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Thursday February 7, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 7, 2019

Health inspections, air ambulance won’t be privatized, minister says

December 3, 2002

Ontario’s health minister was forced to make assurances Monday that long-term care inspections and the province’s air ambulance service will not be privatized, as leaked documents appear to peg those services for “outsourcing.”

Christine Elliott’s comments came after the NDP released a second set of confidential government documents following the release last week of a draft version of the Progressive Conservative government’s upcoming health-care transformation legislation.

“The NDP have intentionally created confusion about the way care is delivered in this province,” Elliott said. “As we bring forward desperately needed and overdue change to health-care in this province, Ontarians will continue to access reliable, public health-care.”

December 21, 2016

The Ontario Provincial Police have been notified about the document leaks and the person responsible is no longer employed by the government, the head of the public service said in a memo.

Both sets of leaked documents show the government is creating a health “super agency” that would be in charge of managing health services, quality improvement, patient relations, digital health and tissue donation and transplants, among other responsibilities.

The draft legislation would allow the government to roll local health integration networks, Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario, the Trillium Gift of Life Network and other government health agencies into the super agency. The local health networks are responsible for delivering home care, and one document warns of a risk of service disruptions.

Animated!

Elliott said the plan is not final and consultations are ongoing, but the NDP say the documents they revealed Monday include references to cabinet already approving the overall plan and appointing super agency board members.

One document, as part of a Dec. 13 workshop for assistant deputy ministers, references outsourcing laboratories — many of which are already privately run — inspections, licensing, devices and the province’s air ambulance service, Ornge.

Elliott said none of those services will be privatized. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Thursday May 17, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 18, 2018

Sound bytes and witch hunts won’t quell hydro anger

According to Environment Canada, the odds of getting hit by lightning are lower than one in a million. 

April 17, 2015

Unless you’re the Kathleen Wynne Liberals. In that case, you get zapped pretty much any time the subject of hydro comes up in Ontario. It doesn’t matter whether the specifics are big or small, the subject is a lightning rod for Ontarians’ anger and discontent, both with hydro rates and with the Liberals.

It happened again this week, with predictable results. But let’s try to drill down a bit to get past the rhetoric and sound bytes.

CBC was first to report that, back in January, Hydro One board members voted to boost their own compensation. After that boost, those part-time jobs pay $185,000. And at the time of the board decision, Hydro One’s share price was falling. 

April 14, 2018

Predictably, outraged followed from all the usual players. Doug Ford waxed apoplectic, promising to fire the bums and the CEO as well. Andrea Horwath reminded Ontarians, again, that we wouldn’t be in this position if the power utility was still under completely public control. And Kathleen Wynne, still smoking from the lighting strike, also condemned the raise while saying her government has already planned a review of utility governance including compensation.

All this sound and fury? It masks a difficult truth. Not one of the three parties has a believable, viable plan to really do what Ontarians want — to reduce electricity rates substantially and over the long term. 

Consider: Horwath’s NDP promise to cut hydro rates 30 per cent. They will “end the oversupply of power” and “aggressively” renegotiate contracts. You don’t need to be an expert to recognize this is pretty loose talk. Cutting rates that much would probably mean selling power for less than it costs to make. How will that help?

The numbers problem

The NDP also promises to buy back the part of Hydro One the Liberals sold to the private sector. That sounds like bringing back the good old days, but open your wallet first. Those shares have been appreciating in value. They will cost a lot of money. The government would need to use dividends it gets from the privatization to buy back the privatized share. Not only would be expensive, but it would take years, according to credible industry experts. 

Doug Ford’s hydro solution is even less realistic. So he fires Hydro One executives and the board. (It’s not even clear he could do this since it is not a public company at this point.) What then? He’ll need a new board and a new CEO. That means his cronies and will replace the Liberal ones there now. Will they work for nothing? Hydro One CEO Mayo Schmidt’s salary sounds ridiculously high at over $6 million, but his wage and that of all the board is a drop in the financial bucket overall. 

June 4, 2015

Beyond firing the CEO and board, and paying hefty severance penalties to do so, Ford has no plan for hydro. He is simply beating a convenient scapegoat, but he doesn’t have a better idea. And keep in mind it was Ford’s party that began the privatization of power under Mike Harris. 

The Wynne Liberals? Sadly or not, it doesn’t matter because no one is listening to them. 

Simplistic solutions won’t get the job done, and making Hydro One public again is a massive and expensive undertaking. No one in this election is being straight with voters, that much is clear. (Source: Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

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Wednesday September 27, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 27, 2017

U.S. VP Pence blasts ‘failings’ of Canadian health system

The vice-president of the United States has some less-than-complimentary words for Canada’s health-care system, which he accuses of certain “failings.”

Mike Pence made the remarks in an interview last week with Alaska radio station KFQD.

He was being asked about the Republican health legislation struggling to get through Congress.

Republicans appear to be wrestling to get a bill that would repeal Obamacare through the legislature before a procedural deadline later this month — and the effort is in deep trouble.

Pence warned that if the legislative effort collapses, the U.S. will be on a course for something similar to Canada.

That’s because the Democratic party is starting to rally to an unprecedented degree around the idea of single-payer health care as a long-term solution to the U.S.’s endless health debates.

“We have a clear choice here,” Pence said.

“You know, somewhere in between where I’m sitting in Washington, D.C., and (you) Alaska, is a place called Canada. I probably don’t need to tell the people Alaska about the failings of national socialized health care because it’s right in our neighbour and you see the results every day.

“Look, we’ve got a choice: It’s between big government, Washington, D.C., solutions that ultimately, I believe, will collapse into single-payer health care — or whether or not we’re going to repeal the (Obamacare) individual mandate.”

Canada’s health system is known to suffer from long wait times, especially for elective procedures. On the other hand, Canadians not only have longer life expectancies, but also spend far less on health care than Americans according to World Bank data.

The Trump administration has just received a fresh round of bad news about its health-reform effort: After John McCain, Susan Collins became the latest senator Monday to say she opposes the Obamacare repeal bill, almost certainly dooming it. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Saturday March 5, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Saturday March 5, 2016 Hamilton councillors swing for the greens to provide lower fees to play Hamilton politicians got into the swing of things by reducing the green fees at the cityÕs two Chedoke golf courses. Since the economic recession of 2008, area golf courses have suffered with reduced rounds due to high prices and a saturated market. HamiltonÕs golf courses, KingÕs Forest, which has been ranked as the number one municipal golf course in Canada, and ChedokeÕs two courses the Beddoe and Martin have not escaped the economic slump. A market analysis by Global Golf Advisors, commissioned by the city, found HamiltonÕs courses have Òexperienced declining demandÓ since 2010. The consultants urged the city to increase the rounds, while instituting a Òflexible fee structureÓ program. By adopting the new structure, the city could increase the number of rounds by 37 per cent, or 24,000 rounds per season at all three golf courses, while also boosting revenue to about $600,000. City staff agreed Hamilton is taking a unique approach reducing prices in the hope it will increase the number of rounds golfers play each year. The proposed green fees for the Beddoe course would be reduced from $44.25 per round from Monday to Thursday to $33.06, while on weekends and holidays, a round would cost $44.26 rather than $48.67. The Martin course would see green fees dip from $30.09 from Monday to Thursday to $28.20, and $35.40 to $33.83 on weekends and holidays. Twilight rounds would also see a reduction in green fees. Seniors would get a break for both 18 and nine hole rounds. The city will be cutting golf memberships for the Beddoe and Martin courses, and slight reductions in advantage packs prices. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6370123-hamilton-councillors-swing-for-the-greens-to-provide-lower-fees-to-play/ Hamilton, chedoke, golf, course, budget, public, private, ownership, stak

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday March 5, 2016

Hamilton councillors swing for the greens to provide lower fees to play

Hamilton politicians got into the swing of things by reducing the green fees at the city’s two Chedoke golf courses.

Since the economic recession of 2008, area golf courses have suffered with reduced rounds due to high prices and a saturated market.

Hamilton’s golf courses, King’s Forest, which has been ranked as the number one municipal golf course in Canada, and Chedoke’s two courses the Beddoe and Martin have not escaped the economic slump. A market analysis by Global Golf Advisors, commissioned by the city, found Hamilton’s courses have “experienced declining demand” since 2010.

The consultants urged the city to increase the rounds, while instituting a “flexible fee structure” program. By adopting the new structure, the city could increase the number of rounds by 37 per cent, or 24,000 rounds per season at all three golf courses, while also boosting revenue to about $600,000.

City staff agreed Hamilton is taking a unique approach reducing prices in the hope it will increase the number of rounds golfers play each year.

The proposed green fees for the Beddoe course would be reduced from $44.25 per round from Monday to Thursday to $33.06, while on weekends and holidays, a round would cost $44.26 rather than $48.67. The Martin course would see green fees dip from $30.09 from Monday to Thursday to $28.20, and $35.40 to $33.83 on weekends and holidays. Twilight rounds would also see a reduction in green fees. Seniors would get a break for both 18 and nine hole rounds.

The city will be cutting golf memberships for the Beddoe and Martin courses, and slight reductions  in advantage packs prices. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)