niagara – mackaycartoons

Thursday February 8, 2018

February 7, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 8, 2018

Alberta to stop importing B.C. wine

The fight over Alberta oil coming to British Columbia has now escalated into a wine war.

March 4, 2015

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced Tuesday that the province is banning wine from B.C. wineries effective immediately.

“This is one good step to waking B.C. up to the fact that they can’t attack our industry without a response from us,” Notley said at a legislature news conference. “The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control Board will put an immediate halt to the import of B.C. wine into Alberta.”

She said in 2017, there were 17.2 million bottles imported — the equivalent of about 1.4 million cases — with an estimated value of $70 million per year for B.C. Wineries.

March 4, 2016

“The wine industry is very important to B.C. Not nearly as important as the energy industry is to Alberta and Canada, but important nonetheless,” said Notley.

“I’m also encouraging all Albertans: next time you’re thinking about ordering a glass of wine, think of our energy workers. Think of your neighbours. Think of our community. Think about our province, and maybe choose some terrific Alberta craft beer instead.”

June 8, 2017

Miles Prodan, president of the B.C. Wine Institute, said the estimated retail value of the wine going to Alberta is likely even higher than Notley’s estimate, around $160 million.

Alberta is the most important market for B.C. wine outside of sales within our own the province, Prodan said, adding that about 11 per cent of B.C. wine sold across the country is sold in Alberta. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

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Saturday November 18, 2016

November 18, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 18, 2016

PC candidate Sam Oosterhoff, 19, wins Niagara West-Glanbrook

A 19-year-old Smithville man has made Ontario history by winning the Niagara West-Glanbrook byelection.

Progressive Conservative candidate Sam Oosterhoff has become the youngest person elected to the Ontario legislature.

His victory was hailed Thursday night by PC Leader Patrick Brown, who attended Oosterhoff’s election night party at the Casablanca Inn, a hotel just off the Queen Elizabeth Way in Grimsby.

Oosterhoff, who brought controversy to the contest because of his social conservative views, thanked his supporters just before 10 p.m. The mood was buoyant at the well-attended party, which brought out Milton MP Lisa Raitt, a federal Conservative leadership candidate.

The riding became vacant because of the departure of former PC leader Tim Hudak. It was always said to be a safe conservative seat, but Oosterhoff’s opposition to abortion and questioning the new sex-ed curriculum was thought to raise some doubt.

In the end, it didn’t matter. With 130 of 236 polls reporting just after 10 p.m., the first-year-political science student at Brock University had about 52 per cent of vote.

The New Democrat candidate and former Hamilton police officer Mike Thomas of Binbrook was in second with about 26 per cent of the vote. Oosterhoff had more than 4,300 votes than Thomas. Liberal candidate and Hamilton lawyer Vicky Ringuette, also of Binbrook, was in third with about 15 per cent of the vote. She trailed Oosterhoff by more than 6,000 votes.

Oosterhoff said people were angry about their hydro bills and industrial wind turbines but Ringuette said she wasn’t hearing complaints from voters about electricity rates.

The Liberals held on to Ottawa-Vanier with lawyer Nathalie Des Rosiers. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday April 1, 2016

March 31, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 1, 2016

Downbound lanes of Sherman Access East closed

City crews expect to reopen the downbound lane of the Sherman Access east Thursday morning that has been closed most of today because of a rock slide.

Brian Hughes, manager of capital rehabilitation and technical operations with the City of Hamilton, said rocks began falling from the side of the escarpment late morning Wednesday onto the eastern portion of the downbound lane.

The lane was closed as crews removed the rocks and overnight tonight they are planning to put in place concrete barriers to keep any further falling rocks from making it onto the road.

No one was injured and no vehicles were damaged, he said. Most of the falling rock ended up in the ditch.

The section of escarpment had been scheduled for scaling – the removal of loose rocks – later this year, said Hughes. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Thursday October 11, 2012

October 11, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday October 11, 2012

Give Hamilton time for casino referendum

Ontario NDP leader and Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath is calling on the provincial government to hit the pause button on its massive modernization of gaming in Hamilton to allow cities to hold referendums.

“It’s time for government to stop talking down to people an open up its ears and listen to people for a change,” Horwath said at a press conference at City Hall Wednesday morning. “It’s time to listen to local voices here in Hamilton and in communities across the province, as well as the voices of the people in the horseracing industry.”

Horwath filed a motion at the Ontario Legislature last week asking the Dalton McGuinty Liberals to postpone the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s modernization “in order to allow those municipalities who wish to undertake a referendum on the issue of being a host site for a casino in a cost-effective way on the municipal ballot.”

The motion has yet to be debated in the house.

“It does give us a great deal of credibility moving forward,” said Councillor Sam Merulla, who hosted Wednesday’s press conference along with Horwath. “I’m just pleased that there’s a possibility still, from a political perspective as a result of Andrea’s leadership, that it can become a reality.”

The massive modernization, announced earlier this year, includes plans for a single casino in the Hamilton/Burlington area. It’s still not clear whether that means Flamboro Downs will stay open – council’s preference – or whether a new facility will be built downtown, on the waterfront, or in another location. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Friday May 30, 2003

May 30, 2003 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 30, 2003

Mid-pen concerns deserve a response

There’s little doubt that the province has been ham-handed and insensitive in its plans for a mid-peninsula highway. While we believe the so-called “mid-pen” is needed and important to relieving serious highway congestion in the Niagara Peninsula, we have sympathy for Burlington, which prides itself on careful planning and smart growth, only to see a highway rammed through its protected rural area.

Burlington was brought into the process after Niagara region and Hamilton had been consulted, and had virtually signed off on the proposal.

Burlington has one of the most carefully managed planning and growth strategies of any municipality in Ontario. But it is likely where the mid-pen would dump its traffic load onto the QEW and highways 403 and 407. To make those connections, it would have to cross the Niagara Escarpment.

The province has identified several options to bring the eastern terminus of the mid-pen down to existing highways, including Highway 403 between Mohawk and Aberdeen/Main Street East, and Highway 6 south of Clappison’s Cut. But few people see those as anything but decoys; the smart money is on what the province calls “Option C” — crossing the escarpment in rural north Burlington.

That was made even more unpalatable to Burlington by the province setting short timelines for response to its 179-page draft terms of reference, which includes its route options. (Source: COPE)