smart phones – mackaycartoons

Saturday January 6, 2024

January 6, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 6, 2024

The Perpetual Struggle: Canadians Trapped in the Telecom Dilemma

March 19, 2021

Canadians find themselves caught in a never-ending battle against the perennial rise of telecom bills, a reality starkly evident in the recent moves by major providers such as Rogers and Bell to increase the costs of wireless phone plans. Despite promises and policy directions from government officials like Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, the burden on consumers persists.

Champagne’s recent statement to CBC News highlights the dichotomy between promises to lower prices and the harsh reality faced by Canadians. While some progress has been made, the perpetual state of high telecom bills remains an enduring challenge, leaving citizens with little relief.

News: Telecom services still too expensive, industry minister says

September 4, 2013

The conditions attached to Rogers’s merger with Shaw Communications, including promises to reduce costs for customers, appear to be mere words on paper as the planned price hikes contradict the direction set by the government. The long-anticipated deal, surrounded by regulatory hurdles, now seems more like a missed opportunity to address the issues of decreased competition and rising costs.

The plea for telecom companies to prioritize customers over profits, though admirable, falls on deaf ears as demonstrated by the recent actions of Rogers and Bell. The so-called “disciplinary intervention” suggested by Vass Bednar only adds insult to injury, forcing customers with flexible contracts to lock into plans to avoid further price increases.

July 12, 2022

The lack of alternatives for dissatisfied customers underscores the systemic issues in how telecommunications companies operate in Canada. Bednar’s wry comment on this being a part of our heritage sheds light on the unfortunate reality Canadians face—an entrenched structure that limits competition and encourages major players to raise prices at will.

The stranglehold of the big three wireless providers—Rogers, Bell, and Telus—over the physical infrastructure further diminishes the hopes of consumers seeking affordable options. As Canadians grapple with some of the highest telecom bills globally, it’s clear that structural problems and regulations against foreign ownership contribute to this perpetual struggle.

Professor David Soberman’s insight into the international landscape highlights a glaring truth: countries with more competitive mobile phone rates thrive without the impediments faced by the Canadian telecom market. It’s time for policymakers to revisit regulations, break down barriers, and truly prioritize the affordability and rights of Canadian consumers over the perpetual interests of telecom giants. Until then, the struggle against high telecom bills remains an enduring Canadian saga. (AI)

Thursday March 25, 2021

April 1, 2021 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 25, 2021

There will ‘absolutely’ be queue jumping for Ontario COVID-19 vaccines in Phase 2, task force member says

A member of Ontario’s vaccine task force says that there will “absolutely” be some people jumping the line for COVID-19 vaccines in the second phase of the province’s rollout but he says the issue can be at least partly mitigated by having more family doctors administer shots.

March 4, 2021

The Doug Ford government has said that it will prioritize nearly three million people with pre-existing conditions as part of the next phase of its vaccine rollout but it has released few details on how it will identify those people and verify their medical history.

That has led to some concerns about queue-jumping, which could ultimately mean that the people most at risk of a severe outcome from COVID-19 have to wait longer for their shots.

“Listen it is not going to be perfect. Even if we have primary care expanded and in their clinics vaccinating individuals where they know their patients and they know who would be a good candidate for the first part of phase two and the second part of phase two that doesn’t fully solve this problem,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Issac Bogoch, who sits on Ontario’s vaccine task force, told CP24 on Tuesday morning. “There will be some honour system and you know what this isn’t perfect. There will be some people who jump the line, there will be, there absolutely will be. This is going to be a challenging thing to police.”

The Ford government has provided a list of 24 health conditions that would qualify residents for vaccines ahead of the general public and has broken them up into three categories – highest risk, high risk and at-risk.

Bogoch said that he doesn’t believe the issue of queue jumping will be a significant problem for the province, especially given the fact that the vaccines themselves will become a much less “limited resource” in the coming months.

But he said that the government will have to find some better ways to verify medical conditions and may have to “rely on peoples goodwill to wait their turn for vaccination” to a certain extent, as well.

“It is being billed as an 11 out of 10 problem when it probably is a two or three out of 10 problem,” he said. (CTV)

Wednesday June 26, 2019

June 26, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

June 26, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 26, 2019

Get ready for disinformation in election season

Were you among the Ontarians who received a text this weekend asking if you agree the federal carbon tax needs to be scrapped?

September 17, 2015

If so, you’re in good company. We don’t know how many got the text, purporting to be from Sue with a group called Ontario Strong. Could be a few hundred, could be thousands.

If you responded, chances are you were used. Indications are this was an attempt to identify anti-carbon tax voters so they can be lobbied in the coming election.

What’s wrong with that? For one thing that declaration wasn’t made. There was no attributing information on the text other than Ontario Strong. The group is little known and no credible political or lobbying group wants to be identified as being involved. There is no contact information. No information as to what Ontario Strong is about.

Speculation is that it is tied somehow to conservative interests that want to see the Trudeau Liberals defeated. But the usual suspects deny involvement.

August 1, 2013

Welcome to the summer election campaign. It may not be official yet, but it’s real nonetheless. And there is every reason to believe fake news and trickery like this will become more and more common in the weeks and months leading up to the formal campaign.

There are rules regulating this sort of shady political advocacy. After June 30 anyone spending more than $500 is supposed to register with Elections Canada as a third party lobbyist, adhere to stated spending limits and disclose who they are, what they stand for and, eventually, where they get their money.

Well established lobby groups — Shaping Canada’s Future is one on the conservative side while Engage Canada is on the other side — will follow the rules. But many others, some little more than a zealot in his basement and others with more sophisticated infrastructure, probably won’t. And their messages will be out there. On social media. On quickly assembled websites. In texts and emails.

June 12, 2019

CBC journalists and researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab recently reported on how a disinformation campaign, which is believed to have originated in Iran, tried to get Canadian media outlets to amplify fake news. It worked in at least one case.

Reuters reported a fake story which said that six Arab countries had asked FIFA to prevent Qatar from hosting the 2022 World Cup. Global News picked up the story and gave it new legs with a national audience. Global later corrected the story.

The Iranian scammers also tried to drum up attention for a fake story claiming the CIA had backed a failed coup in Turkey.

Canadians, including thousands of Twitter users, were among the targets of this disinformation. While the subjects involved may not be relevant to average citizens, they will become more so as the election campaigns ramps up.

Politically motivated misinformation and fake news are not some distant threat. Like climate change, they’re happening right here and now. Just as we’re seeing first hand what damage climate change can bring, we’re seeing fake news in action. Our only protection is education and awareness. (Hamilton Spectator)

UPDATE: Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay – Monday March 24, 2025

The 2025 Canadian election faces unprecedented foreign interference threats, notably from the US, leveraging social media to manipulate voter sentiment.

The Looming Threat of Foreign Interference in Canada’s 2025 Election

March 24, 2025

As Canada prepares for its 2025 federal election, an unsettling cloud of foreign interference casts a shadow over what should be a democratic process free from external manipulation. Historically, Canada has been vigilant about interference from the usual suspects such as China, Russia, and other state actors. However, the current landscape demands that we broaden our focus to include new, unexpected sources of potential disruption.

Recent discussions and reports have raised alarms about the possibility of interference from an unlikely but powerful source: our neighbours to the south. Under President Donald Trump, the United States has not shied away from using its influence to sway public opinion and political outcomes in other countries. Trump’s administration has made no secret of its ambitions to bring Canada closer, even as far as making it the so-called “51st state.”

News: The U.S. has covertly destabilized nations. With Canada, it’s being done in public

The manipulation does not stop at political rhetoric. With tech moguls like Elon Musk at the helm of platforms like X, and Meta’s pervasive reach, the means to disseminate misinformation and influence Canadian voters are unprecedented. These platforms have become tools for amplifying divisive messages and shaping political narratives in ways that could undermine the electoral process.

The potential for manipulation via social media is a significant concern. Platforms can target young and economically vulnerable Canadians, swaying them with promises of economic stability under American influence, a tactic that has been hinted at in recent intelligence reports. With Musk’s known political leanings and the Trump administration’s aggressive stance, the risk of a coordinated effort to destabilize Canada’s election is high.

This is not just speculation. Reader comments and public discussions reflect a growing awareness and anxiety about the influence of American politics on Canada’s democratic process. The fear is not unfounded, as seen in the fallout from Trump’s reverse endorsement tactics, which have already impacted Canadian political dynamics.

A cartoon from 2019, once a quaint depiction of the dangers of disinformation, seems almost naive compared to the sophisticated and potentially devastating interference we face today. The stakes are higher, the tactics more insidious, and the potential consequences more severe.

Opinion: Trump and Poilievre’s Fake Carney Endorsement Just Nuked Pierre’s Campaign

As we approach the election, it is imperative for Canadian voters to remain vigilant. Awareness and scepticism are our first lines of defence against foreign manipulation. We must demand transparency from our leaders and accountability from the platforms that shape our public discourse.

The integrity of our election and the future of our democracy depend on our ability to recognize and resist these foreign influences. Canada must stand firm, informed, and resilient against the tide of interference that threatens the core of our democratic values.

This editorial cartoon was originally published June 26, 2019

Wednesday March 13, 2019

March 20, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 13, 2019

Ontario to ban cellphones from classrooms starting next school year

Ontario students will no longer be able to use their cellphones in the classroom next September, as Premier Doug Ford makes good on a populist campaign promise.

August 24, 2018

CTV News Toronto has confirmed that the Ministry of Education will change the code of conduct for students and teachers, implementing a ban on smartphone use during class time but allowing local school boards to decide how to enforce the new rules.

“Ontario’s students need to be able to focus on their learning – not their cellphones,” Education Minister Lisa Thompson said in a statement.

“By banning cellphone use that distracts from learning, we are helping students to focus on acquiring the foundational skills they need like reading, writing and math.”

The new student code of conduct is expected to have strict guidelines for cellphone use, including preventing students from placing their phones face-down on desks, even with the ringer set to silent.

September 3, 2013

Students would be allowed to bring their phones into the classroom, the government said, but usage would be reserved for educational and emergency situations.

“Obviously for emergency purposes, for medical purposes and for specific courses that require technological platforms – they’d be permissible,” Progressive Conservative MPP Stephen Lecce told CTV News Toronto.

The government said teachers and parents overwhelmingly supported banning cellphone use during telephone town halls and surveys conducted last fall, in which 97 per cent of the 35,000 respondents advocated for the move.

Among the feedback sent to the ministry of education, educators complained that phones were not only a distraction but that students were also using them to cheat and share unflattering photographs of teachers on social media.

September 17, 2010

Ministry of education officials, speaking on background, said students wouldn’t be expected to lock up their phones and while enforcement will be difficult, it will be left up to school boards.

“Parents deserve to know it, students deserve to know it for their own protection, and to be fair, educators want how they’re going to have that enforceability,” Lecce said.

While Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner agrees that cellphones can be a distraction, he is critical of what he describes as the government’s “top-down regulation” approach.

“The Ford government is just duplicating powers that educators already have to control cellphone use in their classrooms. Instead of empowering schools to create reasonable cell phone use policies, Ford is promising a province-wide ban that is impossible to enforce,” Schreiner said in a statement. (Source: CTV News)