society

Thursday March 9, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 9, 2023

Ottawa says special rapporteur on election interference will be named within weeks

As the Trudeau government promises to appoint a special rapporteur within weeks to investigate claims that China meddled in Canada’s last two elections, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is casting doubt on the independence of the new role.

February 25, 2023

On Monday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will name an “eminent” and independent person as a special rapporteur on election interference. He said the special rapporteur “will have a wide mandate and make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy.”

The next day, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the government wants to appoint the special rapporteur in a very short period of time.

“We’re talking about weeks, not months,” he said.

Trudeau said he’s open to consulting with the opposition parties on choosing someone for the role. Poilievre said he was skeptical.

“He could pick someone independent but he won’t,” Poilievre told reporters Tuesday morning.

“He’ll pick another Liberal establishment insider, a real Ottawa insider with some grey hair who looks like a reasonable fellow, but we all know that it will be someone tied to him, tied to the Liberals.”

March 2, 2023

The Conservatives have largely dismissed a recent report highlighting foreign interference observations during the 2021 election. The report was written by Morris Rosenberg, who was appointed to the role by the public service. 

The veteran former public servant also worked as the head of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Poilievre’s party has said that fact makes him not credible.

“[Trudeau is] going to appoint a special rapporteur that will be appointed by him who will come out and say, ‘Oh, everything is fine, let’s move on,'” said Poilievre.

“He wants closed and controlled and we want an open and independent inquiry to make sure it never happens again.”

‘Special rapporteur’ is term often used in the context of the United Nations. Special rapporteurs are are often appointed to conduct fact-finding missions or investigate allegations of human rights violations.

April 24, 2009

During a separate news conference, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said the special rapporteur should be appointed by Parliament, not the prime minister.

NDP House Leader Peter Julian told CBC’s Power & Politics that Monday’s announcement was a baby step and the special rapporteur needs to be “impeccable.”

“It cannot be somebody who is considered partisan and cannot be somebody who is not considered independent from the Liberal government,” he said.

Trudeau said Tuesday he will consider names floated by his political opponents.

“We will of course be open to suggestions that the various parties put forward for names for this independent special rapporteur,” he said during a news conference in Kingston, Ont. (CBC) 

From sketch to finish in 30 seconds, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …

 

Thursday November 2, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 2, 2017

Ontario MPP proposes law to fine distracted pedestrians

A new private member’s bill that would see distracted pedestrians fined up to $50 for crossing the road while using their smartphones was unveiled at Ontario’s Legislature on Monday.

The “Phones Down, Heads Up Act” will be introduced by Toronto MPP Yvan Baker, with a debate set for next March. The representative for Etobicoke Centre, in the city’s west end, said he was prompted to draft the legislation after his constituents raised concerns about the number of pedestrian deaths in Toronto.

In 2016, 42 pedestrians were killed on the city’s streets, the most since 2002.

Baker’s bill would ban people from looking at their phones or electronic devices when crossing roads, with an initial $50 fine for the first offence, $75 for the second and up to $125 for the third. Exceptions would include pedestrians making an emergency call or if they began speaking on the phone before stepping into the crosswalk.

“These fines are modest and are meant to act as a deterrent,” Baker said during a news conference Monday morning. He was joined by Brian Patterson, chief executive of the Ontario Safety League, a group whose work includes pedestrian advocacy. The organization is endorsing the bill.

The legislation would also mandate a ministry of transportation-led annual distracting driving awareness campaign, with a focus on texting and driving.

“This bill is about raising awareness about risky behaviour because limiting that behaviour will save lives,” Baker said. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Saturday February 4, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday February 4, 2012 When the kid comes back When Joey Temprile finished high school, he promptly moved out and started university. As soon as he graduated, he moved back home with his parents. More than two years later heÕs still there and doesnÕt plan to leave any day soon. At 25 and fully employed with the government, Temprile is an official member of the so-called boomerang generation, a growing breed of young adults who are returning home. Half of young Canadians in their 20s live with their parents, a phenomenon observers attribute to the troubledÊeconomy and ever-changing family dynamic. As debate rages over whether or not the trend is troublesome, families living with adult children say the key to making it work is communication, respect and boundaries. Neither Temprile nor his parents have any concern with the fact that he and his brother Matt, 22, are still at home Ñ inÊfact, they like it. ÒFrom a parenting perspective it gives you the opportunity to talk with your child and relate to your child in a way you never have before,Ó says TemprileÕs father Dan. ÒThatÕs been an enjoyable evolution of our relationship.Ó Temprile feels the same way and notes any downfalls to the situation are overshadowed by the benefits. ÒI can live with (less) freedom if it means I can have a house at 26 or 27.Ó ItÕs a clash of expectations that most often leads to conflict when children return home, says Christina Newberry, author of The Hands-on Guide to Surviving Adult Children Living at Home (Self-published, $30.53). After a taste of independence, many children struggle with the restrictions ofÊbeing back under their parentsÕ roof. Likewise, their parents wonder what the new house rules should be and worry if their fledgling will ever leave the nest.(Source: Hamilton Spectator)Êhttp://www.thespec.com/news-story/2231143-when-the-kid-comes-back/ Adult children, grown up, parents, society, living, arrangement, empty nest, fam

Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday February 4, 2012

When the kid comes back

When Joey Temprile finished high school, he promptly moved out and started university. As soon as he graduated, he moved back home with his parents. More than two years later he’s still there and doesn’t plan to leave any day soon.

At 25 and fully employed with the government, Temprile is an official member of the so-called boomerang generation, a growing breed of young adults who are returning home. Half of young Canadians in their 20s live with their parents, a phenomenon observers attribute to the troubled economy and ever-changing family dynamic.

As debate rages over whether or not the trend is troublesome, families living with adult children say the key to making it work is communication, respect and boundaries. Neither Temprile nor his parents have any concern with the fact that he and his brother Matt, 22, are still at home — in fact, they like it.

“From a parenting perspective it gives you the opportunity to talk with your child and relate to your child in a way you never have before,” says Temprile’s father Dan. “That’s been an enjoyable evolution of our relationship.”

Temprile feels the same way and notes any downfalls to the situation are overshadowed by the benefits. “I can live with (less) freedom if it means I can have a house at 26 or 27.”

It’s a clash of expectations that most often leads to conflict when children return home, says Christina Newberry, author of The Hands-on Guide to Surviving Adult Children Living at Home (Self-published, $30.53). After a taste of independence, many children struggle with the restrictions of being back under their parents’ roof. Likewise, their parents wonder what the new house rules should be and worry if their fledgling will ever leave the nest.(Source: Hamilton Spectator)