platform

Tuesday November 28, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 28, 2017

The Progressive Conservatives have found their voice.

And Patrick Brown, the little-known Opposition leader who would be premier, is making himself heard. Just in time for the coming provincial election.

May 13, 2015

Who is Patrick Brown? Why should he be premier? What would he do in power?

He will cut income taxes. Reduce hydro rates. Impose a carbon tax. Issue refund cheques for child care. Take over our subways and build more of them. Boost health-care funding.

And step down if he doesn’t deliver on his key promises in four years.

His proclamation of a “People’s Guarantee” — signed onstage with a dramatic flourish — had the ring of a Marxist people’s manifesto as 1,500 loyal convention delegates cheered him on. Brown is no Bolshevik, but on Saturday he purged the party of the ghost of Mike Harris — and the Common Sense Revolution that has haunted PCs for decades, culminating with the defeat of Tim Hudak in 2014.

August 31, 2016

Now, Brown is remaking the party in his own emerging image — a mirror image of the Bill Davis era that tried harder to be all things (or more things) to all people. Not just right-wing people.

It is a focused, focus-group-tested campaign platform with a twist — more heft and left than hard right, offering more political lift than trickle-down:

September 21, 2017

Surprisingly progressive income tax cuts are targeted at lower-income people, not high rollers (including a sales tax credit). The child-care credits offer more to poor people with less, and rebate actual expenses (unlike the no-strings-attached “baby bonus” that Stephen Harper’s Tories conjured up to buy votes federally).

This election platform is not just a U-turn from the Harris years but an off-ramp from the Harper hothouse where Brown and many of his staff got their start. Instead of the provocative “chain gangs” that Tories proposed to punish prisoners in 2011, Brown offers “anti-gang” money to combat human trafficking of women. (Continued: Toronto Star) 

 

Saturday September 26, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist - Saturday September 26, 2015 During a testy phone call, Justin Trudeau dismissed David SuzukiÕs views on the Liberal climate change policy as Òsanctimonious crap,Ó according to Suzuki. Suzuki revealed the contents of the conversation during an interview on SiriusXMÕs Everything is Political with Evan Solomon. Suzuki says he fired back, calling Trudeau a Òtwerp.Ó The renowned scientist, broadcaster and activist says Trudeau called him personally June 28, 2015 to talk about the Liberal platform on climate change that was to be revealed the next day. ÒI didnÕt call Justin, he called me,Ó Suzuki said. ÒHe wanted an endorsement and he wanted to tell me exactly what his program was.Ó For the record: Justin TrudeauÕs speech on the environment: June 29, 2015 The program includes support for the Keystone XL pipeline, a rejection of the Northern Gateway pipeline and a commitment to work with the provinces to establish a cap-and-trade system. ÒI said, ÔJustin, stop it, youÕre just being political, you just want to make headway in Alberta,ÕÓ Suzuki says he told Trudeau. ÒYouÕre for the development of the tar sands, youÕre for the Keystone pipeline, but youÕre against the Northern Gateway, youÕre all over the damn map!Ó MacleanÕs explains: Where the leaders stand on the environment Suzuki went on to advise Trudeau that taking the target of a 2 degree rise in temperature seriously means 80 per cent of the oil sands has to stay in the ground. Suzuki believes stopping oil sands development will mean Òno debate about pipelines or expanding railways or shipping stuff offshoreÑnone of that comes into it.Ó Suzuki says this is when the exchange turned nasty. ÒHe said, ÔI donÕt have to listen to this sanctimonious crap. I proceeded to call him a twerp.Ó (Source: MacLean's) http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/why-david-suzuki-called-justin-trudeau-a-twerp/ Canada, Justin Trudeau, environment, climate change, Liberal, Mother Nature, Davi

David Suzuki Says He Called Justin Trudeau A ‘Twerp’

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist – Saturday September 26, 2015

During a testy phone call, Justin Trudeau dismissed David Suzuki’s views on the Liberal climate change policy as “sanctimonious crap,” according to Suzuki. Suzuki revealed the contents of the conversation during an interview on SiriusXM’s Everything is Political with Evan Solomon. Suzuki says he fired back, calling Trudeau a “twerp.”

The renowned scientist, broadcaster and activist says Trudeau called him personally June 28, 2015 to talk about the Liberal platform on climate change that was to be revealed the next day. “I didn’t call Justin, he called me,” Suzuki said. “He wanted an endorsement and he wanted to tell me exactly what his program was.”

For the record: Justin Trudeau’s speech on the environment: June 29, 2015

The program includes support for the Keystone XL pipeline, a rejection of the Northern Gateway pipeline and a commitment to work with the provinces to establish a cap-and-trade system.

“I said, ‘Justin, stop it, you’re just being political, you just want to make headway in Alberta,’” Suzuki says he told Trudeau. “You’re for the development of the tar sands, you’re for the Keystone pipeline, but you’re against the Northern Gateway, you’re all over the damn map!”

Maclean’s explains: Where the leaders stand on the environment

Suzuki went on to advise Trudeau that taking the target of a 2 degree rise in temperature seriously means 80 per cent of the oil sands has to stay in the ground. Suzuki believes stopping oil sands development will mean “no debate about pipelines or expanding railways or shipping stuff offshore—none of that comes into it.”

Suzuki says this is when the exchange turned nasty. “He said, ‘I don’t have to listen to this sanctimonious crap. I proceeded to call him a twerp.” (Source: MacLean’s)

 

Wednesday June 17, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday June 17, 2015 Trudeau and Mulcair today: Compare and contrast Major speeches by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau today served up an intriguing contrast. Mulcair sought to soothe anyone worried about the sort of economic change an NDP government might bring. Trudeau tried to reignite interest, especially among progressive voters whose enthusiasm for him might be waning, by promising Liberals would usher in big change in Canadian democracy. The two men vying to be seen as the most viable alternative to Prime Minister Stephen Harper clearly face different challenges. Mulcair is on the rise in the polls, and his aimÑas he delivered an economic policy speech in Toronto at the Economic Club of CanadaÑseemed to be to forestall a worried reaction to his emergence as a serious challenger. But Trudeau has slipped in recent months, after a long stretch leading the polls, creating whatÕs shaping up as a tight three-way race with HarperÕs Conservatives and MulcairÕs NDP. His goal in a speech to assembled Parliament Hill reporters at OttawaÕs Ch‰teau Laurier was to reignite interest in his leadership with at least one promise that canÕt be ignored. And both took the opportunity to shore up their policy messages with a little personal narrative, the sort that modern political strategists view as essential to connecting with voters. (Continued: Maclean's) http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/trudeau-and-mulcair-today-compare-and-contrast/ Canada, Thomas Mulcair, Justin Trudeau, NDP, Liberal, campaign, election, politics, platform, polls

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 17, 2015

Trudeau and Mulcair today: Compare and contrast

Major speeches by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau today served up an intriguing contrast. Mulcair sought to soothe anyone worried about the sort of economic change an NDP government might bring. Trudeau tried to reignite interest, especially among progressive voters whose enthusiasm for him might be waning, by promising Liberals would usher in big change in Canadian democracy.

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday June 13, 2015 Bill C-51 is killing the LiberalsÕ chance to become the official Not-Harper party The federal LiberalÕs cynical centre-of-the-road support of the ConservativesÕ latest anti-terrorism legislation may be hampering its bid to become the Not-Stephen-Harper party. The signs have been apparent for weeks: Liberal ÒprogressivesÓ Ñ the civic-minded, donating, engaged grassroots types vital to the survival of the party Ñ have found themselves horrified by leader Justin TrudeauÕs support for a bill that has been criticized, hyperbolically, as the forerunner to a Canadian police state. The party has faced overwhelming social media criticism from its grassroots, a sudden surge of polls showing the NDP neck-and-neck with the Liberals and the Tories and, lately, there are even more ominous signs of Liberal struggle. At least four Liberal candidates have stepped down in recent weeks and some tangential evidence suggests that a backlash over C-51 may be at least part of the reason. Of course, the trend pales in comparison to the handful of high-profile Conservative incumbents who have recently stepped aside ahead of OctoberÕs general election. It also happens to be fewer than the number of NDP candidates who have similarly done so Ñ although the Dippers find themselves short due to their unexpected success in Alberta. (Three federal candidates were elected to the provincial legislature in May.) While the Alberta bump may be contributing to the federal NDPÕs rise in the polls, C-51 may be simultaneously weighing the Liberals down. The Liberals announced they would support a mildly amended C-51 earlier this year in what was largely thought to be a bid to bolster the partyÕs flailing national security credentials. TrudeauÕs contradictory stance on CanadaÕs military mission in Iraq and Syria proved to be none too popular among the middle class heÕs so arduously trying to court. But if TrudeauÕs ob

The two men vying to be seen as the most viable alternative to Prime Minister Stephen Harper clearly face different challenges. Mulcair is on the rise in the polls, and his aim—as he delivered an economic policy speech in Toronto at the Economic Club of Canada—seemed to be to forestall a worried reaction to his emergence as a serious challenger.

But Trudeau has slipped in recent months, after a long stretch leading the polls, creating what’s shaping up as a tight three-way race with Harper’s Conservatives and Mulcair’s NDP. His goal in a speech to assembled Parliament Hill reporters at Ottawa’s Château Laurier was to reignite interest in his leadership with at least one promise that can’t be ignored.

And both took the opportunity to shore up their policy messages with a little personal narrative, the sort that modern political strategists view as essential to connecting with voters. (Continued: Maclean’s)

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Published in The Winnipeg Free Press, Brandon Sun, The Woodstock Sentinel Review, and Red Deer Advocate

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Saturday, May 31, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, May 31, 2014

Parties float different fixes for ailing Ontario economy

Like medical students huddled over a patient, the leaders of Ontario’s three major political parties are diagnosing different diseases and prescribing wildly different treatments for the province’s ailing economy.

At the heart of each prescription is the belief Ontario’s economy is in trouble because of a lack of decent jobs — full-time positions with a living wage and benefits — the kind of jobs that support families and build communities.

If the plans agree on the problem and the needed solution, they differ wildly of how to get the economy back into shape.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne, for example, calls for a $2.5-billion Jobs and Prosperity Fund to be used to entice business investment in the province.

Conservative challenger Tim Hudak has his Million Jobs Plan — creating an average of 125,000 jobs a year for eight years, starting with the firing of 100,000 civil servants and cutting corporate taxes by 30 per cent.

Then there’s NDP Leader Andrea Horwath’s Job Creator’s Tax Credit and small business tax rate cut.

In its package of election priorities, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce lays out the broad outlines of the province’s economic malaise. The business lobby group points to soaring government debt, sluggish economic growth, persistently high unemployment, a perceived need for public sector wage restraint while maintaining vital public services, a perceived need to let the private sector fulfil more public needs, and a need to both control energy prices and to press the federal government to close the estimated $11-billion gap between what Ontarians pay in federal taxes and what they receive in federal spending and transfers.

 

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McMaster University economist Peter Graefe finds “a lot of wishful thinking” in each of the three proposals.

He said the planks calling for lower electricity rates and less regulation might help economic development by drawing investment from firms for which those factors are important. However, he cautions, “Experience shows that lower taxes and looser regulation by themselves don’t necessarily lead to jobs. Significant investment isn’t going to be heavily swayed by this.”

Jobs could just as easily be attracted by showing a commitment to public services and infrastructure.

The real issue for Ontario’s economy, he says, is low productivity.

“There’s really nothing in any of these plans that will push us in the direction we need to go,” he said. “The real weaknesses in the Ontario economy haven’t been addressed. There isn’t much imagination in these platforms, just a lot of motherhood and apple pie statements.”

Bill Scarth, also of McMaster’s economics department, knocks the Liberal platform for its proposal to slow the rate at which the provincial deficit is to be eliminated and questions the assumed rate of growth that supports the Liberal and NDP packages.

“Postponing deficit reduction is a very dangerous plan,” he said, warning that many in the business community will see the delay as a warning sign of future tax hikes.

“To meet the Liberal targets for deficit reduction is going to require some pretty draconian cuts.”

At the same time, he worries the Hudak plan is too severe and could push the economy back into a recession.

“Hudak goes too far the other way,” he said. “We’re still in a very fragile part of the recovery.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Saturday, May 24, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, May 24, 2014

Ontario NDP focus on ‘fundamentals’ in party platform

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has released a campaign platform that includes promises to raise corporate tax rates and cut auto insurance rates in the first year of an NDP mandate.

The platform features a mix of new and previously announced measures, with an emphasis on “fundamentals for families,” in a bid to woo voters ahead of the June 12 provincial election.

In announcing a plan heavy on pocketbook issues, Horwath assailed the Liberals for wasting taxpayer’s dollars in scandals such as the gas-plant fiasco.

“You deserve a government that makes sense, that respects your tax dollars and invests them in your priorities,” she said. “That’s what the New Democrats are offering.”

But the platform also includes a promise to freeze tuition fees and a plan to eliminate interest on student loans.

“It is not acceptable that people finish their post-secondary studies and have debts the size of mortgages,” Horwath said. “We are going to get this under control.”

The NDP also want to forgive up to $20,000 a year of student debt for doctors who agree to work in under-serviced areas.

One notable omission from the NDP platform was a made-in-Ontario pension plan, which the Liberals are promising.

Horwath said Thursday her party supports the idea in principle but said she wants to see what happens in the 2015 federal election before committing provincial dollars to it.

“We may actually get a federal government that will take pension plans seriously,” said Horwath. “We are the party that first began to talk about pension security for Ontarians.” (Source: CBC News)