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Friday February 10, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 10, 2017

Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump to meet Monday in Washington

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet in person for the first time on Monday in Washington, D.C., the Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed.

January 11, 2016

In an email statement, Kate Purchase, Trudeau’s director of communications, said that the leaders “look forward to discussing ‎the unique relationship between Canada and the United States of America and how we can continue to work hard for middle-class Canadians and Americans, together.”

During a visit to Iqaluit on Thursday, Trudeau was asked whether he would raise the controversial U.S. travel ban with Trump, which affects people from seven majority-Muslim countries, as well as all refugees.

“As everyone one in Canada knows, I have two important responsibilities that stand out in the way we engage our neighbours to the south. The first is, of course, to highlight Canadian values and principles and the things that keep our country strong,” he said.

November 12, 2016

“The second responsibility that I have, which we will very much be engaged in, is creating jobs and opportunity for Canadian citizens through the continued close integration on both sides of the border.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer also confirmed the meeting during his daily briefing Thursday.

“The president looks forward to a constructive conversation and strengthening the deep relationship between the United States and Canada,” he said.

Three of Trudeau’s ministers — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Finance Minister Bill Morneau — have made trips to Washington this week to lay the groundwork for these first face-to-face talks. (Source: CBC News)



 

Thursday August 4, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Thursday August 4, 2016 Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women 'I donÕt know if I am ready to embrace this inquiry,' says violence survivor Many First Nations leaders and advocates in B.C. distrust the framework for an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada Ñ and demand the body been given enough scope to look at how policing has played into deaths. The long-awaited Canada-wide look at issues that led to so many tragedies was questioned, especially by family members who lost loved ones. Lorelei Williams held a feather as she talked about her aunts and cousins. Two were lost to serial killers. One family member was raped and survived. Another was pushed out a Downtown Eastside window. There is a litany of pain and trauma that makes Williams suspicious of the inquiry, despite promises that it will offer change. "I have more questions than answers. I don't know if I am ready to embrace this inquiry," said Williams. She wants the inquiry to look at policing and police accountability because she believes racism and indifference to Indigenous women by some officers has made it difficult to get anybody to take the search for missing family members seriously. She says she too was left to walk alone along a highway when she was 17 years old, stranded after being dismissed by 911 when she called for help. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs said the framework for the inquiry is flawed, and needs more funding or protections in writing that ensure recommendations will be acted on, instead of ignored. He wants the inquiry's scope to include a hard look at the issues of racism and sexism in the RCMP, saying racist attitudes on police forces have contributed to Indigenous deaths for decades. "This is about accountability. Full stop. We need to ensure we do not blow this opportunity," said Phillip. "The issue ...is an indelible black mark on

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 4, 2016

Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women

‘I don’t know if I am ready to embrace this inquiry,’ says violence survivor

Many First Nations leaders and advocates in B.C. distrust the framework for an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada — and demand the body been given enough scope to look at how policing has played into deaths.

The long-awaited Canada-wide look at issues that led to so many tragedies was questioned, especially by family members who lost loved ones.

Lorelei Williams held a feather as she talked about her aunts and cousins. Two were lost to serial killers. One family member was raped and survived. Another was pushed out a Downtown Eastside window.

There is a litany of pain and trauma that makes Williams suspicious of the inquiry, despite promises that it will offer change.

“I have more questions than answers. I don’t know if I am ready to embrace this inquiry,” said Williams.

She wants the inquiry to look at policing and police accountability because she believes racism and indifference to Indigenous women by some officers has made it difficult to get anybody to take the search for missing family members seriously. She says she too was left to walk alone along a highway when she was 17 years old, stranded after being dismissed by 911 when she called for help.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs said the framework for the inquiry is flawed, and needs more funding or protections in writing that ensure recommendations will be acted on, instead of ignored.

He wants the inquiry’s scope to include a hard look at the issues of racism and sexism in the RCMP, saying racist attitudes on police forces have contributed to Indigenous deaths for decades.

“This is about accountability. Full stop. We need to ensure we do not blow this opportunity,” said Phillip.

“The issue …is an indelible black mark on the human rights record of Canada. We are not sitting here cheerleading.” (Source: CBC News)

 

Thursday January 5, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday January 5, 2012

Hospital CEOs get salaries in retirement

Hamilton’s hospitals will pay their CEOs a full salary for at least one year after they retire.

For Hamilton Health Sciences, it means they will pay the equivalent of two CEO salaries next year as Murray Martin hangs on to his full contract — pay, benefits, perks and retirement compensation — for one year after handing over the reins to the new CEO when he retires at the end of 2012.

“This isn’t just a handout to him,” said Mark Rizzo, chair of the HHS board. “There are certain skills that he has that we want to keep in place.”

There is no minimum amount of work required next year by his contract — created in 2009 with his retirement in mind. But Rizzo says it will be a “significant” job helping the new CEO transition and acting as a special adviser to the board, requiring at least 100 days of work and an office in the hospital.

Kevin Smith, CEO of St. Joseph’s Health System, gets paid whether he resigns or retires. The agreement in his contract is meant to entice him to stay until at least the end of 2015, when he will be 53 years old.

Right now, he gets 12 months’ salary if he resigns or retires, in return for 75 hours of consulting service that adds up to nearly $7,400 an hour.

If he leaves next year, he gets 14 months’ salary for 125 hours of consulting.

And if he stays until the end of 2015, he gets 18 months’ salary for 200 hours of consulting, at a rate of about $4,100 an hour. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Monday October 27, 2008

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Monday October 27, 2008 Funding fix in works: McMeekin It looks like a permanent solution for Hamilton's chronic social service funding shortfall is on the way. That's the message from MPP Ted McMeekin, Hamilton's cabinet minister in the McGuinty government. McMeekin says he's confident an upcoming municipal-provincial deal on social service delivery "will address the historic shortfall"ÊHamilton has complained about for so long. The minister of government and consumer services says he expects the deal will compensate for the loss of special multimillion-dollarÊgrants that the province has provided Hamilton to offset its high social service costs. McMeekin says he's "very optimistic that the pattern of Hamilton being made whole on social services" will continue as a result of theÊprovince uploading certain programs. The agreement, which is expected to be announced shortly, stems from a review that began in 2006 involving the province, theÊAssociation of Municipalities of Ontario, and the City of Toronto. They were studying the funding and delivery of social programs that were downloaded to cities in the 1990s by the former Mike HarrisÊgovernment.Ê(Source: Hamilton Spectator) Hamilton, Ontario, fortune, teller, wizard, Fred Eisenberger, Ted McMeekin, Social Services, smoke, mirrors

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday October 27, 2008

Funding fix in works: McMeekin

It looks like a permanent solution for Hamilton’s chronic social service funding shortfall is on the way.
That’s the message from MPP Ted McMeekin, Hamilton’s cabinet minister in the McGuinty government.
McMeekin says he’s confident an upcoming municipal-provincial deal on social service delivery “will address the historic shortfall” Hamilton has complained about for so long.

The minister of government and consumer services says he expects the deal will compensate for the loss of special multimillion-dollargrants that the province has provided Hamilton to offset its high social service costs.

McMeekin says he’s “very optimistic that the pattern of Hamilton being made whole on social services” will continue as a result of the province uploading certain programs.

The agreement, which is expected to be announced shortly, stems from a review that began in 2006 involving the province, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and the City of Toronto.

They were studying the funding and delivery of social programs that were downloaded to cities in the 1990s by the former Mike Harris government. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)