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Wednesday August 9, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 9, 2023

Trudeau’s Woes and Poilievre’s Predicament

July 26, 2023

As the Canadian political landscape shifts, the contrasting misfortunes of Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre paint a vivid picture of leadership challenges that span both sides of the spectrum. Trudeau, once hailed as a charismatic leader with a golden touch, now finds himself grappling with a litany of crises, while Poilievre, seeking a makeover, struggles to define his party’s identity without veering into right-wing extremism.

Trudeau’s woes are as glaring as they are diverse. From sagging poll numbers to economic mismanagement, the prime minister’s once-unshakable approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows. His handling of the homelessness crisis and perceived ethical lapses have left many Canadians disillusioned. As he passes the buck to other layers of government, Trudeau’s inability to address issues like rising inflation and exorbitant housing prices has fueled the desire for a fresh government, with only a paltry 19% favoring him in a recent poll.

The Beaverton: Canadians react to Pierre Poilievre’s “sexy” makeover  

July 28, 2023

Trudeau’s attempt to reinvigorate his image through a cabinet shuffle seems to have fallen flat, failing to provide the much-needed positive narrative that could rekindle support. The prospect of an inquiry into alleged Chinese government interference in the last election looms ominously, adding to the list of his troubles. The prime minister’s recent personal turmoil, as he announced his separation from his wife of 18 years, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, adds yet another layer of complexity to his already embattled leadership.

On the other side of the aisle, Pierre Poilievre faces an equally uphill battle. Attempting a pivot from his long-held reputation as a sharp-elbowed partisan, Poilievre’s makeover involves donning a new look, complete with a wardrobe change and the conspicuous absence of his trademark glasses. However, his attempts to widen his appeal are hindered by his party’s historical ties to right-wing extremism and social conservatism, which risk alienating a broader swath of the Canadian electorate.

July 22, 2023

Poilievre’s attempts to resonate with voters have led him to navigate treacherous waters. Cozying up to the far-right and flirting with controversial figures like Jordan Peterson and European right-wing politicians sends mixed signals about the Conservative Party’s true direction. While rallying the base with catchy slogans, he’s challenged to strike a balance between appeasing his core supporters and presenting a more moderate and electable platform.

The challenge for both leaders is clear: appealing to a diverse electorate while grappling with their own vulnerabilities. Trudeau’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive term faces mounting resistance, as he struggles to reconcile past accomplishments with current crises. Poilievre, meanwhile, aims to rebrand himself and his party, but the fine line between change and extremism threatens to undermine his efforts.

News: Over half of Canadians want Trudeau, Poilievre replaced as party leaders before next election, poll suggests  

June 10, 2023

As Trudeau’s golden touch fades and Poilievre grapples with his party’s identity crisis, Canadians are left with a political landscape where neither leader is without fault. The electorate watches closely as these two titans navigate their respective challenges, revealing that leadership in a deeply divided nation requires more than mere promises or wardrobe adjustments. It necessitates a clear, balanced vision that addresses the concerns of all Canadians and reflects the realities of a changing world. (AI)

 

Saturday August 1, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday August 1, 2020

Beaches, masks, and bulges during a mid-Summer weekend in a pandemic

July 18, 2020

With weddings postponed and offices shut, business was bleak at Woodside Tailor Shop in Queens during the long months of pandemic lockdown. There was no need for party dress alterations, or any pressure for slacks to be hemmed.

But about three months in, things started picking back up in June, with one particular service in sudden demand: People needed a bit more breathing room in their clothing. 

In a city where gyms are still closed, and Netflix and couch the safest evening entertainment, the phenomenon of stay-at-home weight gain — playfully called the Quarantine 15 by some — has brought an unexpected windfall for some tailors. Some say they have seen business rise by as much as 80 percent, with customers asking for buttons to be moved, waistbands lengthened and jackets made more roomy.

“Everybody got fat!” said Porfirio Arias, 66, a tailor at Woodside. “It’s not only in New York. It’s all over the world that people got fat.” (New York Times) 

August 1, 2013

Meanwhile, Goderich Ontario’s mayor isn’t pulling any punches this weekend.

He fully expects to have to close the beach to visitors at some point on Saturday.

“I caution people because in all likelihood we’re probably going to close the beach very, very early on Saturday. It could be 11 o’clock in the morning that we close,” says John Grace.

Twice this summer, Goderich has turned people away from their beaches due to overcrowding. With the long weekend upon us, Grace anticipates closing it for a third time.

Life in a Pandemic

“We will be very strict this weekend as we’re expecting a lot of people. We will not allow any groups over 10,” says Grace, who joins OPP officers, staff, and bylaw officers in monitoring the beach on weekends.

In Sauble Beach, where they could see as many as 80,000 visitors this weekend, they’re closing Main Street to vehicles, to allow greater social distancing.

Near Grand Bend, officials are closing Waterworks Road to try and stop people from sneaking down to Port Blake beach. And in Grand Bend, they’re asking rule-breakers to stay home. (CTV) 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Thursday, March 28, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, March 28, 2013

Return of extracurriculars at Ontario schools

Negotiations between the Ontario government and the province’s public elementary school teachers over the implementation of contract terms and the creation of a new collective bargaining process led the teachers’ union to restore extracurricular activities.

The move is an important development in the relationship between the teachers’ union and Ontario’s new leadership, which began talking again after months of political protests and the withdrawal of extracurricular activities.

The two sides spent “dozens” of hours negotiating over several days during the last week, said Education Minister Liz Sandals.

“In effect, we’re having a conversation which in a normal bargaining process we would have had at the beginning of the process – where we work out the details on how things are going to be implemented,” she said. “We have reached a point in the conversation where there’s enough confidence on everyone’s part that we’re restoring the relationship.”
The province is still in talks with both elementary teachers and their secondary school counterparts, who returned to extracurriculars last month.

“It’s not about money, there is no new money. [It’s about] implementation details, about what the collective bargaining process is going to look like going forward,” Premier Kathleen Wynne said.

She would not say what exact details were the subject of the talks, as the sides are still negotiating over them. (Source: Globe & Mail)

 

Saturday December 1, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday December 1, 2012

Canada opposes Palestinian statehood bid at UN

Canada part of minority opposing Palestine’s observer state status

A confidential report says Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada will vote against the bid of the Palestinian Authority to raise its status at the United Nations.

While Harper said he favours a two-state solution in the Middle East, his government wants to see Israel and the Palestine Authority return to the bargaining table before supporting Palestine’s statehood. 

Speaking in the House of Commons Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said he’s disappointed with the actions of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who plans to ask the UN General Assembly on Thursday to recognize Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem — areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

“It’s obvious that this will affect our relationship,” said Baird, who plans to travel to New York where he’ll speak on the issue at the UN. “This government makes no apologies for standing with the Jewish State. This government makes no apologies from standing with Israel at the UN.”

Canada will vote with the United States on Thursday against accepting Palestine as a non-member observer state. However, it’s expected that some two-thirds of the General Assembly’s 193 members will support the bid.

Currently the Palestinians hold observer status at the UN.

France, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland have pledged support while Germany said it would not support the initiative and Britain would only vote in favour if the Palestinians softened some of their language. (Source: CTV News) 

 

Wednesday December 23, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 23, 2004

Fat December

A stroll after Christmas dinner is part of many families’ festive timetable – but heart experts say a pre-dinner walk is a good idea. Glasgow University research for the British Heart Foundation found it could help reduce the damage done by too much Christmas pudding.

It says a 90-minute walk lowers fat levels in the blood and improves blood vessel function.

The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

They said the health benefits of a long stroll remained even after the walker had eaten a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal.

The researchers studied 10 lean and 10 obese middle-aged men.

Each was tested twice for his response to a fatty meal, with the tests performed a week or two apart.

On the afternoon before one of the tests, each man walked on a treadmill for 90 minutes. In the second test, no exercise was done.

The researchers found that both lean and obese men benefited from taking exercise.

Levels of triglycerides (blood fats) were reduced by 25% both before and after the fatty meal.

The researchers also looked at the endothelium, the inner wall of the blood vessels which provides an important defence against the build-up of fatty deposits inside the blood vessels.

These deposits can disrupt blood flow and lead to a heart attack.

Exercise appeared to improve the function of the endothelium by 25% before the meal and 15% afterwards.

The researchers say that, as well as offering a timely reminder about the counteracting a rich diet with plenty of exercise, their findings suggested some possible explanations for its protective effects.

They said it showed that exercise can both improve the way the body metabolises food and help blood vessels resist the harmful effects of fatty foods.

And that it demonstrated that just one exercise session can provide immediate benefits that last at least a day. (Source: BBC)