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Thursday August 27, 2020

August 27, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 27, 2020

Doug Ford praises appointment of ‘amazing’ Chrystia Freeland as federal finance minister

“Amazing.”

“Incredible.”

November 21, 2019

Those were just two of the adjectives the Progressive Conservative premier of Ontario used to hail the new federal Liberal finance minister.

“I absolutely love Chrystia Freeland. She’s amazing. I’ll have her back, I’ll help her any way we can,” an elated Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday.

As first revealed by the Star’s Susan Delacourt in April, the COVID-19 pandemic has forged a close friendship between Ford and the deputy prime minister.

The premier was visibly delighted that Freeland, who represents University-Rosedale in the House of Commons, is succeeding departing Toronto Centre MP Bill Morneau as federal treasurer.

December 11, 2019

“I want to congratulate my good friend Chrystia Freeland. An amazing person. I actually texted her this morning to say congratulations. I don’t know how she’s going to do it. She’s working around the clock now,” Ford told CityNews’s Jamie Tumelty in Scarborough.

“There’s no one that would be better in that role than Chrystia Freeland,” he said, pointedly declining to comment on the WE Charity scandal that triggered Morneau’s resignation.

“I’m not going to get into that federal politics. That’s up to the prime minister to deal with. We’ve been working very collaboratively together.”

The premier predicted Freeland would be a good partner for Queen’s Park, which is seeking additional federal funding for infrastructure projects.

“If there was one person, I have confidence in, it is Chrystia Freeland. She’s going to do an incredible job,” said Ford. (Toronto Star) 

March 27, 2020

Now this just in: With less than two weeks to go before most schools are set to welcome back students for the fall term, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced more than $2 billion in funding to help provinces and territories re-open their schools and economies safely.

The announcement comes as some provinces are reporting increases in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The funding is meant to allow provinces and territories to work with local school boards to implement measures to protect students and staff from COVID-19. The money can be used to help adapt learning spaces, improve air ventilation, increase hand sanitation and hygiene and buy extra personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies. (CBC) 

Saturday October 20, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 20, 2018

At least one robocall poll suggests a divisive LRT project has turned Hamilton’s mayoral election race into a statistical dead heat.

An automated telephone survey by Forum Research of 1,556 residents showed 39 per cent support pro-LRT incumbent Fred Eisenberger while 38 percent back anti-LRT challenger Vito Sgro. Other respondents either said they will choose another of the 15 mayoral candidates (12%) or were undecided (12%).

October 13, 2018

Respondents – a majority reached by landline – were similarly divided when asked how they felt about the contentious $1-billion light rail line, said Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff. Half said they opposed the project, while 46% were supportive.

And when those residents were specifically informed about the positions of both candidates on LRT and asked to choose between them again, the support split at 43 percent each.

“It is so close, the numbers are almost identical,” said Bozinoff of the survey, which claims a margin of error of 2.48%, with total sample results considered accurate 19 times out of 20. “What it means – because municipal voter turnout is not great – is that it is important for both sides to get out their vote on Monday.”

August 14, 2018

Forum Research was not paid for the survey and plans to release the results publicly Friday, said Bozinoff. The firm periodically conducts polls and offers the results for free to drum up clients.

Bozinoff noted light rail transit was also an issue – but not the top priority – for voters polled in a paid Forum survey conducted for The Spectator during the 2014 election.

This time, fully a third of respondents called LRT the top issue that would influence their vote.

By contrast, 17 percent chose taxes, 15 percent chose infrastructure/roads and nine-percent chose public safety. “Often, the top issue is taxes,” Bozinoff said. “Clearly, people feel very strongly about this (LRT) issue.”

Interestingly, the majority of respondents who offered an opinion about LRT feel passionately about the project, one way or another. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Friday February 26, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday February 26, 2016 OntarioÕs budget deficit for 2016 shrinks Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced Thursday that the provinceÕs budget deficit has shrunk more than expected and that the Liberals are on pace to return to a balanced budget by 2017-18, even as net debt is set to increase in that timeframe. Sousa said that the deficit is now down from the $7.5 billion projected at the end of last year to $5.7 billion, as stronger economic growth in Ontario boosted government revenues. The budget forecasts that OntarioÕs economy grew 2.5 per cent in 2015, a much stronger level than the 1.2 per cent forecast for the national economy. But net debt will go up as the government continues to borrow to fund projects, including a massive $160 billion infrastructure project over the next 12 years. Net debt is set to increase to $326.8 billion in 2018-19, from $296.1 billion in 2015-16, even as the Liberals are set to have a balanced budget by then. The projection that OntarioÕs debt will continue to rise and that debt-to-GDP will continue to hover near 40 per cent in the medium-term will not thrill debt rating agencies. Standard & PoorÕs downgraded the provinceÕs debt last year, while others such as MoodyÕs Investors Service have placed a negative outlook on provincial bonds. OntarioÕs deficit will also be helped by $1.1 billion gained from the sale of Hydro One, as well as growing cash injections from the federal government, which will hit $24.6-billion this year and rise to $26.6-billion by 2018. Sousa dismissed the idea of further debt downgrades, however, saying a declining debt-to-GDP ratio would be welcomed. ÒI believe credit agencies are going to look at this budget and realize that weÕre achieving what we said weÕre going to do,Ó he said during a news conference. The government has said it has a target of reducing net debt-to-GDP to its pre-recession level of 27 per cent, though it ge

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 26, 2016

Ontario’s budget deficit for 2016 shrinks

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced Thursday that the province’s budget deficit has shrunk more than expected and that the Liberals are on pace to return to a balanced budget by 2017-18, even as net debt is set to increase in that timeframe.

Sousa said that the deficit is now down from the $7.5 billion projected at the end of last year to $5.7 billion, as stronger economic growth in Ontario boosted government revenues. The budget forecasts that Ontario’s economy grew 2.5 per cent in 2015, a much stronger level than the 1.2 per cent forecast for the national economy.

But net debt will go up as the government continues to borrow to fund projects, including a massive $160 billion infrastructure project over the next 12 years. Net debt is set to increase to $326.8 billion in 2018-19, from $296.1 billion in 2015-16, even as the Liberals are set to have a balanced budget by then.

The projection that Ontario’s debt will continue to rise and that debt-to-GDP will continue to hover near 40 per cent in the medium-term will not thrill debt rating agencies. Standard & Poor’s downgraded the province’s debt last year, while others such as Moody’s Investors Service have placed a negative outlook on provincial bonds.

Ontario’s deficit will also be helped by $1.1 billion gained from the sale of Hydro One, as well as growing cash injections from the federal government, which will hit $24.6-billion this year and rise to $26.6-billion by 2018.

Sousa dismissed the idea of further debt downgrades, however, saying a declining debt-to-GDP ratio would be welcomed.

“I believe credit agencies are going to look at this budget and realize that we’re achieving what we said we’re going to do,” he said during a news conference.

The government has said it has a target of reducing net debt-to-GDP to its pre-recession level of 27 per cent, though it gets no where close to that level in its projected forecast, with net debt-to-GDP hitting 38.5 in 2018-2019. The ratio is expected to peak at 39.6 per cent in 2015-16, remain level in 2016-17 and only begin to decline in 2017-18.

The government is projecting that total revenue in 2015-16 will be $2.2 billion higher than the 2015 budget had factored in, due to “higher asset optimization” and more tax revenue as a result of a stronger Ontario economy. (Source: Financial Post)