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Wednesday September 11, 2013

Wednesday September 11, 2013

 

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 11, 2013

Charter of Quebec values would ban religious symbols for public workers

Public employees would not be allowed to wear overt religious symbols at work under the proposed charter of Quebec values, released by the Parti Québécois today.

The minister in charge of the charter, Bernard Drainville, announced at the national assembly that, if adopted by the legislature, the wearing of kippas, turbans, burkas, hijabs and “large” crosses would be banned for civil servants while they are on the job.

The plan would apply to judges, police, prosecutors, public daycare workers, teachers, school employees, hospital workers and municipal personnel.

Drainville said some institutions and public organizations might be able to opt out of the ban for a five-year period.

However, he said, daycare workers, elementary school teachers and early-care providers would not be eligible for the opt-out.

The charter would also require that anyone who received or administers services from the state would have to uncover their face.

“People have to be identifiable, mainly for security purposes,” said Drainville.

The charter would include five proposals:

Amend the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.

Establish a duty of neutrality and reserve for all state personnel.

Limit the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols.

Make it mandatory to have one’s face uncovered when providing or receiving a state service.

Establish an implementation policy for state organizations. (Source: CBC News)

Tuesday September 10, 2013

Tuesday September 10, 2013

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 10, 2013

Peter Shurman fired as Tory finance critic over housing allowance

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak has fired his finance critic, Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman, for taking a $20,719 housing allowance from taxpayers last year.

Shurman, a former talk radio host who represents a suburban riding bordering Toronto’s Steeles Ave., but moved to a $660,000 home in Niagara-on-the-Lake and claimed the allowance for an apartment near Queen’s Park where he stays while working at the legislature.

Hudak said in a statement Sunday night that controversy over the payout — which was not strictly against regulations — was becoming a distraction for his party and its message of respect for taxpayer dollars.

A source said Hudak’s meeting with Shurman to discuss the allowance Sunday turned into “a very heated exchange” with the leader asking his MPP to repay the housing allowance, which Shurman refused.

The source said Hudak was aware Shurman was moving to Niagara-on-the-Lake but did not know the Thornhill MPP was claiming the housing allowance.

Shurman declined to comment when asked about repayment.

The Conservatives — and in particular, Shurman, as finance critic — have been slamming the Liberal government for its $11.7-billion deficit and for spending $585 million to scrap power plants in Oakville and Mississauga before the 2011 election.

“While the current rules were followed, it is clear taxpayers hold elected officials to a higher standard and those rules need to be changed,” Hudak said Sunday after meeting with Shurman. (Source: Toronto Star)

Saturday September 8, 2013

 

September 8, 2013

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday September 8, 2013

Bike lanes backed for Cannon Street

For SaleThe city’s longest stretch of protected two-way bike lanes is coming to the so-called Cannon Expressway.

More than 2,300 residents signed a Yes We Cannon petition calling for segregated, bidirectional bike lanes on the fast-moving, four-lane artery.

The grassroots push helped convince councillors Thursday to approve bike lanes on Cannon between Sherman Avenue and Bay Street — even as they braced for blowback from commuters losing a car lane to the $600,000 pilot project.

“This is a tough call,” said Councillor Bernie Morelli, who added he’s heard from bike-lane supporters as well as residents enraged by the plan. “But I want (councillors) to know you’re doing the right thing.”

The new bike lanes won’t be a traffic stopper, said Justin Jones of the Yes We Cannon campaign.

“Look at the city’s own numbers, there is plenty of capacity on that street,” he said, pointing to vastly higher daily car counts on arteries such as Garth, Golf Links and Upper James compared to Cannon. “We’re not in any danger of traffic grinding to a halt.”

Slowing traffic, on the other hand, won’t bother area residents, said Dave Stevens of North End Neighbours, who noted 10 schools are located within a block of Cannon.

“We all want a safer street,” he said.

Jones urged the city to measure the number of cyclists using the new bikes lanes, but also the number of collisions, which he believes will drop. “This is a safety measure for cyclists and for (car) drivers.” (Source: The Hamilton Spectator)

Friday September 7, 2013

Friday September 7, 2013

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday September 6, 2013

Obama Arrives In Russia For G20 Summit

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — President Barack Obama is heading into the lion’s den of Russia, confronting Syria’s key patron as well as foreign leaders skeptical of his call for an international military strike against Bashar Assad’s government.

Obama on Thursday began a two-day visit to St. Petersburg for the Group of 20 economic summit, putting him in the same country as Edward Snowden for the first time since the American fugitive fled to Moscow earlier this year. Both Syria and Snowden have been sore points in an already strained U.S.-Russian relationship, fueling the notion that Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin just can’t get along.

The White House went out of its way to say Obama, who arrived Thursday after a quick flight from Stockholm, would not meet one-on-one with the Russian leader while in St. Petersburg. But officials predicted the two would still have a chance to interact when they cross paths at various meetings.

Still struggling to persuade dubious lawmakers at home on Syria, Obama in Russia will seek to win over world leaders reluctant to get drawn in to yet another U.S.-led sortie in a Mideast nation. Although Syria wasn’t formally on the agenda for the economy-focused summit, U.S. officials were resigned to the fact that the bloody civil war there surely would overwhelm any talks about global economics. (Source: Huffington Post)
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Thursday September 5, 2013

Thursday September 5, 2013

De Caire won’t seek contract extension

Chief Glenn De Caire will not seek an extension of his contract as the head of Hamilton’s police service.

De Caire said in a statement on the Hamilton Police Service website Tuesday that he will retire from the service when his contract ends on Dec. 31, 2014.

“I am extremely proud of our service and the policing excellence that has been delivered to the citizens of Hamilton by our members,” he said in the statement.

“I am honoured to serve in Hamilton and have worked hard every day to represent the members, the community and the board to the best of my abilities.”

The decision marks the end of a sometimes controversial run as head of Hamilton’s police service. While many cite positive changes under De Caire’s time. But some also speak of his uncompromising nature and strict disciplinary measures that saw him butt heads with the association representing some 1,200 Hamilton police officers and staff.

It also comes at the end of a fractured year with city hall, where councillors battled with him over budget issues.

De Caire has been chief since November 2009, arriving from Toronto, where he served as a staff superintendent. He recently had a performance review with the Hamilton police services board. Mayor Bob Bratina, who chairs the board, said he was surprised when De Caire handed him the letter Tuesday. (Source)