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Thursday, November 6, 2014

November 5, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, November 6, 2014

How common is harassment on Parliament Hill?

Parliament Hill was rattled with story, on Wednesday, that some senior press gallery types noted that they hadn’t seen before.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was forced to suspend two members of his party’s caucus — ethics critic Scott Andrews and Quebec MP Massimo Pacetti — after two female New Democrat MPs alleged they were harassed by them.

“I am aware of how difficult it is for people to come forward. I believe strongly that those of us in positions of authority have a duty to act upon allegations of this nature,” Trudeau said, according to CBC News.

“It’s 2014 — we have a duty to protect and encourage individuals in these situations to come forward. The action must be fair but decisive.It must be sensitive to all affected parties but, recognizing how difficult it is to do so, it must give the benefit of the doubt to those who come forward.”

It’s unclear, at this point, what kind of harassment the NDP MPs are alleging. We don’t know if it was sexual, verbal, physical or otherwise.

While no MP has ever been suspended for harassing another MP, that doesn’t mean that there’s not a culture of harassment on the Hill.

Political consultant Marcel Wieder sayst that harassment — sexual or otherwise — has happened on the Hill for decades.

“While blatant examples of sexual harassment on the Hill are few and far between there have been some less overt situations. All parties have made an effort to keep things quiet and deal with these sensitive issues internally,” Wieder, President of the Aurora Strategy Group, told Yahoo Canada News.

“Given the nature of the environment in Ottawa where people are separated from their families for long stretches coupled with the high pressure jobs, an active social scene and attraction to power has caused some people to lose their moral compass.

“This has contributed to strained relationships that resulted in a number of divorces among MPs and staffers in Ottawa and resulted in some unpleasant situations involving accusations of sexual harassment.”

Again, we don’t know exactly what Andrews and Pacetti are being accused of or even if they’re guilty of anything.

What is clear however, is that not many people are surprised by the allegations. People understand that this stuff exists on the Hill — enough people that something now needs to be done about it. (Source: Andy Radia | Yahoo News)

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/how-common-is-harassment-on-parliament-hill-210455295.html

Tuesday August 21, 2012

August 21, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday August 21, 2012

Harper’s Arctic visits net mixed results

Each of the last six summers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has journeyed to the North, sprinkling throughout its remote communities promises of federal funding and development.

This year will be no different: Harper leaves today for a five-day trip that begins with a rally near Whitehorse and ends Friday in Churchill, Man.

Harper appears to have the Midas touch about him on these annual visits.

2011-2015

The projects and people he encounters, albeit rarely beyond the bounds of a carefully-choreographed photo-op, get money and encouragement.

In return, his government gets to bask in days of positive news coverage, backed by some of the most beautiful images of the country.

But it seems that what Harper tries to turn to gold in his visits up North doesn’t always stay that way.

Many projects he has announced for the region in recent years are behind schedule and some places he stops later find themselves falling on hard times.

Last year, Harper visited the Kluane National Park, home of Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain. There, he announced a new visitor’s centre and extolled the region’s “lush valleys, immense ice fields (and) spectacular mountains.”

But a research station located just outside its gates has since had its federal funding cut, and the last federal budget will also see the national park’s services cut as well. (Source: Halifax Chronicle Herald)

July 23, 2006

July 23, 2006 by Graeme MacKay

A visit to the Church of the Universe

To put some context to the latest local cartoon I feel compelled to explain who I placed in the position of God in my parody of Michelangelo’s famous painting “The Creation of Adam”. It’s Michael Baldasaro, and most Hamiltonians know who he is. For the record, here’s a photo essay I created after I was invited for a visit in February 2004.

An update on onetime federal PC leadership candidate, and mayoral candidate, the Rev. Michael Baldesaro, and his campaign manager, Brother Walter Tucker.

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When you put the words “politics” and “Hamilton” together, the first name that springs to mind is Sheila Copps. But did you know that along with left leaning Coppsian politics, steeltown is also known for the political movement to legalize cannabis? The crusade has been led for years by the two founders from the Hamilton based Church of the Universe. On February 9, I was invited to their temple. Here is my photo essay:

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The first thing one notices upon entering the temple is the high security system. Before being allowed in, I was observed from a closed circuit surveillance monitor. Following admittance, the door was secured behind me. Brother Michael tells me the building has been prey to trouble makers desiring free access to the church’s leafy sacrament.

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That’s a George Foreman grill to the left of the door.

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Once comfortably seated in the temple kitchen, Brother Walter spoke about previous busts, jail sentences, and court challenges, as Brother Michael rolled a joint.

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And they worshipped the sacrament…

We talked about some of the cartoons I had drawn of them, and they presented me with a framed drawing I had done in May, 1999.

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The brothers, also known for advocating naturism, lobbied the city to consider creating a nude beach at the edge of Hamilton Harbour. Brother Walter, pictured in the cartoon on the right, confided that the cartoon motivated him to lose weight.

I had them pose together with the cartoon:

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After an hour and a half visit it was time to get back to the office. Brother Michael offered me a brownie cooked by members of the church’s ladies auxillary. Unfortunately, I had to decline consuming the brownie owing to the fact that I’ve been limiting my carbohydrate intake recently. He suggested I offer it to a colleague, and I obliged by handing it over to my office neighbour, The Spectator’s City columnist upon my return to the office. Then I got busted by my boss, the Editorial Pages Editor, a former RCMP officer, who interrogated me and my colleague before confiscating the baked good for disposal.

For more information, visit the Church of the Universe website at:
http://www.iamm.com