office

Saturday March 28, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday March 28, 2020

How to Stay Productive (and Sane) While Working from Home

If you’re reading this, you likely find yourself suddenly working from home.

Before the COVID-19 (coronavirus) changed the way we do business in a matter of days, working remotely was something many people imagined as sort of a future-work utopia. Having your home to yourself during the day while your partner or kids are out, sending work emails with your dog cuddled up beside you, having access to your specific brand of coffee — it all sounded like a dream.

That’s probably not how working from home looks for you right now. In reality, you’re likely juggling how to make space in your home for calls and video meetings, keep yourself productive, keep your children occupied and oh yeah — stay sane in the midst of it all.

So let us help you. Like you, my colleagues and I are suddenly working from home indefinitely. For many of us, it’s not our first time working remotely, so I thought I’d reach out to them so I could share their best working from home tips for you. I’ll also share photos of our work-from-home office setups throughout — some as inspiration, and others (like mine) in solidarity with my fellow clutterers.

So let’s dive right in before your spouse, child, or pet arrives with your next home office interruption! And don’t worry — we have a section of this article dedicated to tips for working from home with kids. (Continued: Business 2 Community) 

Graeme MacKay offers some advice for those working from home.

 

Friday June 15, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 15, 2018

‘It will be very difficult’: Ontario’s Doug Ford faces uphill battle amid NAFTA troubles, Trump’s tariffs

Doug Ford pledged to stand united with the federal government in its heated trade dispute with the United States as the beleaguered NAFTA talks become a “critical” issue for his new government.

April 20, 2018

“The stakes are high,” Ontario’s premier-designate told reporters following a meeting with auto and steel industry representatives Wednesday. “Thousands of jobs rely on the outcome of these talks. Thousands of Ontario families are counting on us to defend their interests.”

The U.S. struck out at Canada last month with tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum. Hours later, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on $16.6 billion of U.S.-made steel, aluminum and a range of other goods. Relations have been on a downward course since then, with Trump calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “weak and dishonest” in a Twitter post, apparently after he was angered by a G7 press conference in which Trudeau restated his objections to the U.S. Levies.

June 18, 2016

Ford said the “name-calling” was “not acceptable whatsoever.”

“I want to be very clear: we stand shoulder to shoulder with our federal counterparts,” he said.

As the Canada-U.S. dispute deepens, analysts say Ford will have his work cut out for him as he strives to deliver on his campaign promises amid weakened provincial finances and an increasingly uncertain business environment. (Source: Financial Post) 

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Thursday February 2, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 2, 2017

Trudeau drops pledge to reform Canada’s electoral system

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has abandoned his longstanding promise to overhaul Canada’s voting system.

December 9, 2016

Trudeau made the dramatic reversal of a key platform plank in a new mandate letter for Karina Gould, his newly named minister of democratic institutions.

“Changing the electoral system will not be in your mandate,” reads the letter.

“There has been tremendous work by the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform, outreach by Members of Parliament by all parties, and engagement of 360,000 individuals in Canada through mydemocracy.ca,” Trudeau wrote.

“A clear preference for a new electoral system, let alone a consensus, has not emerged. Furthermore, without a clear preference or a clear question, a referendum would not be in Canada’s interest.”

December 2, 2016

That clearly contradicts a report submitted by a parliamentary committee to the government last fall.

Trudeau had long said the Liberals would ensure the 2015 election was the last one held under the current first-past-the-post system, under which the party that wins a plurality of votes gets to form government, even if it doesn’t win a 50-per-cent-plus-one-vote majority of the popular vote.

In a town hall in Belleville three weeks ago, Trudeau admitted he was “on record” as personally in favour of a ranked ballot system. But he insisted at that time he would not back away from its plan to change the way Canadians vote and elect their governments.

Instead, Trudeau set out a broader goal — with some new marching orders — for Gould.

October 21, 2016

“As Minister of Democratic Institutions, your overarching goal will be to strengthen the openness and fairness of Canada’s public institutions. You will lead on improving our democratic institutions and Senate reform to restore Canadians’ trust and participation in our democratic processes,” he wrote.

Gould told reporters her priorities will be to legislate changes to boost transparency for cash-for-access political fundraisers, and getting the government’s key electronic signals spy agency (CSE or Communications Security Establishment) to assess the risk posed by hackers to Canadian political and electoral activities.

On the defensive in her first major news conference, Gould said that the government undertook major consultations and listened to Canadians on electoral reform but “we realized there was no consensus to move forward with electoral reform.” (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

Thursday February 8, 2001

 

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 8, 2001

The End to Office Xmas Parties?

So what will it be now? Waiver forms at the entrance saying the host is not responsible for how much you chug this evening? Maybe a security system that beeps every time someone passes through with car keys?

Monday’s decision by a Barrie judge to order an employer to pay $312,000 to a worker who was brain-damaged in a drunk-driving accident brings to the fore once again the question of who is responsible when someone drinks too much and takes control of a car.

It takes the issue of responsibility for someone else’s drinking one step further down the line than Canada has ever walked before, from decisions that hold tavern owners responsible for serving inebriated clients who suffer injury or inflict injury onto others, to employers at office parties. And it has some believing the next likely step is hosts of private home parties, an issue that has never reached a judgment.

In her decision, Justice Clair Marchand tallied the lost earning, general damages and future care costs at over $1 million. He declared Hunt’s own “self indulgence” in drinking and driving in poor conditions meant she was responsible for three-quarters of that amount. He held Hunt’s employer and the pub she visited 25 per cent responsible. The pub owner is now out of business and there is no insurance. So Sutton Realty is responsible for $312,000. (Hamilton Spectator)