Flamborough – mackaycartoons

Thursday, February 14, 2013

February 14, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, February 14, 2013

Revised casino motion leaves door open

Sam Merulla says he has struck a last-minute deal with his fellow city councillors that identifies Flamborough as the only site for a casino, but still gives Hamilton wiggle room to pursue other locations.
Merulla initially planned to introduce a motion, naming Flamboro Downs as the only possible location for a gaming facility, at Thursday afternoon’s special casino meeting.

However, his updated motion leaves the door open for other locations if Flamboro proves to be problematic.

A draft of the compromise motion, obtained by The Spectator Wednesday afternoon, states if potential operators “demonstrate that Flamboro Downs is not a viable site, then (and) only then will the city of Hamilton be willing to explore other sites of interest.”

The compromise motion has the support of the majority of councillors.

“I think in the context of division looking for unanimity on such a divisive issue, this is the best we can do that will satisfy both sides,” said Councillor Terry Whitehead, adding Merulla’s motion wouldn’t have passed without the amendment. “Everyone’s agreed.”

But Councillor Brian McHattie says he’s not sure if he can support it.

“I much preferred just the straightforward motion that he had just to identify Flamboro, period,” McHattie said. “It’s not where I wanted to be and where a lot of folks wanted to be — with no consideration of the downtown now or even in the future.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

May 9, 2008

May 9, 2008 by Graeme MacKay

I’m such a nerd. It seems I’m the only one in the editorial department who can compare the rowdy Flambrarians enraged over a recent hike in property taxes to a famous cartoon drawn in the lead up to the American Revolution:

Nobody seemed to know about the cartoon I was talking about, even though I’ve seen it replicated all over the place, in t-shirts, wood carvings and tacky tapestries – the kind you see being hawked at U.S. state fairs. A really great HBO miniseries on the life of John Adams just wrapped up opened each segment with panning closeups of this cartoon accompanied by stirring drumbeat. The above cartoon is based on one which appeared in Ben Franklin’s newspaper The Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754, according to Early America.com. It appeared as part of an editorial by Franklin commenting on ‘the present disunited state of the British Colonies.’

The woodcut drawing entitled ‘Join or Die’ pictures a divided snake in eight pieces representing as many colonial governments. The drawing was based on the popular superstition that a snake that had been cut in two would come to life if the pieces were joined before sunset. The drawing immediately caught the public’s fancy and was reproduced in other newspapers.

In my strange view of the world it made for a natural application to the situation in Flamborough. It follows a gathering of a thousand or so angry citizens who packed a hockey arena to vent about the City’s decision to take the revenues of a Flamborough casino. It didn’t run. It appears as though the Join or Die part might only make matters worse. If people around this aren’t going to know what I’m talking about then it’s hardly going to prevent the Flam-bumpkis from wondering out loud.

Thursday March 17, 2004

March 17, 2004 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 17, 2004

Hamilton’s Provincial Duds

Perhaps Hamilton’s five representatives to Queen’s Park — Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop and Ted McMeekin — should be known as MIAs rather than MPPs.Harsh? Perhaps. But on the issue of the crushing costs to municipalities of downloaded social service, we have yet to hear any of our government members offer any significant support, let alone aid. While Hamilton pleads to an indifferent premier, our MPPs have been mostly silent.

Yes, the downloading was by a different Queen’s Park regime, and perhaps some or all of the “Hamilton Five” are working behind the scenes as Dalton McGuinty tries to balance promises with fiscal realities. But in the absence of any of them publicly championing Hamilton’s cause, Mayor Larry Di Ianni is left sticking his neck out as he proposes an economic ultimatum to the province. Without $19.5 million for social services, Hamilton will not balance its budget, he says.

Confrontation with the premier and his ministers has its risks, since municipalities essentially exist at the will and whim of the provincial government. But playing nice hasn’t worked for two past mayors, and the stars-are-aligned promise of having a unified caucus of Hamilton MPPs has so far not delivered in any consequential way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Wednesday October 29, 2003

October 29, 2003 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 29, 2003

Ted McMeekin Gallery

Poetically speakin’

From a letter to the editor of The Hamilton Spectator:

RE: ‘McMeekin Cools to Deamalgamation’

(Oct 25) By Halley Ann Schaub, Flamborough

From which side of your mouth are you speakin’,
Flambasterdas Member McMeekin?
You garnered our votes
But now you’ve turned coats,
Your ears need an old-fashioned tweakin’!
(Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Monday September 6, 2003

September 6, 2003 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday September 6, 2003

The deamalgamation quandary

We’ve been hearing a tiresome one-note tune since well before the new city of Hamilton was created. The singers of that song have pumped up the volume for the provincial election campaign.It’s too bad the deamalgamation blues are getting louder because all that does is cast a pall of uncertainty over a city that, barely three years after its birth, is striving for stability and growth.

And it doesn’t help that Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty is joining the deamalgamation choir, albeit with a very quiet voice indeed.

McGuinty has left the door open, ever so slightly, to pulling apart the amalgamated municipalities in Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and, maybe, London. He acknowledges that in the case of Toronto at least, it’s a dumb idea. But he says he’s willing to listen if a consensus develops on a different way of governing. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)