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eHealth

Wednesday March 31, 2021

April 6, 2021 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 31, 2021

We need a blueprint for the next pandemic

It’s a damning indictment. On Thursday, Canada’s auditor general released a report that finds Canada’s public health and border control authorities did a poor job at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 4, 2021

Systems didn’t work as planned. Updates and monitoring were not carried out in spite of ample warnings being given, particularly to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). There were recommended changes that were ignored, literally for decades. The country’s vaunted pandemic early-warning system didn’t work properly. There were shortcomings in how the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and PHAC responded, so border restrictions were not applied consistently, which hindered attempts to stop the virus from spreading.

Auditor general Karen Hogan pulled no punches as she assessed weaknesses in the government’s early responses to COVID in the first six months of the pandemic. 

January 7, 2021I 

None of this should come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. Canada’s federal public health bureaucracy was slow and inept to begin with, and didn’t find its feet until the pandemic was already well underway. To be fair, that was the case in many other countries around the world. Almost without exception, the ones that were better prepared fared better in terms.

Does the fact that Canada was in good company make a difference? Arguably, yes. Scientists have been warning the world about the next pandemic since the last pandemic. And collectively, the world paid lip service to the warnings, for the most part. 

August 15, 2008

For those who like to see heads roll and blame assigned, who should we be pointing at? Presumably, public health and border service leadership at the time. The buck always stops at the government, so the Trudeau Liberals get some of the blame, too. 

January 31, 2014

There is an election coming soon, and those who want to send a message can vote for a different party if that helps. But keep in mind that the most likely alternative, the Conservatives, were in power for much of the time the warnings were being sounded, and they did little or nothing, like the Liberal government before them.

March 30, 2021

The auditor general’s mission is not a witch hunt. Her criticism and observation are of critical importance, not so we can assign blame, but so we can make sure we do this a lot better the next time a pandemic comes knocking, as we know it will.

And there is another aspect of accountability and blame to consider. Governments don’t tend to do things in the face of overwhelming public opposition. Had there been tremendous pushback when the Mulroney government privatized Canada’s largest domestic vaccine manufacturing lab, or when cuts to research and development by the Harper government led to other pharmaceutical companies packing up and moving to friendlier climates, those things would not have happened. Those things were not big priorities to the average Canadian at the time, otherwise they would not have happened.

Now, with hindsight, we know how much better off Canada would have been had those things not happened. And now, if we want different outcomes, we can demand different things. We must have a domestic vaccine industry. We must have unfettered access to all sorts of PPE. We must have proactive policy and bureaucratic measures in place so all the things that went wrong this time don’t go wrong the next time.

It will not be cheap or easy. It will not work with a small government that wants the market to drive everything. Preparing for future pandemics demands government, industry and business buy-in and collaboration. We can have that if we want it, or we can take our chances. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial)

Octopus sketching is such a joy!

 

Posted in: Canada, Ontario Tagged: 2021-12, Canada, covid-19, eHealth, federalism, guidelines, healthcare, mixed messages, octopus, Ontarion, pandemic, public health, public trust, trust, vaccines

Friday, June 6, 2014

June 6, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Saturday, June 7, 2014What Are Your Top Reasons For Voting?

ADD YOUR LIST IN THE COMMENT BOX BELOW

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, June 7, 2014

Saturday June 7, 2014Can’t stand any of them? Are you in a non-swing riding where you know marking an x won’t really mean anything? You can DECLINE YOUR VOTE.

The 41st Ontario general election will be held on June 12, 2014. It was ordered to take place by Lieutenant Governor David Onley on May 2, 2014. The decision came upon the recommendation of Premier Kathleen Wynne after Ontario New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath announced that the NDP, whose support was critical to the survival of the Ontario Liberal Party’s minority government in the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario, would vote against the Liberals’ proposed budget. (Source)

10 best reasons to vote this election

 1. Pick your billion-dollar transportation plan

 The Liberals will pay for rapid transit in Hamilton, but won’t utter the letters L-R-T. The New Democrats will fund light rail, but won’t say how. And the Tories, well, they’ll scrap it all in favour of a contentious mid-peninsula highway past the airport.

 2. Class size conundrum

 The Progressive Conservatives plan to increase class sizes for children of all ages, while at the same time cutting teachers and school staff. The consequence is more concentrated classrooms, which could be challenging for your kids. But the party will bring back the old math curriculum so your kids aren’t so dependant on calculators.

 3. Affordable housing

 More than 5,000 people are waiting for affordable housing in Hamilton, and the Liberals are the only ones with a platform to fix it. But the party’s commitments still fall desperately short of the need for more funding, housing stock and capital repairs.

 4. Crumbling roads and bridges

 The city has a $2-billion backlog on needed repairs to bridges, roads and other infrastructure and all it takes is a quick drive down Burlington Street to prove it. The Grits and the New Democrats have both pledged $29 billion to transportation over the next decade, but it’s not clear how much of that could end up on our city streets.

 5. Pension promises

 The centrepiece of the Liberal election platform is the creation of a provincial pension plan that would double the retirement income of recipients — a potential boon for the more than 3 million Ontario workers who haven’t saved enough. Is it the perfect solution or, as Ontario Tory Leader Tim Hudak put it, a “job-killing payroll tax”?

 6. Scandals

 From cancelled gas plants to a massive research bailout, Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals have been plagued by scandals on the campaign trail — and her political foes warn it’s not the end of it. This is your chance to hold the Grits accountable.

 7. 100,000 pink slips

Hudak says he’ll cut 100,000 public sector jobs and then create a million more jobs. His math has been widely criticized. Do you believe in a job-creation tax credit or a jobs and prosperity fund? On Thursday, you can choose your preferred plan — but you might want to brush up on your arithmetic before you cast your vote.

8. Think of those in need

 The Liberals and New Democrats promise to tackle poverty through initiatives such as student nutrition programs, child health and dental benefits, and higher wages for the lowest earners. The PCs also support boosting the minimum wage. These steps would benefit Hamiltonians — one in five of whom live below the poverty line — but they still fall short of a “living wage.”

9. School closures

 The Grits have offered incentives to close half-empty schools, while the New Democrats promise cash to keep them open. The Green party? It’ll create a single school system in Ontario, saving more than $1 billion a year — and, potentially, your neighbourhood school.

10. Democracy

 It’s been 70 years since D-Day when more than 350 Canadian soldiers died fighting for our freedom and democratic rights. Honour their ultimate sacrifice by getting to the polls. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

CBC Ontario Votes

CTV Election 2014

Spec Votes 2014

SOCIAL MEDIA

This cartoon appeared on National Newswatch, and Yahoo Canada News.

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: Andrea Horwath, auto insurance, Corporate tax rates, Dalton McGuinty, debt, Downloading, education, eHealth, electricity, Gas Plant Scandal, Gax Tax, health, hydro, Illustration, Kathleen Wynne, leadership, Mike Harris, Minimum wage, OLG, Ontario, Ontario Election 2014, Ornge, pension, Public Service, research, Social services, Tim Hudak, Transit, Tuition, University, wages

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

October 2, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

Wednesday, October 2, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Premier Kathleen Wynne angrily questions executive expenses

The Ontario government is demanding Pan Am Games organizers “tighten the rules” on expenses after it was revealed high-paid executives were charging the public for dubious claims.

Premier Kathleen Wynne told the legislature Monday the Liberal government was taking the matter seriously, and stressed that Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Michael Chan is on the case.

“We’ve already taken action. The minister has already given instructions of the board to tighten the rules,” the premier said after the Toronto Sun disclosed that Pan Am CEO Ian Troop, who made $477,000 last year, and other high-paid honchos were claiming expenses such as $1.89 for a Starbucks tea and 91 cents for parking.

Other charges were for travel, fancy dinners, laundry, hotel room service and moving expenses, according to the Sun.

“There are expenses within that report that are unacceptable,” fumed Wynne.

“Three weeks ago, the minister responsible for the Pan Am Games asked the board to review their policy (and) strengthen it where appropriate,” she said.

“The rules should be tighter. There should not be that kind of entitlement, so we’ve already taken action. We need to make sure that the dollars are spent wisely, that there’s good judgment in place, and that the rules are appropriate.”

Speaking to reporters later Monday, Wynne could barely contain her fury at the Pan Am executives.

“It’s ridiculous. It’s the kind of entitlement that is unacceptable,” Wynne said. “I’ve been asked about reimbursement and that’s one of the questions I will take up with the minister,” she said. (Source: Toronto Star)

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: Editorial Cartoon, eHealth, entitlements, expenses, expenses scandal, Ian Troop, Ontario, Ornge, Pan Am Games, peter shurman, Senator

Tuesday August 14, 2012

August 14, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday August 14, 2012

eHealth CEO Greg Reed takes $81,250 bonus

The man brought in to lead eHealth Ontario following a scandal that rocked the Liberal government will get a bonus of about 25 per cent on top of his $329,000 salary this year, while staff at the agency have turned to the courts to get back the bonuses they were promised but denied.

EHealth president and CEO Greg Reed will be paid a bonus of $81,250 this year, agency spokesman Robert Mitchell confirmed Sunday.

The government wants all public sector workers, including doctors, nurses and teachers, to take a two-year wage freeze to help eliminate a $15 billion deficit, and told managers and executives at its agencies to lead by example.

The bonus was “part of a standard employment contract” negotiated between Reed and the eHealth board of directors, Mitchell said.

“Comparatively, his salary is significantly lower than peers at other agencies,” he said.

Reed was not available to comment Sunday, nor was the chair of the eHealth board, Raymond Hession.

The opposition parties called on Health Minister Deb Matthews to cancel Reed’s bonus as she did the bonuses for more than 600 eHealth staff.

“This latest eHealth fiasco is a slap in the face to Ontarians who are being asked to tighten their belts,” NDP health critic France Gelinas said in a release. (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: bonus, civil, eHealth, Greg Reed, incomes, public, salaries, service

Thursday July 19, 2012

July 19, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday July 19, 2012

Ontario voters warned of huge privacy breach

The personal information of up to 2.4 million Ontarians has been compromised by the disappearance of two memory sticks from an Elections Ontario office in Scarborough.

The information, which includes names, addresses, genders and dates of birth, was not supposed to be stored on unencrypted and non-password protected memory sticks by Elections Ontario staff, the province’s chief electoral officer, Greg Essensa, said Tuesday. The portable storages devices also should have been locked up when not in use. Yet, none of these security protocols were followed, he said as he apologized to the people of Ontario.

“I take this matter extremely seriously and I sincerely apologize to all Ontarians for the worry that this may cause them.”

The security breach, now under investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police, began, in one sense, with the results of the provincial election last fall. The instability of a minority government, according to an initial report on the breach by law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson, meant that Elections Ontario had to be ready to conduct another election on short notice.

The agency’s headquarters in Scarborough, however, did not have enough room to store both the materials for a future election and the materials that had been returned from the election just conducted. That’s why the agency was forced to lease additional space, also in Scarborough — and it was at that temporary location where the security breach took place, on or near April 26 of this year, the report said (Source: Ottawa Citizen)

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: breach, Dalton McGuinty, eHealth, Gas Plant, lists, Ontario, Ornge, Privacy, voter

Click on dates to expand

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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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