influence

Wednesday November 10, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 10, 2021

Boris Johnson appeals to delegates to ‘get on and do it’ as COP26 climate talks stall

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called on leaders and delegates to just “get on and do it” as the COP26 climate talks appear to have stalled.

November 28, 2015

A draft of a summit agreement was published on Wednesday by the COP26 presidency. It includes language that says the world should be aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and acknowledges the role of fossil fuels in the climate crisis, a first for the annual Conference of the Parties on climate.

If the draft is agreed in current form, it could pave the way for deeper emissions cuts by the end of next year.

But details of opposition by Saudi Arabia, among other fossil fuel producing nations, have emerged and appear to be a major hurdle in progressing.

December 16, 2019

“Now is the time for everyone to come together and show the determination needed to power on past the blockages,” Johnson said in a press conference Wednesday, acknowledging that there were still gaps between what different nations want in the final text.

The document is not final and COP26 delegates from nearly 200 countries will now negotiate the details over the next few days. Consensus from all nations is required.

Typically draft COP agreements are watered down in the final text, but there is also a chance that some elements could be strengthened, depending on how wrangling between countries pans out.

Here’s what’s in the draft: (Continued: CNN) 

 

Monday June 29, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday June 27, 2015 The U.S. Supreme Court has made same-sex marriage legal throughout America, ruling Friday that the constitution gives gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples. The historic decision invalidates the same-sex marriage bans of 13 states, from Texas on the Mexican border to Michigan and North Dakota on the Canadian border. The vote was 5-4, reflecting the deep divide on the issue in American society. The courtÕs four liberals were joined by the conservative Anthony Kennedy, who wrote his third landmark opinion expanding gay rights. In powerful, unequivocal language, Kennedy declared same-sex relationships no less worthy of the sacred institution of marriage than relationships between men and women. (Source: Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/06/26/us-supreme-court-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-nationwide.html Meanwhile, a growing number of third parties are exploiting a loophole in the law that puts no serious restrictions on how much is raised or spent before the campaign officially begins. Canada's electoral laws are intended to limit the influence of big money in campaigns by enforcing strict contribution limits, making the names of all donors public and banning donations from corporations and unions. The newest entrants are Engage Canada and HarperPAC, and they are not really third parties so much as offshoots of the three main political parties. Engage Canada was started by two former senior Liberal staffers in Ontario, Don Guy and Dave Gene, and Kathleen Monk, an equally prominent federal NDP strategist. Take my word for it, because you won't find any disclosure of who is behind the group from its website. On the other side is HarperPAC. The name tells you all you need to know. The group is a "political action committee" in the U.S. mould and dedicated to re-electing the Harper government. It's the brainchild of Stephen Taylor, the form

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday June 29, 2015

The U.S. Supreme Court has made same-sex marriage legal throughout America, ruling Friday that the constitution gives gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples.

The historic decision invalidates the same-sex marriage bans of 13 states, from Texas on the Mexican border to Michigan and North Dakota on the Canadian border.

The vote was 5-4, reflecting the deep divide on the issue in American society. The court’s four liberals were joined by the conservative Anthony Kennedy, who wrote his third landmark opinion expanding gay rights.

In powerful, unequivocal language, Kennedy declared same-sex relationships no less worthy of the sacred institution of marriage than relationships between men and women. (Source: Toronto Star)

Meanwhile, a growing number of third parties are exploiting a loophole in the law that puts no serious restrictions on how much is raised or spent before the campaign officially begins. Canada’s electoral laws are intended to limit the influence of big money in campaigns by enforcing strict contribution limits, making the names of all donors public and banning donations from corporations and unions.

The newest entrants are Engage Canada and HarperPAC, and they are not really third parties so much as offshoots of the three main political parties.

Engage Canada was started by two former senior Liberal staffers in Ontario, Don Guy and Dave Gene, and Kathleen Monk, an equally prominent federal NDP strategist. Take my word for it, because you won’t find any disclosure of who is behind the group from its website.

On the other side is HarperPAC. The name tells you all you need to know.

The group is a “political action committee” in the U.S. mould and dedicated to re-electing the Harper government.

It’s the brainchild of Stephen Taylor, the former Manning Centre and National Citizen Coalition activist, and a dozen former Conservative staffers whose photos and bios are prominently displayed on the group’s website.

PACs aren’t entirely new to Canada. In Ontario, a coalition of unions under the banner Working Families is credited, or blamed, for undermining the campaign of former provincial Conservative leader Tim Hudak in the 2014 election. (Source: CBC News)