France

Friday December 7, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 7, 2018

‘Expect a little dustup’: Trudeau, premiers brace for fractious first ministers meeting

Senior officials from multiple provinces are predicting a tense and difficult first ministers meeting when premiers gather to discuss the economy and trade with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal on Friday.

August 5, 2010

“You can expect a little dustup. There’s no doubt about that,” said one provincial source who spoke to CBC News on condition they not be named.

The tensions became obvious during a conference call between the premiers on Tuesday afternoon. According to sources with knowledge of the call, several premiers voiced frustration with the draft federal agenda, which sets aside a significant amount of time to talk about issues important to the federal government and leaves only an hour for the provinces to raise their own priority issues.

“The agenda as presented had the prime minister fitting in a train of his cabinet ministers to lecture the premiers on the topics of his choosing,” said a second source from another provincial government, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.

September 1, 2018

The main point of contention in the first ministers’ agenda is the plan to give three federal cabinet ministers — Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc — two hours and 45 minutes in the middle of the day to lead discussions on trade and competitiveness, climate change and interprovincial trade barriers. The premiers’ roundtable which follows is set to run only 60 minutes.

The PMO late Wednesday reached out to CBC News to say that the ministers will only be speaking for a few minutes at the beginning of their part of the meeting before premiers are invited to voice their concerns.

July 20, 2018

The provinces have been agitating to set aside time at the meeting to talk about the downturn in the oil sector and Bill C-69, which overhauls the process for major project approval in Canada. Critics say C-69 will make it harder to advance large scale energy projects for development.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sent a letter to Trudeau this week demanding that the “crisis facing the energy industry” be added to the agenda. Other premiers argue it’s impossible to have a first ministers meeting about the economy without carving out time to discuss the impact of C-69 .

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sent a letter to Trudeau this week demanding that the “crisis facing the energy industry” be added to the agenda. Other premiers argue it’s impossible to have a first ministers meeting about the economy without carving out time to discuss the impact of C-69 . (Source: CBC) 

 

Tuesday April 17, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday April 17, 2018

Macron, Trudeau deepen ‘bromance’ in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed their common vision and the strength of their personal friendship as they met in Paris on Monday.

 May 9, 2017

The two young leaders, both progressives in their 40s, exchanged a hug on the steps of the Elysee Palace and spoke warmly of their ties afterwards at a press conference that ended with them leaving the room with their arms across each other’s backs.

Macron and Trudeau see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism which has gathered strength in Europe and the United States, as well as in Russia, Turkey and China.

“We have an extremely close convergence of views,” Macron said during the press conference, which came after a working lunch and talks with Trudeau.

Trudeau, speaking mostly in French, ended his remarks lauding the “friendship” between the two leaders — a contrast with the often difficult relationship he has with his North American neighbour, US President Donald Trump.

“Canada, France and Europe are extremely aligned,” he said.

Talks included trade, the war in Syria and an upcoming summit of G7 countries which will be hosted by Canada in June.

Trudeau and Macron’s first meeting as leaders came in May last year when they were photographed together at a meeting of G7 countries in the dreamy setting of Taormina, a hillside town in Sicily.

It led to widespread commentary about the “bromance” between the two married liberals – as well as jokes online that they looked like they had gone to Sicily for their wedding photographs. (Source: New Straits Times) 

 

 

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Saturday October 21, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 21, 2017

Bill Morneau bristles at questions about personal finances

Finance Minister Bill Morneau dodged questions about his use of numbered companies to hold investments Friday, suggesting he does not have to defend his personal financial choices to journalists.

September 22, 2017

After a week of questions about his own fortune, Morneau showed signs of exasperation during an event in Waterloo, Ont., where he was pitching the government’s “step back” on proposed changes  to the small business tax regime.

Morneau batted away a question about why he held some of his investments in an Alberta company rather than one domiciled in Ontario, where he lives.

“So, is the question why are they numbered companies and they don’t have names?” he said with a shrug.

“Seriously, what I’ve done is expose all my assets to the ethics commissioner. The process we have in our country isn’t that I report to journalists on my personal situation. It’s that I report to the ethics commissioner and I make sure she fully understands my situation so we can get to the recommendations.”

Owning investments in a personal holding company can provide various tax and non-tax benefits. Income in an operating company can face a lower tax rate by using small business deductions, for example.

Morneau said he has now agreed to do more than what the commissioner, Mary Dawson, recommended he do when he took office.

Morneau did not place his considerable holdings in a family company — the publicly traded human resources firm Morneau Shepell — in a blind trust because Dawson had only recommended the creation of an “ethical screen” to ensure he wasn’t making policy decisions to his own financial benefit. The screen was to be administered by Morneau’s chief of staff. (Source: CBC News) 

Letter to the Editor

One-sided cartoon unfair to Morneau

RE: Oct. editorial cartoon

This amusing cartoon, portraying our finance minister doing hoops for his salvation from not putting his family business in trust, is surely very one sided.

He originally sought the advice of our ethics commissioner, who told him that it was not a necessity for him to do so. Now that he is trying to rectify his “mistake” he is subjected to much scorn by the opposition parties.

A cheering Justin Trudeau reminds me that it is hard to recall one MacKay cartoon with something positive about our PM.

A bigger concern is the lack of media support for left-wing Canada. It is easy to list six families/corporations who own the majority of our major print and broadcast media and are all supporters of the Conservatives. Even the CBC, with its president and eight Harper-appointed directors, too often follows suit.

The Star and Spectator used to provide regular support but these days, I find that to be hit and miss. All issues should be subject to scrutiny but it would be refreshing to have more balance.

Richard Ring, Grimsby

 

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Tuesday May 9, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 9, 2017

Twitter explodes with hilarious debate over whether Emmanuel Macron or Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau is the ‘sexiest G7 leader’

April 16, 2015

As Emmanuel Macron was elected as the youngest President of France, many were more concerned with debating if he is ‘hotter’ than Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

Twitter was filled with Macron-Trudeau fantasists, many saying their dreams would come true when the liberal-left pair meet in person.

One fan wrote: ‘Liberals really do have the hottest politicians’, while another joked: ‘ Justin Trudeau has called Emmanuel Macron to concede in the race for Sexiest G7 Leader.’

May 11, 2016

The other G7 leaders are Shinzō Abe of Japan, Italy’s Paolo Gentiloni, Donald Trump, Theresa May and Angela Merkel.

Another fan joked: ‘Already two Macron vs Trudeau hotness smackdown threads on my timeline. When will the sexual objectification of male politicians end?’

The pro-EU politician Emmanuel Macron, 39, was tonight elected as France’s youngest ever president with a projected landslide of 65.5 per cent.

Macron, 39, beat far-right National Front (FN) candidate Marine

October 23, 2015

Le Pen, 48, in an election that will have widespread repercussions for the future of Europe.

An official preliminary result released at 8pm local time showed Macron received 65.5 per cent of the vote and had earned a clear 31-point victory over Le Pen.

Just 15 minutes after the exit polls were announced, Le Pen conceded and revealed she phoned Macron to ‘congratulate’ him on his election victory.

She had hoped that the surprise election of Donald Trump in America, and the Brexit result in the UK, would favour her hardline opposition to the EU, globalisation and immigration.

But instead it was Macron who was preparing for a victory celebration in front of crowds of supporters outside the Louvre in central Paris. (Source: Daily Mail)

 

Saturday August 27, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Saturday August 27, 2016 The burkini is an option, not oppression, say those opposed to ban Recent attempts in France to ban the burkini have prompted protests and court challenges. Some of those who've defended the body-concealing swimsuit say that while they wouldn't wear one themselves and don't necessarily agree with the religious associations it carries, they will defend women's right to wear what they want. On Friday, the top court in France overturned one town's banÊon the burkini, a ruling that is likely to set a precedent across the country. The decision comes after several Muslim women were ordered to remove the body-covering swimwear on French beaches. Some burkini wearers were also issued fines. Sonu Kilam is the co-founder and designer at East Essence, an online store that sells modern and traditional Islamic clothes. East Essence started to sell burkinis about six years ago, she said, after receiving requests from customers Ñ specifically, Mormon customers Ñ who were looking for modest active wear. "[We] came across the burkini and thought, 'Perfect, it will work for all our customers,'" Kilam told CBC News from Newark, Calif. The company's various burkini options represent about 15 per cent of its sales, she said, and it's not only Muslim women ordering them. Kilam recently got an email from a Canadian woman who wrote, "It's hard for women like me who are 40 or older and don't feel comfortable showing skin to find swimwear in Canada.Ó Other burkini customers include women with skin conditions, Kilam said, and the company recently made a custom burkini for a plus-size woman who wanted something to wear for water aerobics. There have been reports that burkini sales have increased since the controversy started, but Kilam said she hasn't noticed any significant changes. (Source: CBC News)Êhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/world/burkini-ban-follow-1.3736922 France, Burkini, Liberty, Equality, be

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday August 27, 2016

The burkini is an option, not oppression, say those opposed to ban

Recent attempts in France to ban the burkini have prompted protests and court challenges.

Some of those who’ve defended the body-concealing swimsuit say that while they wouldn’t wear one themselves and don’t necessarily agree with the religious associations it carries, they will defend women’s right to wear what they want.

On Friday, the top court in France overturned one town’s ban on the burkini, a ruling that is likely to set a precedent across the country.

The decision comes after several Muslim women were ordered to remove the body-covering swimwear on French beaches. Some burkini wearers were also issued fines.

Sonu Kilam is the co-founder and designer at East Essence, an online store that sells modern and traditional Islamic clothes. East Essence started to sell burkinis about six years ago, she said, after receiving requests from customers — specifically, Mormon customers — who were looking for modest active wear.

“[We] came across the burkini and thought, ‘Perfect, it will work for all our customers,'” Kilam told CBC News from Newark, Calif.

The company’s various burkini options represent about 15 per cent of its sales, she said, and it’s not only Muslim women ordering them.

Kilam recently got an email from a Canadian woman who wrote, “It’s hard for women like me who are 40 or older and don’t feel comfortable showing skin to find swimwear in Canada.”

Other burkini customers include women with skin conditions, Kilam said, and the company recently made a custom burkini for a plus-size woman who wanted something to wear for water aerobics.

There have been reports that burkini sales have increased since the controversy started, but Kilam said she hasn’t noticed any significant changes. (Source: CBC News)