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Friday February 2, 2023

February 2, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Premier Doug Ford's exclusive deal with American giant Staples for Service Ontario accommodations, devoid of competitive bidding and sprinkled with linguistic quirks, unfolds as a quirky comedy, leaving Ontarians questioning the spelling choices and transparency of their government. *Misspellings intended.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 2, 2023

Doug Ford’s Questionable Choices: Staples Deal Raises Concerns

Premier Doug Ford’s recent decision to ink exclusive deals with the American office giant, Staples, for Service Ontario accommodations has unfolded as a quirky comedy, leaving many Ontarians scratching their heads and, well, reaching for the nearest thesaurus.

August 19, 2022

In a move that could be mistaken for a spelling bee gone awry, the Premier seems to have chosen “sole” tenders over the more inclusive, competitive variety. Perhaps he’s a fan of the solitary life, but Ontarians are left wondering if there’s a secret Staples-only handshake that grants entry into the hallowed halls of Service Ontario.

Now, one might think that after the Greenbelt fiasco, Ford would be avoiding further misadventures. But no, here we are, witnessing the migration of Service Ontario outlets into the welcoming embrace of Staples, an American corporation with its own unique flair for spelling and a fondness for Z’s in words where our Canadian ‘S’ once stood proudly.

News: 9 privately run ServiceOntario outlets moving to Staples stores, province says

January 17, 2023

Opposition critics, led by the ever-vigilant New Democrat MPP Tom Rakocevic, have raised concerns about the conspicuous absence of a competitive bidding process. It seems the Ford administration has a habit of dodging transparency like it’s a pothole-ridden road during spring thaw.

The linguistic tango between Canadian and American spellings adds an extra layer of comedy to the situation. While Minister Todd McCarthy is trying to convince us that the move is part of a three-year pilot project that will save about $1 million, the public is left wondering if the savings are hiding out in the extra ‘u’ in “colour” and the switch from ‘re’ to ‘er’ in “centre.”

And let’s not forget our Liberal friends, who, in their quest for accountability, have asked Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office to analyze the costs of retrofitting Staples centres — to be paid for by the province. If there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that no spelling bee is complete without a few unexpected expenses and a touch of whimsy.

But, in all seriousness, the real question remains: Can Staples deliver Service Ontario accommodations with the same efficiency as a Canadian double-double? Or will our beloved maple syrup be replaced by gallons of American-style corn syrup in this bureaucratic caffeine-fuelled saga?

Opinion: The ServiceOntario plan seems fine. The problem is the Ford government’s credibility

November 23, 2021

As the Ford administration continues its modus operandi of first making policy announcements and only later revealing the business case, we’re left to wonder if this is a governance strategy or just a script from a classic Canadian sitcom — “Service Ontario and Staples: The Unlikely Duo.”

In the end, if Premier Ford wants to convince Ontarians that this isn’t just another episode in a sitcom, maybe it’s time to slow down, adopt competitive bidding as a matter of course, and invite the public into the decision-making process. (AI)

Posted in: Canada, Ontario Tagged: 2024-03, Canada, Doug Ford, health card, licences, Ontario, Service Ontario, spelling, Staples, USA

Friday August 19, 2022

August 19, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 19, 2022

Ontario to fund more private clinic surgeries, send patients to temporary LTCs to ease health-care pressures

August 3, 2022

Ontario is hoping to ease health-care pressures by increasing publicly covered surgeries at private clinics, waiving the exam and registration fees for internationally trained nurses, and sending patients waiting for a long-term care bed to a home not of their choosing.

On Thursday, Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced a plan that aims to hire more health professionals, free up hospital beds and reduce surgical wait lists. The plan comes as nursing staff shortages have seen emergency departments across the province close throughout the summer for hours or days at a time.

On long-term care, the government plans to introduce legislation today that will allow patients awaiting a bed to be transferred to a “temporary” home while they await space in their preferred home. It’s also taking 300 beds that had been used for COVID-19 isolation and making them available for people on wait lists, and says there is a potential to do that with 1,000 more beds within six months.

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2022-27, Doug Ford, health, health card, Insurance, Ohip+, Ontario, open for business, privatization

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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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