security

Monday May 28, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Monday May 28, 2012

EI Reform Arrives

Proposed changes to Employment Insurance will divide claimants into three categories:

• Long-tenured workers who have paid into the EI system for the past seven of 10 years and who, over the last five years, have collected EI or fishing benefits for 35 weeks or less.

• Frequent claimants who have had three or more claims for regular or fishing benefits and collected benefits for a total of more than 60 weeks in the past five years.

• Occasional claimants would be all other claimants.

The changes will hit each group separately. Long-tenured workers will be given more time to find a job in their usual occupation and at a similar wage (starting at 90 per cent of previous hourly wage.) After 18 weeks on EI benefits, long-tenured workers would be required to expand their search to jobs similar to the one they normally perform and to accept wages starting at 80 per cent of their previous hourly wage.

Frequent claimants would be required to expand their job search to jobs similar to the one they normally perform at the onset of their EI claim (one to six weeks) and accept wages starting at 80 per cent of their previous hourly wage. After receiving benefits for seven weeks, they would be required to accept any work they are qualified to perform (with training, if required) and to accept wages starting at 70 per cent of their previous hourly wage.

Occasional claimants could limit their job search to their usual occupation and wage (at least 90 per cent of previous hourly wage) for the first six weeks of their claim. After that, they would be required to expand their search to jobs similar to the work they normally perform with wages at 80 per cent of previous earnings. (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

Thursday December 8, 2011

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday December 8, 2011 Canada-U.S. border agreement signed Amid the manifold distractions of an American presidential election year, much of the perimeter-security agreement between the United States and Canada, announced by Stephen Harper and Barack Obama in Washington on Wednesday, may be difficult to implement promptly. But one important element of the agreement that is directly connected to security Ð the sharing of data on who has entered or exited one of the two countries Ð ought to be put into effect, sooner rather than later. The Americans have a particularly well-founded eagerness to prevent the entry of terrorists into their country Ð and of more ordinary criminals, too. Consequently, the U.S. government was resolved to include the entry-exit system in the border agreement. In fact, terrorists have never favoured the Canadian border as an entry point into the U.S. But the data sharing will be valuable to Canada, too, not only for its own security, but also on other matters. At present, the federal government knows little about departures from Canada that affect the functioning of the immigration system. For one thing, there is no reliable way of knowing whether unsuccessful refugee claimants have done the right thing and left the country, or whether they have continued to live in Canada, hoping to avoid deportation Ð an outcome for which the odds are good. As for permanent residents of Canada who wish to become citizens, the government has no way of verifying whether they have stayed in the country for the required amount of time. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a significant number of citizenship applicants have had a tenuous presence in Canada Ð that they have not truly settled here and put down roots. The new system will be a great help to Canada in keeping track of all this. (Source: Globe & Mail) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/canada-us-border-agreement-a-good-thing/article418

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday December 8, 2011

Canada-U.S. border agreement signed

Amid the manifold distractions of an American presidential election year, much of the perimeter-security agreement between the United States and Canada, announced by Stephen Harper and Barack Obama in Washington on Wednesday, may be difficult to implement promptly. But one important element of the agreement that is directly connected to security – the sharing of data on who has entered or exited one of the two countries – ought to be put into effect, sooner rather than later.

The Americans have a particularly well-founded eagerness to prevent the entry of terrorists into their country – and of more ordinary criminals, too. Consequently, the U.S. government was resolved to include the entry-exit system in the border agreement. In fact, terrorists have never favoured the Canadian border as an entry point into the U.S. But the data sharing will be valuable to Canada, too, not only for its own security, but also on other matters.

At present, the federal government knows little about departures from Canada that affect the functioning of the immigration system. For one thing, there is no reliable way of knowing whether unsuccessful refugee claimants have done the right thing and left the country, or whether they have continued to live in Canada, hoping to avoid deportation – an outcome for which the odds are good.

As for permanent residents of Canada who wish to become citizens, the government has no way of verifying whether they have stayed in the country for the required amount of time. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a significant number of citizenship applicants have had a tenuous presence in Canada – that they have not truly settled here and put down roots. The new system will be a great help to Canada in keeping track of all this. (Source: Globe & Mail)

 

Thursday March 1, 2007

March 1, 2007

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 1, 2007

Terror vote fails as Dion reins in Liberals

Two controversial measures in the federal Anti-Terrorism Act will disappear from the law books after a vote last night in the House of Commons that marked the first major political test for Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion.

In a vote of 159 to 124, the combined opposition defeated a Conservative minority government motion that would have renewed the extraordinary legal powers of authorities to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects.

The Liberal caucus was deeply divided on the issue as recently as last week. But by the time of last night’s vote, only one Liberal — Tom Wappell — abandoned Mr. Dion and voted with the Conservatives.

Former Liberal justice minister Irwin Cotler abstained, and a dozen other Liberals were absent, some for health reasons.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Mr. Dion had to force his caucus into line, thus putting internal party politics ahead of national security.

Mr. Harper said the failure of the renewal motion is not the end of the matter, suggesting the government might introduce fresh legislation.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said “the government will get to work … to protect Canadians” by fashioning new tools to combat terrorism. He did not specify what the government intends to do.

Mr. Day once again hammered Mr. Dion for “this very distressing flip-flop.” The New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois have long opposed the renewal. But the Liberals took most of the political heat from the Conservatives.

Sensing an opportunity to drive a wedge between Mr. Dion and some of his caucus members, Mr. Harper last week called the Liberal Leader “soft on terrorism.”

The Prime Minister’s tone did not change Tuesday. He said Mr. Dion “denigrates the police in this country.” The Liberal Leader, meanwhile, said he was taking a principled stand in defence of human rights. (Source: Globe & Mail) 

Commentary

Thursday, January 10, 2002

Monday, February 17, 2014By Graeme MacKay – Monday, February 17, 2014

(Coloured version of cartoon that ran in the Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, January 10, 2002)

Hamilton Begins Camera Surveillance

Hamilton police are putting controversial video surveillance cameras into public areas of the downtown in a move they say will help prevent crime. Six closed-circuit television cameras are expected to be in operation by the end of March, initially covering public areas from James to Walnut streets.

The cameras will be controlled and monitored live from the central police station. They will also record all street activity on digital tape, 24 hours a day. Tapes will be kept, likely for 60 days, for possible use in following up a crime.

The pilot project will see Hamilton join a growing list of cities using surveillance cams against street crime.

No biometrics — such as face scans or other new technologies — will be used.

And police say the cameras will not breach privacy rights, despite a ruling in October by Canada’s privacy commissioner over public cameras used by the RCMP in Kelowna, B.C.

The 24-hour videotaping of Kelowna’s high-crime district stopped after privacy Commissioner George Radwanski ruled police have no right to do random round-the-clock surveillance of law-abiding citizens in public. (Original Source)

Thursday September 13, 2001

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday September 13, 2001 The World Goes on High Alert The French air force went on highest alert, with pilots at the ready in their jets. Governments across Europe sent troops to guard airports, train stations, border posts and nuclear plants. Commercial flights over London were banned and in Athens, security plansÊfor the 2004 Olympics were being reviewed. The devastating terror attacks on the United States occurred oceans away, but they sent shudders throughout the world - of sympathy but also fear. ``We are all Americans,'' wrote the French newspaper Le Monde.Ê Many wondered how they could ever feel safe, if the mighty United States could be harmed so swiftly and drastically. ``Why couldn't it happen here?'' asked Daniel Cohen, who works at a dry cleaner in a posh sector of Paris. ``Here, Japan or anywhere thatÊcrazy people want to attack.''Ê As far off as Asia, special security forces and soldiers with bomb-sniffing dogs patrolled government buildings and airports, and international schools canceled classes Wednesday. Thousands were evacuated from the world's tallest buildings, the Petronas TwinÊTowers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a bomb scare.Ê In Germany, the Foreign Ministry was evacuated in a similar scare and threats targeted the tallest building in Frankfurt, the Messeturm. In London, journalists were ordered out of the prime minister's office during a brief security alert.Ê While all those threats appeared baseless, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta warned that terrorists might be planning a strike against American interests in Indonesia. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) This cartoon was updated and colourized for December 1, 2016. USA, maps, wall, isolationism, isolationist, terrorism, security, America, 9/11

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 13, 2001

The World Goes on High Alert

The French air force went on highest alert, with pilots at the ready in their jets. Governments across Europe sent troops to guard airports, train stations, border posts and nuclear plants. Commercial flights over London were banned and in Athens, security plans for the 2004 Olympics were being reviewed.

The devastating terror attacks on the United States occurred oceans away, but they sent shudders throughout the world – of sympathy but also fear. “We are all Americans,” wrote the French newspaper Le Monde.

Many wondered how they could ever feel safe, if the mighty United States could be harmed so swiftly and drastically. “Why couldn’t it happen here?” asked Daniel Cohen, who works at a dry cleaner in a posh sector of Paris. “Here, Japan or anywhere that crazy people want to attack.”

As far off as Asia, special security forces and soldiers with bomb-sniffing dogs patrolled government buildings and airports, and international schools canceled classes Wednesday. Thousands were evacuated from the world’s tallest buildings, the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in a bomb scare.

In Germany, the Foreign Ministry was evacuated in a similar scare and threats targeted the tallest building in Frankfurt, the Messeturm. In London, journalists were ordered out of the prime minister’s office during a brief security alert.

While all those threats appeared baseless, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta warned that terrorists might be planning a strike against American interests in Indonesia. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

This cartoon was updated and colourized for December 1, 2016.