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Wednesday February 10, 2016

February 9, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 10, 2016

Poll: Trump, Sanders lead ahead of New Hampshire’s vote

Donald Trump continues to lead the Republican race in New Hampshire on the eve of the vote, the final CNN/WMUR tracking poll finds.

On the Democratic side of the race, it remains Bernie Sanders’ primary to lose, with the Vermont senator holding a 26-point lead over Hillary Clinton.

The field of candidates vying for a second place finish behind him is finally beginning to separate, according to the survey.

Trump holds 31%, down two points from the February 3-6 release, but within the poll’s margin of sampling error.

READ: The full CNN/WMUR tracking poll results

Behind him, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio earned 17% support — within the margin of sampling error of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 14%, but significantly ahead of the fourth and fifth place candidates in the poll, Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 10% and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 7%.

Behind Bush, Carly Fiorina stands at 5%, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 4% and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 3%.

Donald Trump http://www.redbubble.com/people/mackaycartoons/works/21379830-donald-trump Pen & Ink illustration/caricature by Graeme MacKay (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). For sale at Redbubble.com via the mackaycartoons boutique

Available on Redouble.com

Aside from Trump, none of the Republican candidates moved more than 1 point in either direction compared with the previous CNN/WMUR tracking poll.

About three-quarters of the interviews conducted for this poll were completed before the Republican candidates debated Saturday night, their final such match-up before Tuesday’s election.

Although the post-debate sample size is too small to produce a separate estimate of the vote, interviews conducted Sunday and Monday found no drop in support for Rubio, and actually showed a slimmer margin between Trump and Rubio.

There has been little movement in the last two days in the other metrics tested in the survey, with about two-thirds still saying they expect to see Trump win on Tuesday (64%), and about a third saying they would never vote for Trump (32%). (Source: CNN)

Thursday June 18, 2015

June 17, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 18, 2015

Five ACTION officers charged in fake ticket probe

Five Hamilton police officers are facing criminal charges for allegedly writing 32 falsified tickets as members of the high-profile ACTION unit.

It’s alleged the tickets named 18 people who had no idea they were victims.

The five are among seven members of the former ACTION Team One who were arrested Tuesday. They had been relegated to administrative duties amid a nearly nine-month long internal investigation.

All seven have now been suspended with pay and could still face Police Services Act disciplinary charges, which are being investigated by a separate group of officers.

At a news conference announcing the charges Tuesday night, police Chief Glenn De Caire said the service took the investigation very seriously and he’s confident detectives have looked at all of the evidence.

“We have followed the evidence and we have followed the law,” he said.

The investigation began after a Hamilton police officer found provincial offence notice books in a box destined for the shredder on Sept. 30, 2014. The booklets had the fill-out paper that is supposed to go to the offender still attached.

It’s alleged the officers made up the tickets, submitting them in court and for police statistics. It’s also believed many of the victims were known vulnerable people the ACTION officers came across downtown.

De Caire said police have met with some of the victims and all 32 tickets will be withdrawn. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Letter to the editor, June 22, 2015 – Cartoon was vilifying, premature

I found the editorial cartoon in the June 18 Spectator that portrayed police officers in a mirror under the word “thugs” to be demeaning, vilifying and certainly premature in its treatment of police.

While our local police service has suffered the slings and arrows recently afforded it by having several members charged with criminal offences it is important to recognize that the vast majority of our serving officers are in fact providing service to the public in a manner that is adequate, just and compassionate.

The officers charged with transgressions will have their day in court. If guilt is assessed against each, then the cartoon might have modest merit.

For the present, it does nothing to restore what a few officers have tarnished and in point of fact helps to erode public trust even further.

It suggests in a very graphic way that all police are thugs. I am sure, the artist and The Spectator did not really wish to convey such a message.

Policing is difficult enough without outside assistance which goes a great distance toward making daily work more difficult by exacerbating an already poor situation.

To blindly follow recent U.S. knee jerk response to perceived and alleged wrongdoing by police is dangerous and hurtful.

We can not condone what is alleged to have happened.

However, one truth is real. Thugs are thugs and these officers are innocent until proven guilty. The checks and balances built into our system of justice will win out at the end of the day.

Our serving officers still deserve public and media support and assistance for the good work they do on a daily basis.

Dan Welsh, Mount Hope

Tuesday September 30, 2014

September 29, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 30, 2014

Voters stingy with support in mayoral race

It looks like Hamilton voters are still waiting to be wowed.

A survey of Hamilton voters shows 34 per cent of respondents have yet to park their vote with any mayoral candidate — and another 11 per cent have discounted the perceived frontrunners.

The random phone survey of 839 residents Sept. 25 showed the highest-polling candidate with only 26 per cent support.

“No one wins a mayoral race with 26 per cent of the vote,” said Lorne Bozinoff, president for polling firm Forum Research. “I’m surprised no one is doing better at this stage … It suggests no one has really caught the imagination of voters yet.”

By comparison, outgoing Mayor Bob Bratina won a three-way race in 2010 with about 37 per cent of the vote. Former mayor Fred Eisenberger, leading in the latest poll, won a squeaker in 2006 with 43 per cent of the vote — only a percentage point ahead of Larry Di Ianni.

The latest poll data suggests the race is still open. It also shows interesting trends associated with each of the leading candidates.

Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark, who polled 17 per cent support overall, had the highest candidate support in his current ward. The former Tory cabinet minister also received the most support, 29 per cent, among provincial PC voters.

About 65 per cent of his poll supporters said rapid transit is not needed in the city and 29 per cent were aged 65 or older. One in four had previously voted for the outgoing mayor, Bob Bratina.

Ward 1 Coun. Brian McHattie found his best support, 14 per cent, among residents aged 18 to 34. The LRT booster also boasted the highest percentage of supporters who believe rapid transit is necessary, 62 per cent, and polled best in the downtown and Dundas. He is currently in third place with 12 per cent support overall.

Eisenberger polled especially well among young voters, males and renters. Interestingly, the former federal Conservative candidate also scored the most support among provincial NDP voters, at 39 per cent. Bozinoff suggested he had translated past experience and a “centrist” campaign into the early election race lead at 26 per cent.

While respondents were stingy with support, Eisenberger still managed 64 per cent “approval” in the poll. Clark earned 53 per cent approval. McHattie’s rating was split 50-50. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)