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Friday March 11, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday March 11, 2022

Military neglect catches up with Canada

November 17, 2015

It was reassuring to hear Justin Trudeau pledge Canada’s unwavering support for its European allies this week. It would have been even better if the prime minister had a strong Canadian military to back him up. But he doesn’t and brave words won’t be enough to make 150,000 Russian soldiers retreat from Ukraine. Just when it’s needed more than at any time since the Second World War, Canada’s military muscle has gone soft because a generation of federal governments consistently went cheap on military spending. And Canadians let them do it.

Our soldiers, sailors and aircrew are without doubt well-trained and respected internationally. But they are too few in number and too poorly equipped to do the job Canada expects them to do. Despite more than a decade of trying, we have yet to replace our ancient fleet of CF-18 fighter jets, our outdated frigates or our retired naval destroyers. Our Armed Forces need 10,000 more people to reach full strength — but such growth is nowhere in sight. In fact, to meet our NATO commitments, we would have to boost our annual $24-billion military budget by about $9 billion. At this point, there is no indication the federal government is prepared to do that.

Saturday September 4, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday September 4, 2021

Will voter engagement ramp up after Labour Day, political expert questions

The pandemic, a short election period and its timing are all having an impact on how voters are engaging in the current campaign leading to the Sept. 20 vote, says a local political analyst.

August 20, 2021

“As with everything else in our lives, the pandemic makes elections harder, the day-to-day aspects of an election,” said Michael Johns, visiting professor with York University’s department of politics. “We saw this in the U.S. (federal) election where they lost a debate.

“In the heart of the 2020 campaign, it was hard for them to even have two candidates on stage and have it aired nationally. That was hard. And now you’re trying to do it on a local level,” he added. 

The entire election process is complicated by the timing. The election was called for Sept. 20 in August, when people were still in summer or vacation mode, kids are home from school and when Johns says it’s typically more difficult to engage people.

This year, that campaign goes into the start of the school year.

“This election has been harder. It has been harder to get people motivated,” he said.

June 10, 2021

“Generally, I think, the pandemic and the timing of the election in both its duration and the time on the calendar. You put all those things together, I think this is what you end up with,” Johns added.

Even all-candidates meetings have become a challenge. 

“I think for a lot of people, they feel uncomfortable going to an all-candidates meeting,” Johns said. “Some of them might be so sick of doing everything on Zoom, the last thing they want to do is sit through a two-hour candidates meeting on Zoom”

In addition, some people might be uncomfortable using that technology, particularly seniors, who are typically the most engaged at election time.

Johns says he’s curious to see what happens after Labour Day. Will the pandemic have taken the wind out of the election, or will it ramp up in the last two weeks?

“That’s what we’ll have to wait and see,” he said. (Newmarket Today) 

Revised from a cartoon published Thursday August 1, 2013.

 

Friday September 9, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday September 9, 2016 Kathleen Wynne prorogues legislature for throneÊspeech Monday Premier Kathleen Wynne is giving her Liberals a mid-mandate reboot with a Monday throne speech aimed at ÒeverydayÓÊconcerns like high electricity bills after a steamy summer.Ê Wynne, who prorogued the Legislature on Thursday, will outline the governmentÕs agenda for the 20 months leading up to theÊspring 2018 election in an address to be read by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell. ÒIÕm looking forward to Monday and the throne speech,Ó a beaming Wynne said as she returned to her office with Secretary ofÊCabinet Steve Orsini, the head of the Ontario public service, after meeting with Dowdeswell. The speech will focus on Òmaking the everyday lives of Ontarians better,Ó Government House leader Yasir Naqvi later told a newsÊconference ÒWe know Ontarians have concerns about things like hydro prices, concerns about cost and everyday living,Ó he added, saying allÊgovernment legislation Ñ including the political fundraising reform bill triggered by aÊStarÊseries Ñ will be reintroduced, in someÊcases with amendments. That means the prohibition on MPPs and candidates attending campaign fundraisers, and the ban on union and corporateÊdonations to political parties will almost certainly take effect in January. Wynne signalled pocketbook issues are top of mind after last weekÕsÊbyelection lossÊof former Liberal stronghold Scarborough-Rouge River to the Progressive Conservatives, who scoffed at her sudden attention to them. ÒApparently Premier Wynne only just learned that Ontario families are struggling to afford their hydro bills,Ó PC Leader PatrickÊBrown Ñ who was not available to take questions Ñ said in a statement calling the Liberals Òold, tired and self-interested.Ó (Source: Toronto Star) Êhttps://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/09/08/wynne-to-prorogue-the-legislature-for-throne-speech-monday.html Ontario, K

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday September 9, 2016

Kathleen Wynne prorogues legislature for throne speech Monday

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday August 17, 2016 Energy minister, Wynne defend decision to put carbon tax in delivery line on bills Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending the decision to bury the cost of Ontario's cap-and-trade plan in the "delivery" line on natural gas bills. The Ontario Energy Board announced last week that costs related to the Liberals' climate change plan would not appear in a separate line item on consumers' bills for natural gas, which is used to heat most homes in the province. Wynne said Thursday that the government doesn't interfere with decisions made by an arms-length agency like the energy board, which she pointed out consulted the industry and public before issuing its directive on carbon pricing. "My understanding is they talked with local distribution companies, they talked to consumer groups across the province, and as you know, they are an independent body," she said. "They made a decision to configure the bills that way and we don't direct the OEB.Ó Quebec and British Columbia include the cost of carbon pricing as a separate line item on bills. But like Wynne, Energy Minister Glen Thibeault insisted it was the energy board's decision to put the cost of cap and trade in the delivery charge instead of its own line on bills. Thibeault insisted nothing was being hidden, and said the government was being transparent about the cost of cap-and-trade just by talking about the new fee. The minister walked away from reporters without answering when asked if the energy board now sets policy for the Liberal government. The Liberals expect their climate change plan will add about $5 a month to home heating bills and about 4.3 cents a litre to the price of gasoline. Ontario will join an existing cap-and-trade market with California and Quebec next January, mandating pollution limits on companies but allowing them to buy emission credits or sell them to others if they are under their quota. (CTV News)

August 17, 2016

Premier Kathleen Wynne is giving her Liberals a mid-mandate reboot with a Monday throne speech aimed at “everyday” concerns like high electricity bills after a steamy summer.

Wynne, who prorogued the Legislature on Thursday, will outline the government’s agenda for the 20 months leading up to the spring 2018 election in an address to be read by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

“I’m looking forward to Monday and the throne speech,” a beaming Wynne said as she returned to her office with Secretary of Cabinet Steve Orsini, the head of the Ontario public service, after meeting with Dowdeswell.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday August 26, 2016 Ontario Liberals wonÕt ban cash-for-access events OntarioÕs Liberal government has bowed to public and opposition pressure to tighten caps further on political donations, but is still not banning cash-for-access fundraising. Government House Leader Yasir Naqvi on Monday released proposed amendments to Bill 201, the LiberalsÕ campaign-finance reform legislation. TheÊbill is under review by a legislative committee, which has been holding public hearings for the past two months. The changes include a $3,600 limit per donor Ð divided among the central party office, riding associations and individual candidates Ð in a year withÊan election or by-election, or $2,400 in a year without either. Currently, donors can contribute up to $33,250 annually; the original text of the billÊwould have brought that down to $7,750 in a year with an election or by-election. But the Liberals opted not to make cash-for-access illegal, allowing the controversial fundraising practice that started the furor over campaign financeÊto continue. Instead of a legislated ban, Mr. NaqviÕs office said he will consult the opposition parties on a code of conduct for MPPs that would offerÊguidelines for raising money from stakeholders. The government turned down an interview request for Mr. Naqvi. His spokesman, Kyle Richardson, refused to answer questions directly on why theÊLiberals are not prohibiting cash-for-access. ÒGovernment amendments are based on the feedback heard at public hearings held across Ontario. We are committed to working with theÊopposition,Ó Mr. Richardson wrote in an e-mail. Under the cash-for-access system, revealed by The Globe and Mail this spring, corporations, unions and wealthy individuals paid up to $10,000 forÊaccess to Premier Kathleen Wynne and members of her cabinet, typically over cocktails and dinner. At most events, corporate and union leaders in aÊgiven sector Ð including const

August 26, 2016

The speech will focus on “making the everyday lives of Ontarians better,” Government House leader Yasir Naqvi later told a news conference

“We know Ontarians have concerns about things like hydro prices, concerns about cost and everyday living,” he added, saying all government legislation — including the political fundraising reform bill triggered by a Star series — will be reintroduced, in some cases with amendments.

That means the prohibition on MPPs and candidates attending campaign fundraisers, and the ban on union and corporate donations to political parties will almost certainly take effect in January.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday June 23, 2016 Wynne hits new ratings low, poll finds ItÕs tough to find a politician more unpopular than Kathleen Wynne. Donald Trump? Maybe here in Ontario, but not in his own backyard. Hillary Clinton? Like Trump, the Democratic contender for the U.S. presidency is one of the least popular candidates for the job in decades. But sheÕs still a rock star compared to OntarioÕs premier. WynneÕs personal popularity has hit an all-time low, according to a new Forum Research poll obtained exclusively by the Toronto Sun. Her approval rating, once as high as 40%, now sits at 18%. ItÕs the lowest Forum has ever measured for an Ontario Liberal premier since it began polling in 2001. In fact, if a provincial election was held tomorrow, Patrick BrownÕs Progressive Conservative Party would capture a minority government, according to a the survey. ÒThere is no question the Progressive Conservatives would win an election held tomorrow, but it appears they wouldnÕt be able to seal the deal with a majority,Ó Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said. ÒPatrick Brown needs to become more of a familiar face to Ontarians before that happensÓ The Forum survey projects the Tories would take a 51-seat minority, three seats short of the 54 needed for a majority government in OntarioÕs 107-seat legislature. The Liberals would take 36 seats while the NDP would capture 20. And while WynneÕs personal popularity is low, BrownÕs approval doesnÕt sit much higher, at 22%, the poll says. Over half of respondents, 53%, said they didnÕt know enough about Brown to have an opinion of him. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath remains the most popular of the three main party leaders, with a 33% approval rating.(Source: Toronto Sun)Êhttp://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/22/wynne-hits-new-ratings-low-poll-finds Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, poll, support, popularity, Liberal, pollster

June 23, 2016

Wynne signalled pocketbook issues are top of mind after last week’s byelection loss of former Liberal stronghold Scarborough-Rouge River to the Progressive Conservatives, who scoffed at her sudden attention to them.

“Apparently Premier Wynne only just learned that Ontario families are struggling to afford their hydro bills,” PC Leader Patrick Brown — who was not available to take questions — said in a statement calling the Liberals “old, tired and self-interested.” (Source: Toronto Star)