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Tuesday September 15, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday September 15, 2015 Patrick Brown is headed for his biggest face-off away from the rink. When MPPs return from their summer break Monday, the hockey-playing politico takes a seat in the legislature across from Premier Kathleen Wynne for the first time since being elected Progressive Conservative leader May 9. BrownÕs performance will be carefully scrutinized and the more experienced Wynne will get a flurry of questions on the $9 billion sell-off of Hydro One, her Ontario Retirement Pension Plan and the economy. With the issues spilling over to the Oct. 19 federal campaign trail, rival party leaders are as eager to score points as Wynne is to stand her ground, with polls suggesting the Hydro One sale is not as popular as she would like. ÒWe will very clearly point out how we should take a different approach,Ó Brown said, dubbing the hydro deal a Òfire saleÓ and the pension premiums that employees and employers would have to pay a Òjob killer.Ó He also pledged to set a different tone by not being Òblindly partisan.Ó New Democrats said Hydro One, in which Wynne plans to sell a 60 per cent stake to raise money for transit and debt reduction, is their Òbig pushÓ because they fear it will lead to higher electricity prices. ÒHydro bills are through the roof,Ó said NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson. In an interview Friday in Quebec City, where she was attending a joint cabinet meeting with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, Wynne said she is will not Òback downÓ on Hydro One. She defended eventual proceeds from the sale as crucial to improving public transit and reducing gridlock that is costing the economy billions in lost productivity. ÒThe building of infrastructure is a high priority for us...and so I am going to be talking to the people of Ontario through the legislature about the work that we're doing on that front,Ó said Wynne. While the government plans to sell off 60 per cent of Hydro

by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 15, 2015

Patrick Brown is headed for his biggest face-off away from the rink.

When MPPs return from their summer break Monday, the hockey-playing politico takes a seat in the legislature across from Premier Kathleen Wynne for the first time since being elected Progressive Conservative leader May 9.

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday May 13, 2015 Meet Patrick Who, OntarioÕs new Progressive Conservative leader The only thing that is absolutely certain about Patrick Brown, the new Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, is that he loves the political process. He has attended an enormous number of community events, everywhere from his federal riding in Barrie, Ont., to the state of Gujarat in India Ð where he made a particularly rewarding connection with the future prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. Long-time MPP and relatively moderate Christine Elliott was expected to easily win the leadership when the campaign began, but Mr. BrownÕs relentless contact-making, politicking and membership-selling put him far ahead in the end. Mr. Brown was rather a silent MP in Ottawa, so itÕs hard to make out what he stands for. There is evidence of his being a social conservative, but on becoming leader, he was quick to say he would not revisit divisive social issues. He now calls himself a pragmatic conservative, and he points out that he has attended Gay Pride events in Barrie. His surprising campaign has drawn attention to the fact that there are no limits to campaign contributions from any single person or corporation in Ontario party leadership races Ð a situation that needs to change. His larger donors range from the proprietor of Canada Cannabis Corp. to the owner of the Barrie Colts hockey team, to an onion-farming corporation and the owner of a chain of hotels across Canada. The Ontario Liberals have been in power ever since 2003. In the past two provincial elections, the Conservatives, led by Tim Hudak, offered a platform and a tone modelled on what got them Mike Harris elected in the mid-1990s. It might as well have been called Common Sense Revolution II. They are still in opposition. Mr. Brown needs to win a seat in the Legislature before long, but more importantly, he needs to articulate a substantial

Brown’s performance will be carefully scrutinized and the more experienced Wynne will get a flurry of questions on the $9 billion sell-off of Hydro One, her Ontario Retirement Pension Plan and the economy.

With the issues spilling over to the Oct. 19 federal campaign trail, rival party leaders are as eager to score points as Wynne is to stand her ground, with polls suggesting the Hydro One sale is not as popular as she would like.

“We will very clearly point out how we should take a different approach,” Brown said, dubbing the hydro deal a “fire sale” and the pension premiums that employees and employers would have to pay a “job killer.”

He also pledged to set a different tone by not being “blindly partisan.”

New Democrats said Hydro One, in which Wynne plans to sell a 60 per cent stake to raise money for transit and debt reduction, is their “big push” because they fear it will lead to higher electricity prices.

Tuesday March 10, 2015“Hydro bills are through the roof,” said NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson.

In an interview Friday in Quebec City, where she was attending a joint cabinet meeting with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, Wynne said she is will not “back down” on Hydro One.

She defended eventual proceeds from the sale as crucial to improving public transit and reducing gridlock that is costing the economy billions in lost productivity.

“The building of infrastructure is a high priority for us…and so I am going to be talking to the people of Ontario through the legislature about the work that we’re doing on that front,” said Wynne.

While the government plans to sell off 60 per cent of Hydro One – recently the subject of scathing attacks from ombudsman André Marin over billing snafus — Wynne said the province will retain control because no single shareholder will be able to own more than 10 per cent.

Thursday, February 26, 2015She expressed surprised that Brown will serve as his own education critic, ‎suggesting the new sex-education curriculum will remain a hot topic in the house.

“I was interested in that,” the premier said, adding she will continue to highlight Brown’s social conservative voting record as an MP under Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, where he opposed same-sex marriage and abortion — stances he has since changed. (Source: Toronto Star)