lake

Saturday September 23, 2023

Illustration by Graeme MacKay, The Toronto Star – Saturday September 23, 2023

Ford’s Greenbelt U-Turn: A Summer of Political Turmoil

September 4, 2007

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s summer season has come to a disastrous end, as he faces the aftermath of his ill-fated plans to develop parts of the province’s protected Greenbelt. Months of intense public backlash have forced him into a major reversal, resulting in the resignation of two cabinet ministers, and casting a dark shadow of uncertainty over his political future.

Analysis: ‘We’re in danger’: The inside story of Doug Ford and his unhappy MPPs’ summer of misery  

Mr. Ford, in a somber press conference held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, confessed to his mistake, acknowledging that opening up the environmentally protected Greenbelt around the Greater Toronto Area was an error in judgment. He admitted that the process for selecting the land had created allegations of wrongdoing and a loss of public trust.

“I made a promise to you that I wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt. I broke that promise. And for that, I’m very, very sorry,” said Mr. Ford, as he faced the media alongside his Progressive Conservative caucus. “It was a mistake to open the Greenbelt. It was a mistake to establish a process that moved too fast.”

Mr. Ford, who had initially believed that developing the Greenbelt could alleviate the housing crisis, has now abandoned that approach. He stated, “We moved too quickly, and we made the wrong decision.”

Video: Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces reversal of Greenbelt plan  

November 9, 2019

The Premier’s reversal came after consultations with the public, his cabinet, and his caucus, as he recognized that voters would ultimately judge him based on his promises in the upcoming 2026 election.

The summer has been fraught with controversy for the PC government, with independent watchdog reports revealing favouritism towards certain developers in the Greenbelt land swap. Fifteen sites were removed from the protected region, with one later being returned after being put up for sale.

When questioned about potential lawsuits from developers due to the reversal, Mr. Ford remained uncertain but expressed his willingness to work with builders on housing and promised transparency regarding any associated costs.

November 1, 2019

The scandal surrounding the Greenbelt decision has not only claimed two cabinet ministers but also two top aides, including the housing policy director, Jae Truesdell. The resignation of Minister Kaleed Rasheed was prompted by incorrect information provided to the Integrity Commissioner about a 2020 trip to Las Vegas, where a prominent developer was also present.

The Premier’s backtracking follows reports from Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner and Auditor-General that revealed a biased process that favoured certain developers and could have led to an $8.3-billion windfall for them.

News:  Labour Minister Monte McNaughton leaving government  

May 29, 2019

The Greenbelt, covering 800,000 hectares, was established in 2005 by a previous Liberal government. Mr. Ford’s government had repeatedly promised not to touch the protected land, but it later backtracked, with the Premier even referring to the Greenbelt as a “scam.”

Opposition leader Marit Stiles welcomed the reversal as a victory for activists and citizens who protested the move, calling on Mr. Ford to pass a bill to restore the Greenbelt’s former boundaries.

Environmental advocates credited the reversal to a groundswell of local activism, emphasizing the impact of citizens taking their concerns to elected officials.

Opposition critics have also raised concerns about potential insider knowledge among developers regarding the Greenbelt plans. The matter has been referred to the RCMP for evaluation.

In the midst of these controversies, the Integrity Commissioner also declined to launch a full investigation into a stag-and-doe party held for Mr. Ford’s daughter, citing insufficient grounds, but raising questions about ticket sales to developers. Mr. Ford defended his old friend’s actions, asserting that he sold the tickets independently. (AI)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro. If you’re creative, give illustration a try:

 

Thursday November 6, 1997

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 6, 1997

Cleaner Lakes merit priority

There is a risk that Canada and the United States are treading water, and at risk of losing ground, in cleaning up the Great Lakes . The world’s largest freshwater ecosystem is cleaner and healthier 25 years after the signing of a landmark pollution control agreement in 1972. But much of the progress that’s been achieved could be squandered. Governments are cutting environmental budgets, weakening pollution laws and enforcement, and there’s reason to worry that politicians will become indifferent to a problem that defies easy solution. 

Marvellous Maps

The apathy that often relegates the Great Lakes to the bottom of the political totem pole is hard to understand. Some 37 million people live on either side of the Great Lakes . They draw heavily on Great Lakes water for their drinking water, recreation, fishing, manufacturing and many other uses. The stakes are extremely high. The economy and quality of life in the Great Lakes Basin hinges on the condition of this irreplaceable resource. 

There can be no complacency about past achievements — a fact that was driven home to government officials who gathered in Niagara Falls last weekend for the 25th anniversary of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Three environmental groups issued a joint report which criticized governments on both sides of the border for allowing massive amounts of toxic substances to be released into the ecosystem every day. 

The watchdogs found that while a few successes have been achieved in reducing the threat posed by DDT, PCBs and some other toxic chemicals, governments are moving too slowly in accomplishing the goal of zero discharge in the agreement. Progress has been especially slow in phasing out chemicals that result in the generation and release of dioxins and furans, which pose some of the most serious threats to life. The risks to human health remain ominous. An American scientist reported on one study showing that children of women who ate Lake Ontario fish before they were born stand a chance of having lower IQs and other learning and behavioural problems later in life. Lakewide management strategies and remedial action plans for pollution hotspots are generally proceeding at what the environmentalists describe as a glacial pace. Only one of 43 areas of concern, Collingwood Harbour, has been delisted in the past 10 years. 

To be sure, there are encouraging signs. The Double-crested Cormorant, a large fish-eating bird, has made an incredible recovery after being devastated by toxic chemicals. There are now more cormorants on the Great Lakes than at any time in recorded history. But the threats to the Lakes are daunting. Dangerous levels of pollution which harm humans, fish and wildlife should never be accepted as the price of progress and prosperity. 

Governments must show leadership by making a renewed commitment to the ingredients of past success: cleanup plans supported with the necessary funding, an insistence on strong laws with strict enforcement, and timetables to phase out the use and production of toxic chemicals that put everyone at risk. The disturbing fact is that many politicians are, of late, going in the opposite direction. They are making short-sighted decisions which will come back to haunt this generation, and the next. Political and business leaders must accept their responsibility and mobilize an effort in which we all do our fair share to protect the Great Lakes. (Source: Hamilton Spectator editorial)