Santa Claus

Wednesday December 18, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 18, 2019

Tory ‘optimistic’ about Ford government transit funding despite Hamilton LRT cancellation

October 20, 2018

Mayor John Tory says he’s “optimistic” Toronto’s transit expansion projects will move forward with support from the province despite the Doug Ford government’s abrupt move to cancel funding for an LRT line in downtown Hamilton.

Tory said Tuesday morning that he spoke with the premier about the suite of new transit projects planned for Toronto as recently as this weekend.

“I can, for the moment … say that the premier is as committed as I am to move forward, to get that transit built,” Tory told reporters, calling Ford’s dedication to the projects “absolute.”

In October, the city and the province agreed on a plan that would see Queen’s Park handle the capital costs of building four major transit initiatives, including the nearly 15-km Ontario Line; a three-stop Scarborough subway extension; an expansion of Line 1 north to Richmond Hill and a westward extension of the Eglinton Crosstown.

April 7, 2018

The projects are currently estimated to cost about $28.5 billion, with funding from all three levels government — though Toronto’s City Manager Chris Murray recently warned those costs could easily balloon as details are nailed down.

There are also ongoing projects not included in the newest expansion that require buy-in from the province, such as the Finch West LRT, which is in the early stages of construction.

Caroline Mulroney, Ontario’s transportation minister, blamed the previous Liberal government for the decision to stop the project. She told CBC Toronto on Monday that a third-party analysis found the project would cost several times more than the $1 billion the Liberals had estimated.

She later admitted, under questioning from reporters, that the current government had included 30 years worth of operating and maintenance expenses in its re-assessment of the project’s cost.

In an email to CBC Toronto on Tuesday, Callum Elder, spokesperson for Ontario’s transportation ministry, said Toronto residents should have confidence that the province will uphold its funding commitments for transit projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. (CBC)

Ontario, Hamilton, LRT, transit, Christmas, stocking, fireplace, Doug Ford, Santa Claus

Wednesday December 4, 2019

December 4, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 4, 2019

Trump calls Trudeau ‘two-faced’ after candid video

April 11, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “two-faced” after a video went viral of the Canadian leader apparently speaking candidly to other world leaders about Trump.

“Well he’s two-faced,” the president said on Wednesday, when asked about the conversation in which Trudeau seemed to make reference to the president’s lengthy, unplanned media availability the day before.

Trump went on to speculate about Trudeau’s motivation for engaging in the gossip – namely, Canada’s failure to meet the recommended defence spending target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product.

June 9, 2018

“Trudeau, he’s a nice guy. I find him to be a nice guy, but the truth is, I called him out on the fact that he’s not paying 2 per cent, and I guess he’s not very happy about it. I mean, you were there. A couple of you were there,” Trump told reporters.

“He should be paying more than he’s paying. And he understands it. So I can imagine he’s not that happy. But that’s the way it is.”

In the video, Trudeau was speaking to French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Princess Anne, daughter of the Queen.

February 9, 2016

The video, which was shot during a reception at Buckingham Palace late Tuesday, shows Johnson asking Macron why he was late. In response, Trudeau quips, “he was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top.”

Though the president is never mentioned by name, Trump had taken multiple questions from journalists during an unscheduled news conference ahead of meetings with Trudeau, Macron, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

July 12, 2018

Trudeau went on to say, without a clear context, that “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”

The gossiping and name-calling comes in stark contrast to the mood between the two world leaders yesterday, when Trump said of Trudeau that it was “an honour to be with a friend,” and touted their “very good relationship.”

The prime minister echoed Trump’s sentiments, saying the relationship between Canada and the United States is “is incredibly strong, I don’t think it’s ever been stronger.” (CTV News) 

 

Wednesday December 19, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 19, 2018

December 19, 2018

What you should know about Canada’s new impaired driving laws

Canada’s new impaired driving laws come into force this week, and they change both what officers can ask for and what you can be charged with. 

But the core message from police remains the same: if you’re driving, don’t drink or consume cannabis. And if you’re going to do either, plan for another way home. 

August 13, 2018

“The big message is, there’s no change to the general public. Impaired driving, in all its forms, is illegal,” said Sgt. Sean Harding, the head of the London police traffic management unit. 

“It’s against the law to drink and drive and it’s against the law to consume drugs and drive. We need to make sure drivers have a plan to get home. If you plan on driving, if you plan on consuming, don’t plan on driving.” 

The stricter impaired driving laws come into effect on Tuesday. 

They allow officers to demand a breathalyzer test from any driver, even one who is not suspected of impaired driving. Until now, police had to have a reasonable suspicion of impaired driving if they wanted to demand a breathalyzer test. 

Some lawyers think the new laws violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. ‘

February 27, 2014

The new laws also increase the financial penalties for impaired driving and may introduce new “hybrid” charges that deal with drunk-and-stoned drivers. 

“Are people getting the message? To say that people don’t know the rules, you can’t do that. The messaging is everywhere. There’s just a core group of people that make poor choices,” said Harding. 

“We’re still going to be out there, on the streets, looking for impaired drivers.” 

London police stop 20,000 vehicles annually and lay about 400 impaired driving charges. (Source: CBC) 

Tuesday December 18, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 18, 2018

Ford government cuts funding to Ontario Arts Council, impacting Indigenous Culture Fund

The Ontario government has slashed base funding to the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) by $5 million, as well as more than $2 million to the Indigenous Culture Fund.

December 11, 2018

The agency that gives grants and services to Ontario-based artists and arts organizations said base funding for 2018-19 will drop from $69.9 million to the 2017-18 level of $64.9 million.

Ontario NDP culture critic Jill Andrew said the cuts include suspending the Indigenous Culture Fund at a cost of $2.25 million, an initiative set up a year ago to support cultural activities and programming in Indigenous communities.

“The government’s cut of $2.25 million to the Indigenous Culture Fund at the Ontario Arts Council is a disturbing step back from the TRC’s Calls to Action,” Andrew said in a tweet.

“This and the $5 million cut to @ONArtsCouncil’s base funding is an alarming attack on arts and culture.”

The Indigenous Culture Fund was set up by the previous Liberal government in 2017 with an investment of $5 million annually.

The fund was part of the province’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).

“Doug Ford’s cuts will cause the layoff of Indigenous staff, immediate cuts to granting budgets, and a significant cut to arts and cultural programming,” Andrew said in a media release on Friday. (Source: Global News) 

 

Tuesday December 4, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 4, 2018

Donald Trump threatens to kill NAFTA in push for Congress to approve new trade deal

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the United States from NAFTA “in the not-too-distant future” in a hardball attempt to pressure Congress into voting to approve his new agreement with Canada and Mexico. 

November 30, 2018

The original North American Free Trade Agreement would otherwise remain in place if Congress rejected or delayed the new agreement, which Trump calls the USMCA and Canada calls CUSMA or “the new NAFTA.” A Trump withdrawal would give Congress a take-it-or-leave-it choice between the new agreement — which is highly similar to the original — and no agreement at all.

The new agreement has been criticized on various grounds by both Democrats and Republicans, leaving its prospects for passage uncertain. The Democrats, who will take control of the House of Representatives in January, have made clear that they do not plan to approve the deal any time soon.

Trump’s announcement late Saturday introduced new uncertainty into the continental trading relationship just a day after the leaders of the three countries held a signing ceremony for the new agreement, at which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the agreement “lifts the risks of serious economic uncertainty” that hovered over the negotiations themselves. Trump’s words suggested the state of bilateral trade will remain uncertain as long as the president is in office.

November 12, 2018

Advocates of free trade say a withdrawal would be a foolish gamble with the American economy. Trump has said he doesn’t see it that way, since he believes the economy was stronger without NAFTA than it is with it.

“Congress will have a choice of the USMCA or pre-NAFTA, which worked very well,”  Trump told reporters on the flight back from the G20 summit in Argentina.

“Congress will have a choice of approving the USMCA, which is a phenomenal deal. Much, much better than NAFTA. A great deal, ” he said. He again described NAFTA as a “disaster,” although the new deal he calls “incredible” retains almost all of NAFTA’ s central features while making a smattering of substantial changes.

The Canadian government declined to comment on the record. An official said on condition of anonymity, “ We are focused on our domestic ratification process and not a process that is internal to the U.S.” 

September 6, 2018

Trump’s announcement is likely to displease businesses across the continent, which have hailed the new agreement for preserving tariff-free North American trade and for allowing them to make investment plans with some degree of confidence that the rules will not soon change.

It is unclear whether Trump has the power to actually withdraw the U.S. from NAFTA. Some experts say he does, some say he doesn’t. The move would undoubtedly be challenged in U.S. courts, which have not yet weighed in on the question.

A Canadian government official told the Star last year that they have concluded “there’s a pretty good chance that he could just do this.” The official said the government also believed the old Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which preceded NAFTA, would snap back into force if he did.

June 6, 2018

Others say it would not be so simple.

It is also unclear whether Trump will indeed proceed. Trump has repeatedly delivered trade threats he has not carried out, and his aides — joined by Trudeau — have talked him out of withdrawing from NAFTA before. He has sometimes appeared to use harsh trade rhetoric primarily to appeal to parts of his political base, and his tough talk on Saturday came immediately after he announced that he had taken a conciliatory stance in a trade meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, postponing a plan to increase tariffs on Chinese products. (Source: Toronto Star)