’re sliding toward a different health-care universe, and it’s happening largely by stealth. That’s not the he way it should be, nor is it a prescription for success or public buy-in. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2023-04, Doug Ford, efficiency, health care, Ontario, Printed in the Toronto Star, privatization, reform, toll route, traffic, universal access

Thursday January 17, 2019

January 25, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday January 17, 2019

Ontario reviewing regional governments, raising prospect of future amalgamations

Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives have announced a plan Tuesday to comprehensively review the province’s regional governments.

Hamilton Amalgamation Octopus, 1999

The review includes all eight regional municipalities — Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Niagara, Peel, Muskoka District, Oxford County, and the County of Simcoe — and their lower-tier municipalities, according to a government news release.

A total of 82 municipalities will be examined, and the province hasn’t ruled out the possibility that some could be amalgamated in the future.

The PCs say the review will focus on three areas: governance, decision-making and service delivery.

“Our government is committed to improving the way regional government works and we will be looking at ways to make better use of taxpayers’ dollars and make it easier for residents and businesses to access important municipal services,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark in a news release.

Common Sense Revolution, 1995

Under former PC premier Mike Harris, Ontario amalgamated a series of local governments ranging from Kawartha Lakes to Toronto in a similar bid to improve efficiency, though the effectiveness of that strategy has been questioned in the years since.

“There’s always opportunity for two municipalities to come together to talk about that aspect, but we’re not talking about that in this regional government review,” he said during an interview at Queen’s Park.

In Ontario, upper-tier municipalities or regions typically oversee services such as policing and garbage pickup, while lower-tier muncipalities handle local bylaws. The current system was introduced in the 1970s.

Mayors from around the GTHA were meeting with Toronto Mayor John Tory on Tuesday afternoon as details about the review first emerged.

Toronto Megacity, 1996

During a news conference following the meeting, several mayors said they would support the review as long as their communities are made part of the process.

“Consult with us before unilaterally making changes, consult with our community before making changes and allow us to educate you a little bit on what we think needs to be done,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie acknowledged that the decades-old system has room for improvement. She noted that the three municipalities that form Peel Region — Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon —are each at different growth stages, with different priorities.

“I think this is a great opportunity to re-evaluate our relationship; this is a relationship that is 44 years old now. It perhaps doesn’t make sense as the way it used to,” she told reporters.

Megacity, 1997

Results of the review are expected in early summer, the PCs said. However, political observers are already questioning if such a sweeping and quick review will be effective, especially given the short timeline.

“There’s a lot of things to cover. Trying to get them all within a single review strikes me as a fairly large task,” said Robert Williams, a professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo who studies municipal governance.

Williams drew comparisons to the amalgamations carried out by the Harris government, and the current government’s decision to slash the size of Toronto city council nearly in half last year. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2019-02, Amalgamation, chef, cooking, Doug Ford, Downloading, efficiency, local, Mike Harris, municipal, Ontario

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This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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