Ontario

Thursday March 17, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday March 17, 2004 Hamilton's Provincial Duds Perhaps Hamilton's five representatives to Queen's Park -- Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop and Ted McMeekin -- should be known as MIAs rather than MPPs.Harsh? Perhaps. But on the issue of the crushing costs to municipalities of downloaded social service, we have yet to hear any of our government members offer any significant support, let alone aid. While Hamilton pleads to an indifferent premier, our MPPs have been mostly silent. Yes, the downloading was by a different Queen's Park regime, and perhaps some or all of the "Hamilton Five" are working behind the scenes as Dalton McGuinty tries to balance promises with fiscal realities. But in the absence of any of them publicly championing Hamilton's cause, Mayor Larry Di Ianni is left sticking his neck out as he proposes an economic ultimatum to the province. Without $19.5 million for social services, Hamilton will not balance its budget, he says. Confrontation with the premier and his ministers has its risks, since municipalities essentially exist at the will and whim of the provincial government. But playing nice hasn't worked for two past mayors, and the stars-are-aligned promise of having a unified caucus of Hamilton MPPs has so far not delivered in any consequential way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Hamilton, QueenÕs Park, Toni Valeri, Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop, Ted McMeekin, social service, pooling, Ontario, Liberal, Flamborough, Flamboro, MPP, amalgamation, Liberal, AncasterÑDundasÑFlamboroughÑAldershot

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 17, 2004

Hamilton’s Provincial Duds

Perhaps Hamilton’s five representatives to Queen’s Park — Judy Marsales, Dominic Agostino, Marie Bountrogianni, Jennifer Mossop and Ted McMeekin — should be known as MIAs rather than MPPs.Harsh? Perhaps. But on the issue of the crushing costs to municipalities of downloaded social service, we have yet to hear any of our government members offer any significant support, let alone aid. While Hamilton pleads to an indifferent premier, our MPPs have been mostly silent.

Yes, the downloading was by a different Queen’s Park regime, and perhaps some or all of the “Hamilton Five” are working behind the scenes as Dalton McGuinty tries to balance promises with fiscal realities. But in the absence of any of them publicly championing Hamilton’s cause, Mayor Larry Di Ianni is left sticking his neck out as he proposes an economic ultimatum to the province. Without $19.5 million for social services, Hamilton will not balance its budget, he says.

Confrontation with the premier and his ministers has its risks, since municipalities essentially exist at the will and whim of the provincial government. But playing nice hasn’t worked for two past mayors, and the stars-are-aligned promise of having a unified caucus of Hamilton MPPs has so far not delivered in any consequential way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Tuesday October 28, 2003

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday October 28, 2003

Bring on the Broken Promises

Now that power has been officially handed over to the new government, the Liberal backtrack strategy is moving into higher gear.

Mind you, McGuinty himself doesn’t talk about such things any more. At his swearing-in on Thursday, the new premier reinforced his image as an endearing square by talking about Cub Scouts and making lunch for the kids.

But in the background, the usual array of unnamed highly-placed Liberal sources have been busy explaining why McGuinty chose Greg Sorbara as finance minister over Gerry Phillips, the party’s veteran treasury critic and obvious choice for the job.

Phillips, the usual sources say, is too nice. Sorbara, on the other hand, is said to be mean enough to make the kind of tough spending cuts McGuinty wants.

This is an interesting rationale. Those who know Sorbara don’t find him that mean; in fact, he’s quite charming and rather likeable. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Tuesday June 17, 2003

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 17, 2003

The Year of the Great Student Squish

Universities in Ontario are turning tennis courts into classrooms to handle a surge in students this autumn after the province shortened high school from five years to four and is graduating two classes at once.

The province says the transition is going well, and students will not lose out. But teachers and students say the crush of the so-called double cohort will overload a system that is already strained by education spending cuts.

“The government has pressured the university presidents to put as many students into the university as possible because they promised parents there will be a place for your child. But they don’t say what kind of place.”

Ontario’s Grade 13 has been an anomaly in Canada for almost four decades, adding to education costs in the country’s richest and most populous province. The province decided five years ago to eliminate the added grade and this is its final year. (Reuters)

 

Saturday June 7, 2003

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 7, 2003

A Former Premier Speaks Out

Bill Davis showed all the signs of a man who has held his tongue for too long when he spoke last week at the Toronto City Summit Alliance. 

September 21, 2002

The former Ontario premier launched an emotional defence of the public education system and its teachers, reminding his audience that everyone will pay a price down the road if we shortchange young people’s education. Davis earned a standing ovation when he pleaded for the public to show support for teachers, who he says work hard, are not overpaid, and perform one of the community’s most important jobs.

“Show me a good doctor, a good lawyer, a good whatever and I’ll show you a good kindergarten teacher, a good high school teacher and a good university professor,” Davis said.

He went on to chastise the provincial government for fragmenting the public education system with its new tax credit for parents whose children attend private schools.

Davis is a cautious man, and still is a member of the Ontario Conservative party. He denied his speech was aimed at the current Tory government or Premier Ernie Eves, but his intention was unmistakable. He still carries a lot of weight in Ontario, and was right to speak out. (CP)

 

Friday May 30, 2003

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)