reform

Wednesday August 8, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 8, 2018

Saudi Arabia expels Canadian ambassador, freezes trade in human rights dispute

April 14, 2016

Saudi Arabia said Sunday it is ordering Canada’s ambassador to leave the country and freezing all new trade and investment transactions with Canada in a spat over human rights.

“We consider the Canadian ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia persona non grata and order him to leave within the next 24 hours, ” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said on Twitter. And the ministry said Saudi Arabia is recalling its ambassador to Canada in a dispute that appears to be over a tweet from Global Affairs Canada.

“Canada is gravely concerned about additional arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia, including Samar Badawi.

“We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful human rights activists, ” the Canadian tweet said on Friday.

March 31, 2016

The Saudi foreign ministry called the use of “immediately release” in the tweet “unfortunate, reprehensible, and unacceptable in relations between states.”

It called Canada’s characterization of the activists “an incorrect claim” and called Canada’s attitude “surprising.”

“Any other attempt to interfere with our internal affairs from Canada, means that we are allowed to interfere in Canada’s internal affairs, ” it said.

Global Affairs Canada said it was aware of the issue.

Saudi Arabia also said it was freezing all new trade and investment transactions with Canada .

It said that it will not accept any form of interference in its internal affairs and considers the Canadian position “an attack” requiring a firm stance to deter “attempts to undermine the sovereignty of the KSA.” (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

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Saturday February 4, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday February 4, 2017

In light of Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau is clearing the decks.

The prime minister is ditching complicated and politically difficult aspects of his agenda in order to focus on the mercurial U.S. President.

February 2, 2017

That’s the context for Trudeau’s dramatic about-face this week on electoral reform.

It also helps explain why he put the kibosh Wednesday to suggestions the government might tax employee health and dental benefits.

In that case, he publicly undercut Finance Minister Bill Morneau who, in his review of pricey tax breaks, has been deliberately noncommittal about such a move.

A political fight over a popular tax break is the last thing the Liberal government wants now.

Nor, apparently, does it want to spend time and energy on an issue, like electoral reform, that polls suggest most Canadians don’t much care about.

January 11, 2016

Ottawa has always been sensitive to political ebbs and flows in the U.S. During the 2015 election campaign that brought him to power, Trudeau promised to be even more Washington-focused.

But Trump’s election victory has presented Canada’s government with a host of new problems.

First and foremost is the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump’s insistence on a renegotiation of that pact could, in the short run at least, devastate portions of the Canadian economy.

As well, Trump’s ambitious public works promises, if affected, could put upward pressure on interest rates. That in turn could raise the cost of Trudeau’s proposed public investments.

Trump is also musing about a 20 per cent border adjustment tax on exports to the U.S., including, presumably, exports from Canada.

His decision to ban citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. threw Ottawa into a tizzy, one that was only partially resolved when the Americans agreed to exempt dual nationals holding Canadian passports. (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

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) 

 

Friday December 2, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday December 2, 2016 Liberal MPs recommend breaking electoral reform promise Liberal MPs are recommending the government break its promise to overhaul CanadaÕs electoral system by 2019. An all-party committee report released Thursday recommended giving Canadians a choice between the status quo and a new, more proportional voting system in a nationwide referendum. But the Liberals on the committee dissented from that report, saying the timeline set by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is too Òrushed,Ó and the recommendations of the committee too Òradical.Ó ÒWe believe Canadians are far from being adequately engaged with the electoral reform discussion,Ó their dissenting report reads. ÒOur position is that the timeline on electoral reform as proposed in the (report) is unnecessarily hasty and runs the risk of undermining the legitimacy of the process by racing towards a predetermined deadline.Ó Trudeau promised during last yearÕs election campaign that Ò2015 (would be) the last election under first-past-the-post,Ó a system that critics argue distorts the popular vote. The last two majority governments, for instance, were elected with less than 40 per cent of the popular vote. It took months, however, for the government to strike an all-party committee to begin studying the issue. And in May, Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef changed the promise, pledging electoral reform only with Òbroad supportÓ from the public. What constitutes Òbroad supportÓ has still not been defined. But in their report, the Liberals simply say not enough Canadians are engaged on the matter to move ahead with a new system for 2019. It will be up to Trudeau and the Liberals to either accept their MPs recommendations, or to push ahead with their promise. (Source: Toronto Star) https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/01/liberal-mps-recommend-breaking-electoral-reform-promise.html Canada, electoral, reform, votin

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 2, 2016

Liberal MPs recommend breaking electoral reform promise

Liberal MPs are recommending the government break its promise to overhaul Canada’s electoral system by 2019.

An all-party committee report released Thursday recommended giving Canadians a choice between the status quo and a new, more proportional voting system in a nationwide referendum.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday October 21, 2016 Is Trudeau jockeying to avoid fulfilling promise on electoral reform? Is Justin Trudeau laying the groundwork for reneging on his promise to make the 2015 federal election the last to be conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system? Or is the prime minister trying to drive a hard bargain with the NDP and Greens to abandon their own ambitious preference for a proportional voting system and settle for a more modest change to a ranked ballot system? Those questions were touched off Wednesday by an interview Trudeau gave to MontrealÕs Le Devoir newspaper. In it, Trudeau said major electoral reforms would require ÒsubstantialÓ support. But he simultaneously argued that the public clamour for change seems to have diminished since the Liberals defeated Stephen HarperÕs Conservatives one year ago. ÒUnder the current system, (Canadians) now have a government theyÕre more satisfied with and the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling,Ó he said. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took that as clear evidence that Trudeau is preparing to break his promise on electoral reform. ÒI do believe that Mr. Trudeau is showing the type of cynicism that he used to always decry when he was in opposition,Ó Mulcair said. ÒWhat could be more cynical that to say, ÔYou know what? This is a totally unfair system because it allowed Stephen Harper to get a massive majority with only 39 per cent of the vote,Õ and then, exactly one year later, say, ÒOh, but by the way, itÕs a darn good system because it allowed Justin Trudeau to get a massive majority with just 39 per cent of the vote.ÕÓ (Source: Toronto Star)Êhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/10/19/is-trudeau-jockeying-to-avoid-fulfilling-promise-on-electoral-reform.html Canada, Justin Trudeau, Thomas Mulcair, electoral reform, election, reform, electoral, torch, promise

 October 21, 2016

But the Liberals on the committee dissented from that report, saying the timeline set by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is too “rushed,” and the recommendations of the committee too “radical.”

“We believe Canadians are far from being adequately engaged with the electoral reform discussion,” their dissenting report reads.

“Our position is that the timeline on electoral reform as proposed in the (report) is unnecessarily hasty and runs the risk of undermining the legitimacy of the process by racing towards a predetermined deadline.”

Trudeau promised during last year’s election campaign that “2015 (would be) the last election under first-past-the-post,” a system that critics argue distorts the popular vote. The last two majority governments, for instance, were elected with less than 40 per cent of the popular vote.

It took months, however, for the government to strike an all-party committee to begin studying the issue. And in May, Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef changed the promise, pledging electoral reform only with “broad support” from the public.

What constitutes “broad support” has still not been defined. But in their report, the Liberals simply say not enough Canadians are engaged on the matter to move ahead with a new system for 2019.

It will be up to Trudeau and the Liberals to either accept their MPs recommendations, or to push ahead with their promise. (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Friday October 21, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday October 21, 2016 Is Trudeau jockeying to avoid fulfilling promise on electoral reform? Is Justin Trudeau laying the groundwork for reneging on his promise to make the 2015 federal election the last to be conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system? Or is the prime minister trying to drive a hard bargain with the NDP and Greens to abandon their own ambitious preference for a proportional voting system and settle for a more modest change to a ranked ballot system? Those questions were touched off Wednesday by an interview Trudeau gave to MontrealÕs Le Devoir newspaper. In it, Trudeau said major electoral reforms would require ÒsubstantialÓ support. But he simultaneously argued that the public clamour for change seems to have diminished since the Liberals defeated Stephen HarperÕs Conservatives one year ago. ÒUnder the current system, (Canadians) now have a government theyÕre more satisfied with and the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling,Ó he said. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took that as clear evidence that Trudeau is preparing to break his promise on electoral reform. ÒI do believe that Mr. Trudeau is showing the type of cynicism that he used to always decry when he was in opposition,Ó Mulcair said. ÒWhat could be more cynical that to say, ÔYou know what? This is a totally unfair system because it allowed Stephen Harper to get a massive majority with only 39 per cent of the vote,Õ and then, exactly one year later, say, ÒOh, but by the way, itÕs a darn good system because it allowed Justin Trudeau to get a massive majority with just 39 per cent of the vote.ÕÓ (Source: Toronto Star)Êhttps://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/10/19/is-trudeau-jockeying-to-avoid-fulfilling-promise-on-electoral-reform.html Canada, Justin Trudeau, Thomas Mulcair, electoral reform, election, reform, electoral, torch, promise

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday October 21, 2016

Is Trudeau jockeying to avoid fulfilling promise on electoral reform?

Is Justin Trudeau laying the groundwork for reneging on his promise to make the 2015 federal election the last to be conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system?

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday June 2, 2016 'We can do better': Liberals kick off push to change Canada's voting system Having promised that the last federal campaign will be the last one conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system, the Liberal government is proposing that a special committee study the alternatives and report back to the House of Commons by Dec. 1. A motion to create the committee was unveiled on Tuesday night. Democratic Reform Minister Maryam Monsef and Government House leader Dominic LeBlanc explained their government's plans on Wednesday morning. The committee would consist of 10 voting members: six Liberals, three Conservatives and one New Democrat. One Bloc QuŽbŽcois MP and Green MP Elizabeth May would be members of the committee, but not allowed to vote. "In a multi-party democracy like Canada, first past the post distorts the will of the electorate. It's part of why so many Canadians don't engage in or care about politics," Monsef told reporters. "While there's no such thing as a perfect electoral system, we can do better.Ó The committee would be asked to "identify and conduct a study of viable alternate voting systems, such as preferential ballots and proportional representation, to replace the first-past-the-post system, as well as to examine mandatory voting and online voting.Ó Options would be judged on the basis of five principles: * Effectiveness and legitimacy. * Engagement. * Accessibility and inclusiveness. * Integrity. * Local representation. The committee would invite every MP to conduct a forum on electoral reform in his or her riding and file a report on the discussion by Oct. 1. And the committee itself would conduct a "national engagement process," including written and online submissions. (Source: CBC News)Êhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-electoral-reform-1.3576472 Canada, Justin Trudeau, electoral, election, reform, garage, democracy, voting, ballot, box

June 2, 2016

Or is the prime minister trying to drive a hard bargain with the NDP and Greens to abandon their own ambitious preference for a proportional voting system and settle for a more modest change to a ranked ballot system?

Those questions were touched off Wednesday by an interview Trudeau gave to Montreal’s Le Devoir newspaper.

In it, Trudeau said major electoral reforms would require “substantial” support. But he simultaneously argued that the public clamour for change seems to have diminished since the Liberals defeated Stephen Harper’s Conservatives one year ago.

“Under the current system, (Canadians) now have a government they’re more satisfied with and the motivation to change the electoral system is less compelling,” he said.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took that as clear evidence that Trudeau is preparing to break his promise on electoral reform.

“I do believe that Mr. Trudeau is showing the type of cynicism that he used to always decry when he was in opposition,” Mulcair said.

“What could be more cynical that to say, ‘You know what? This is a totally unfair system because it allowed Stephen Harper to get a massive majority with only 39 per cent of the vote,’ and then, exactly one year later, say, “Oh, but by the way, it’s a darn good system because it allowed Justin Trudeau to get a massive majority with just 39 per cent of the vote.’” (Source: Toronto Star)

The inspiration of much discussion on Reddit. Posted to National Newswatch.

Liberals taking a slippery out

RE: Trudeau wobbling on democratic reform (Oct. 21) Letter to the Editor, Hamilton Spectator Oct 26, 20016

The editorial and the arrogant cartooned caricature depiction of the PM say it all. Throughout his pre-election campaign, Justin Trudeau’s vigorous and repetitive promise to reform the electoral system left absolutely no wiggle room to backtrack. That was then, and now he appears to be sidestepping electoral reform to avoid wading through the dung of his seeming unattainable strategic voter enticement. Fortunately for the Liberals, unanimity being a condition for the all-party committee resolve leaves him and his Liberals a slippery out. All indications point to non-unanimity. All indications point to expectancy that the election of 2015 will not be the last using the first-past-the-post system. After all, the fit of first-past-the-post with a minority 39 per cent popular vote and a majority mandate now suits the prime minister, so why rock the boat?

M.J. Pavlov, Hamilton