It would not be hard to think that Dalton McGuinty is on route to be remembered by history as one of Ontario's greatest Premiers. He was first elected on a campaign of no tax increases. He then brought in a health premium, which he had to apologize later and admit it was really a tax. When Toronto was collapsing under the financial burden of cost down loading, he came to the rescue by giving Toronto new taxing powers.
His re-election campaign framed him as the "champion of education." He demonstrated that he brought labour peace to the education by locking up contracts until after the election. This time he promised, no new taxes.
His second term has seen a York University strike. Student living in fear of losing their entire year waited until the last possible moment for the Province to step in. Toronto swimming pools have been endanger of closing because they happened to have been built in schools instead of community centres. A year ago, when he could have got concessions from the federal government to bring in the HST, he was against it. Now that the economy has tanked and the feds have nothing to offer he is in favour of another tax grab. Plus the Afrocentric school that did not fit in his narrow view of education, is now open in Toronto. Smart Hydro Metres have been brought in which guarantee price increases for almost everyone. Not to metion a summer filled with scandals of mismanaged government programs.
There is a theory that the Liberals could run a turnip in Toronto and win an election. That theory will be put to the test on Thursday. A by election in the Toronto riding of St. Paul's will take place with Sue-Ann Levy, as the challenger to the Liberals unchallenged reigns.
The attacks on her during the first few days of the campaign were disturbing. She was attacked for being high profile, Jewish, Lesbian candidate. She was a decoy, designed to check off riding demographics. Liberals could use this strategy because that is what they represent. A Conservative candidate must some how be a decoy because the Conservative Party could not possible represent the interests of these groups.
Sue-Ann Levy is a highly qualified candidate. As a Toronto Sun reporter she has been successful at exposing the many problems that exist in city hall. She understands how politics works and what needs to be done to improve the system. She would be a tremendous asset to the job that needs to be done at Queen's Park. A win would also send the message to the Liberals that they need to tighten up under understand that unlike last time re-election will be based on their performance.
Showing posts with label Ontario. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ontario. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Taxing Together in Perfect Harmony
The PST and GST seem like similar sales taxes to the average consumer. Aside from which items are exempt there is a huge different in the way they are structured.
The PST is a tax on a goods sold. Items that are considered basic needs are exempt from this tax. If a business is buying a product for resale they are exempt from paying PST on the purchase. The exemption must be applied at the point of sale. Their is no mechanism to recuperate over payment of PST.
GST is a general tax on everything. The cost of basics is factored into a tax credit that is distributed based on income. The big difference is businesses can use GST collected to pay for their GST expenses, with only the balance going to the government. This can help with a companies cash flow. In general as long as a business is profitable, their customers will be paying all of their GST expenses. It is a much more favourable system for businesses.
When the Federal Government was implementing the cut in the GST from 6% to 5%, it was suggested that the Ontario government should harmonize their PST with the GST. The PST would be collected by the Federal Government and follow the same rules as the PST. It would have the benefits of less bureaucracy with a single tax collector plus businesses who want to upgrade their equipment. The draw back would be the numerous items that are not subjected to PST would be subjected to the harmonized tax.
Although the Ontario Government did not want to admit it, the economy was already showing signs of decline. Harmonization could help out the struggling manufacturing business by allowing them to upgrade their capital equipment with the new tax break. They also had the opportunity to use leverage to exchange support for the GST cut with the Federal Government agreeing to waive the GST on some items that are already PST exempt. At the time the Government decided it was not a good idea and passed on trying to take advantage of the opportunity.
Last week the Ontario government announced the budget with the plan to implement a harmonized sales tax. They will get all of the benefits as stated above. The cost of some items that were considered basic in Ontario will immediately rise 8% to reflect the new tax structure. The government is giving out cash to try to ease the burden of the tax increase. They would have been in a much better position if they choose to make the same decision earlier. This is a missed opportunity that Ontario tax payers will keep on paying for.
The PST is a tax on a goods sold. Items that are considered basic needs are exempt from this tax. If a business is buying a product for resale they are exempt from paying PST on the purchase. The exemption must be applied at the point of sale. Their is no mechanism to recuperate over payment of PST.
GST is a general tax on everything. The cost of basics is factored into a tax credit that is distributed based on income. The big difference is businesses can use GST collected to pay for their GST expenses, with only the balance going to the government. This can help with a companies cash flow. In general as long as a business is profitable, their customers will be paying all of their GST expenses. It is a much more favourable system for businesses.
When the Federal Government was implementing the cut in the GST from 6% to 5%, it was suggested that the Ontario government should harmonize their PST with the GST. The PST would be collected by the Federal Government and follow the same rules as the PST. It would have the benefits of less bureaucracy with a single tax collector plus businesses who want to upgrade their equipment. The draw back would be the numerous items that are not subjected to PST would be subjected to the harmonized tax.
Although the Ontario Government did not want to admit it, the economy was already showing signs of decline. Harmonization could help out the struggling manufacturing business by allowing them to upgrade their capital equipment with the new tax break. They also had the opportunity to use leverage to exchange support for the GST cut with the Federal Government agreeing to waive the GST on some items that are already PST exempt. At the time the Government decided it was not a good idea and passed on trying to take advantage of the opportunity.
Last week the Ontario government announced the budget with the plan to implement a harmonized sales tax. They will get all of the benefits as stated above. The cost of some items that were considered basic in Ontario will immediately rise 8% to reflect the new tax structure. The government is giving out cash to try to ease the burden of the tax increase. They would have been in a much better position if they choose to make the same decision earlier. This is a missed opportunity that Ontario tax payers will keep on paying for.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Good Bye John
In Canada, politicians are often given a second chance in order to prove themselves. Party leaders are often given two kicks at the can before they are turfed. Even Bob Rae has been given an opportunity to recover from his brutal run as NDP Premier of Ontario, to become I high ranking member of the federal Liberal party. On the flip side leaders who fail miserably on their first attempt are quickly removed from ever having that second chance. Joe Clark, Kim Campbell and Stephane Dion are the prime examples of this second group.
John Tory should have also been placed with the group of one time failures. It speaks to his honesty, integrating and generally sense of caring that allowed him for this rare second chance. He seemed to have all the qualities we claim to want in a politician. During the provincial election, while McGuinty pre-screened every person he made contact with, Tory had camera crews follow him on door to door campaigning not knowing what issues he would be forced to confront. It took 18 months until he finally had his oppurtunity to regain a seat at Queen's Park. Despite running in a safe Conservative riding that won the election by over 10,000 votes, he fell short on his second chance. He has done the right thing by stepping down from the party leadership.
Tory was a succesful businessman, before venturing into politics. He lost the bid for Mayor of Toronto, he was an advisor on the Kim Campbell campaign where the Conservative Party was left with only Jean Charest and Elsie Wayne to rebuild the party. McGuinty and the Liberal Party were vulnerable and he failed to take the oppurtunity.
Tory has the qualities of a good legislator. Unfortunatly they are not necessarily the same qualities for winning votes. Hopefully he will be able to find a home in the public sector where he can contribute to society, without the drawbacks necessary to be popular enough to win.
John Tory should have also been placed with the group of one time failures. It speaks to his honesty, integrating and generally sense of caring that allowed him for this rare second chance. He seemed to have all the qualities we claim to want in a politician. During the provincial election, while McGuinty pre-screened every person he made contact with, Tory had camera crews follow him on door to door campaigning not knowing what issues he would be forced to confront. It took 18 months until he finally had his oppurtunity to regain a seat at Queen's Park. Despite running in a safe Conservative riding that won the election by over 10,000 votes, he fell short on his second chance. He has done the right thing by stepping down from the party leadership.
Tory was a succesful businessman, before venturing into politics. He lost the bid for Mayor of Toronto, he was an advisor on the Kim Campbell campaign where the Conservative Party was left with only Jean Charest and Elsie Wayne to rebuild the party. McGuinty and the Liberal Party were vulnerable and he failed to take the oppurtunity.
Tory has the qualities of a good legislator. Unfortunatly they are not necessarily the same qualities for winning votes. Hopefully he will be able to find a home in the public sector where he can contribute to society, without the drawbacks necessary to be popular enough to win.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sid Ryan, Where are You?
On Saturday a Grad rocket from Gaza landed in a school in Ashkelon. It completely penetrated the fortifications that had been added to the school. They were designed to protect students from Kassam rocket attacks. Any other day of the week, there would have been a tremendous amount of casualties. Since the ceasefire there have been 100 rockets that have landed in Israel. On Sunday all of the schools in Ashkelon were open with the exception of the one that was bombed. The government choose to ignore fears that the schools may no longer be a safe place from missile attacks.
Sid Ryan has decided to make bringing peace to Israel his pet project. He is a big supporter of the Right to Education Project, aimed to help Palestinian children. What about Israeli children? Where is Sid Ryan to condemn this attack? Where is the outrage that an entire school is no longer usable? Where is the concern that once again all schools in the area may be forced to be closed because they are not safe from Palestinian rocket attacks?
CUPE Ontario still has on their website the alleged incident of Israel bombing a school housing refugees. The United Nations have publicly updated their information on the attack because it didn't happen. Why hasn't CUPE Ontario? When Israel bombed the University in Gaza it was being used as a launch site for attacks against innocent civilians. IDF soldiers discovered schools booby trapped which could have killed IDF soldiers or innocent children. How can the attack on this school be justified?
Why hasn't Sid Ryan rallied his 200,000 strong membership to condemn this attack. We hear the silence loud and clear. The silence says more then any half hearted boycott ever will.
Sid Ryan has decided to make bringing peace to Israel his pet project. He is a big supporter of the Right to Education Project, aimed to help Palestinian children. What about Israeli children? Where is Sid Ryan to condemn this attack? Where is the outrage that an entire school is no longer usable? Where is the concern that once again all schools in the area may be forced to be closed because they are not safe from Palestinian rocket attacks?
CUPE Ontario still has on their website the alleged incident of Israel bombing a school housing refugees. The United Nations have publicly updated their information on the attack because it didn't happen. Why hasn't CUPE Ontario? When Israel bombed the University in Gaza it was being used as a launch site for attacks against innocent civilians. IDF soldiers discovered schools booby trapped which could have killed IDF soldiers or innocent children. How can the attack on this school be justified?
Why hasn't Sid Ryan rallied his 200,000 strong membership to condemn this attack. We hear the silence loud and clear. The silence says more then any half hearted boycott ever will.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
CUPE Ontario to Extend Anti-Israel Campaign
Once upon a time employers viewed their employees as expendable tools. Employees had very few rights in terms of job security, saftey, reasonable salary and time being allocated to be spent away from work. The Union emerged as the voice of the worker. Over the years workers received more and more rights. A lot was due to the proactive nature of the Union. Other factors included: improved technology both in the business and transportation for employees, increase in education of workforce effecting supply and demand for labour, government regulations ranging from health and safty to minimum standards of treatment for employees. Many Unions have grown in power to a point beyond what they need to protect their employees. They find themselves needing to justify their existence.
Once again York University has been crippled by another TA strike. As the strike moves into it's third month students are already in danger of losing their summer jobs and possibly their academic year. At the beginning of the strike the TAs were complaining they were living under the poverty line while working 10-15 hours a week. The Union is losing credability and the constant strikes will one day cut into the demand for enrollment at York.
Sid Ryan, President of CUPE Ontario decided that this is the perfect time to advance the Union's foreign policy. A proposal is being drafted requiring all Israeli University Proffessors to publicly denounce the attack by Israel on the University in Gaza. It was bombed by Israel after it was used to fire rockets at Israeli civilians. All Israeli Proffessors failing to condemn their government harshly enough will be banned from Ontario campusses.
This policy is misdirected for many different reasons. A Union's job is to protect the interests of the employees they represent. Developing a compreshensive foreign policy is job left to governments and those individuals or lobby groups who wish to influence public policy. Diverting union dues to special interest projects of the leadership choosing is taking advantage of the Union membership. The employees receive no benefit from these activities although Union rules obligate them to pay for it.
Since when does a Univeristy force proffesors to adopt specific political view as condition for employment. CUPE stood silent while Israel has had to deal with missles and suicide bombers directed at civilians. Where are the calls for Arab proffessors to condemn these attacks? Where are the calls for American Preoffessors to condemn the Iraq War, George Bush or other American Foreign Policy that contradicts CUPE values. What about Russia blocking European fuel from the Ukraine? What about real humanitarian crisis going on in different parts of Africa? Why does Israel get singled out by the thought police?
If Israeli professors are not aloud to support their government, what about Jewish Professors? Could they risk not being hired for supporting Israel? Will students take this as a sign that they could face academic discipline for supporting Israel. A University campus is designed to be a place of free speech. That is why teachers are granted tenior. Keep in mind that this is the same Union that refused to allow John Tory to attend their annual meeting for elementary teachers because he wanted Jewish schools to have the same funding formula as Catholic Schools. The other political leaders were welcomed with open arms.
This proposal takes the Union in areas of public discourse it doesn't belong. It undermines the basic principle of free speech that a University is supposed to protect. If Sid Ryan wants to continue is Anti-Israel campaign he should resign from is position as head of the union and join an appropriate lobby group.
Once again York University has been crippled by another TA strike. As the strike moves into it's third month students are already in danger of losing their summer jobs and possibly their academic year. At the beginning of the strike the TAs were complaining they were living under the poverty line while working 10-15 hours a week. The Union is losing credability and the constant strikes will one day cut into the demand for enrollment at York.
Sid Ryan, President of CUPE Ontario decided that this is the perfect time to advance the Union's foreign policy. A proposal is being drafted requiring all Israeli University Proffessors to publicly denounce the attack by Israel on the University in Gaza. It was bombed by Israel after it was used to fire rockets at Israeli civilians. All Israeli Proffessors failing to condemn their government harshly enough will be banned from Ontario campusses.
This policy is misdirected for many different reasons. A Union's job is to protect the interests of the employees they represent. Developing a compreshensive foreign policy is job left to governments and those individuals or lobby groups who wish to influence public policy. Diverting union dues to special interest projects of the leadership choosing is taking advantage of the Union membership. The employees receive no benefit from these activities although Union rules obligate them to pay for it.
Since when does a Univeristy force proffesors to adopt specific political view as condition for employment. CUPE stood silent while Israel has had to deal with missles and suicide bombers directed at civilians. Where are the calls for Arab proffessors to condemn these attacks? Where are the calls for American Preoffessors to condemn the Iraq War, George Bush or other American Foreign Policy that contradicts CUPE values. What about Russia blocking European fuel from the Ukraine? What about real humanitarian crisis going on in different parts of Africa? Why does Israel get singled out by the thought police?
If Israeli professors are not aloud to support their government, what about Jewish Professors? Could they risk not being hired for supporting Israel? Will students take this as a sign that they could face academic discipline for supporting Israel. A University campus is designed to be a place of free speech. That is why teachers are granted tenior. Keep in mind that this is the same Union that refused to allow John Tory to attend their annual meeting for elementary teachers because he wanted Jewish schools to have the same funding formula as Catholic Schools. The other political leaders were welcomed with open arms.
This proposal takes the Union in areas of public discourse it doesn't belong. It undermines the basic principle of free speech that a University is supposed to protect. If Sid Ryan wants to continue is Anti-Israel campaign he should resign from is position as head of the union and join an appropriate lobby group.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Ignoring voters when choosing election dates
September/October time is a difficult time of year balancing between religious observance and the demands of being a member of society. Over the course of just over 3 weeks there are a total of 7 religious holy days. This particular year all 7 days fall on weekdays. These days make it difficult to participate in political discourse, especially during election time.
When the Ontario government brought in fixed election dates they decided to go with early October. Concerns of the Jewish community were completely ignored. Last year, the very first fixed term election date had to be moved to accommodate the Jewish calendar. Despite knowing about the problem 4 years in advance the Ontario government had to make amendments to the original legislation to allow the date to be moved for religious accommodation.
On Sunday the Stephen Harper called an election for October 14th. Under federal law elections must be held on a Monday. The Chief Electoral Officer has the ability to push the election off until the Tuesday or the following week. As October 13th is Thanksgiving the date was pushed off to the Tuesday. It also happens to be a Jewish Holiday. Pushing the election off to the following week would have put it on October 20th, which is the eve of a Jewish holiday. This means all of the religious restrictions would kick in on sundown of that day.
When planning election strategy Stephan Harper was well aware of this conflict. As he did not want to have the results of the September 8th by-elections, he would not want to call an election any later than he did. If he called the election a week earlier it would have placed the election on October 6th which would have been fine for everyone. The problem was it meant calling an election on labour day weekend. He could have made the election campaign longer and set the date for October 27th. Long election campaigns tend to wear on voters patients. This would not have been a desirable solution.
Jewish voters will still have the opportunity to vote in advance polls or by proxy. Harper has strategic decided that alienating one community was worth the price of getting the perfectly timed election. It remains to be seen if the people he has alienated will have any affect on the election out come. Keep in mind B'nai Brith condemned the hand chosen by Dion, Liberal candidate in during the Outremont by-election. That riding went NDP after being the safest Liberal seat in the country.
When the Ontario government brought in fixed election dates they decided to go with early October. Concerns of the Jewish community were completely ignored. Last year, the very first fixed term election date had to be moved to accommodate the Jewish calendar. Despite knowing about the problem 4 years in advance the Ontario government had to make amendments to the original legislation to allow the date to be moved for religious accommodation.
On Sunday the Stephen Harper called an election for October 14th. Under federal law elections must be held on a Monday. The Chief Electoral Officer has the ability to push the election off until the Tuesday or the following week. As October 13th is Thanksgiving the date was pushed off to the Tuesday. It also happens to be a Jewish Holiday. Pushing the election off to the following week would have put it on October 20th, which is the eve of a Jewish holiday. This means all of the religious restrictions would kick in on sundown of that day.
When planning election strategy Stephan Harper was well aware of this conflict. As he did not want to have the results of the September 8th by-elections, he would not want to call an election any later than he did. If he called the election a week earlier it would have placed the election on October 6th which would have been fine for everyone. The problem was it meant calling an election on labour day weekend. He could have made the election campaign longer and set the date for October 27th. Long election campaigns tend to wear on voters patients. This would not have been a desirable solution.
Jewish voters will still have the opportunity to vote in advance polls or by proxy. Harper has strategic decided that alienating one community was worth the price of getting the perfectly timed election. It remains to be seen if the people he has alienated will have any affect on the election out come. Keep in mind B'nai Brith condemned the hand chosen by Dion, Liberal candidate in during the Outremont by-election. That riding went NDP after being the safest Liberal seat in the country.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Ontario election fall out
In January 2007 I wrote to Premier McGuinty. I requested that at the upcoming policy convention he adopt a position to fund non-Catholic religious schools. I used his own personal experience to emphaize the value of faith based education. I also pointed out that the Jewish Community is suffering under the financial burden of providing the same type of education, that Catholic families are able to receive without a second thought. I also warned the Premier that this unfairness is causing hard working families to leave Ontario to seek more affordable faith based education.
McGuinty responded, "Our government recognizes that there are many hard-working families who make sacrifices to send their children to faith-based schools. We have the utmost respect for your views and those of other Ontarians who disagree with our government's stance on funding for independent or religious schools. However, we remain deeply committed to restoring confidence in and stability to our public education system." He abandoned his feelings of respect during the election campaign.
10 days ago my family moved to Israel. A factor in the move was the high cost of education. To send my daughter to JK in the Jewish Day School System would be around $4000. That is for one of the cheaper schools. Instead, she can go to SK in a religous Israeli public school for $600.
McGuinty responded, "Our government recognizes that there are many hard-working families who make sacrifices to send their children to faith-based schools. We have the utmost respect for your views and those of other Ontarians who disagree with our government's stance on funding for independent or religious schools. However, we remain deeply committed to restoring confidence in and stability to our public education system." He abandoned his feelings of respect during the election campaign.
10 days ago my family moved to Israel. A factor in the move was the high cost of education. To send my daughter to JK in the Jewish Day School System would be around $4000. That is for one of the cheaper schools. Instead, she can go to SK in a religous Israeli public school for $600.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Say a little Prayer
In February, Dalton McGuinty made it a priority for his government to fix the injustice of prayers in the legislature. The Lord's Prayer did not reflect the cultural diversity of the province. He was going to be a leader in fixing this injustice even if it was unpopular. Objections from his mother would not phase him from doing the right thing. He completely ignored the fact that this was an issue very few people cared about. The Hansard doesn't even record which prayers are being recited. More than 20,000 people responded to requests public consultation. 87% requested the Government keep the Lord's Prayer.
Last week the government unanimously adopted a compromised solution. The Lord's Prayer would be recited followed by a second prayer or moment of silence at the discretion of the Speaker. To start with there will be eight prayers. Any future additions would be decided by the Speaker. The current Speaker has already said that he will refer such decisions to an all party committee. This is not a surprise considering he referred the question of coffee in parliament to be decided by committee.
The solution strikes an excellent balance. It upholds keeping traditions that built this country while recognizing the diversity of the Province. Hopefully, when Parliament returns in September they can apply this principle to other government issues. Hopefully, they will also choose to focus on matters of importance to the average citizen.
Last week the government unanimously adopted a compromised solution. The Lord's Prayer would be recited followed by a second prayer or moment of silence at the discretion of the Speaker. To start with there will be eight prayers. Any future additions would be decided by the Speaker. The current Speaker has already said that he will refer such decisions to an all party committee. This is not a surprise considering he referred the question of coffee in parliament to be decided by committee.
The solution strikes an excellent balance. It upholds keeping traditions that built this country while recognizing the diversity of the Province. Hopefully, when Parliament returns in September they can apply this principle to other government issues. Hopefully, they will also choose to focus on matters of importance to the average citizen.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tory calls to help tourism too late
On Wednesday, John Tory called on the provincial government to eliminate taxes on hotels and tourist attractions for the summer. The idea is in response to the drop in tourism. It is similar to the gas tax vacation proposal in the US that has been endorsed by John McCain and Hillary Clinton.
The plan does have some appeal. Locals would be able to partake in more of the many activities Toronto and the rest of the province has to offer. These activities get expensive very quickly. It would also help to offset the pricing advantage that has been lost due to the strong dollar.
The timing of the announcement is based purely on politicking and nothing to do with helping the economy. A strong dollar, tanking US economy and soaring oil prices are a recipe for a decline in tourism. If Tory was concerned he should have brought his idea to the table when the budget was tabled.
If McGuinty woke up this morning and decided he liked the idea, there would not be sufficient time to implement it. The legislation would need to be drawn up reviewed and passed. Businesses would need time to adjust their prices and bookkeeping. Various theme parks offer a reduced rate for early season pass purchases. These tourist attractions have started or are about to raise their pricing to the standard summer rate. The season for them to benefit from a tax cut has already been mostly lost.
Proposing solutions to problems without proper time for implementation is irresponsible politics.
Practical solutions from government need to be practical or they will not work.
The plan does have some appeal. Locals would be able to partake in more of the many activities Toronto and the rest of the province has to offer. These activities get expensive very quickly. It would also help to offset the pricing advantage that has been lost due to the strong dollar.
The timing of the announcement is based purely on politicking and nothing to do with helping the economy. A strong dollar, tanking US economy and soaring oil prices are a recipe for a decline in tourism. If Tory was concerned he should have brought his idea to the table when the budget was tabled.
If McGuinty woke up this morning and decided he liked the idea, there would not be sufficient time to implement it. The legislation would need to be drawn up reviewed and passed. Businesses would need time to adjust their prices and bookkeeping. Various theme parks offer a reduced rate for early season pass purchases. These tourist attractions have started or are about to raise their pricing to the standard summer rate. The season for them to benefit from a tax cut has already been mostly lost.
Proposing solutions to problems without proper time for implementation is irresponsible politics.
Practical solutions from government need to be practical or they will not work.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
All he really wants is a cup of coffee
The Ontario government has been getting more attention for their attempt to overhaul the inner-workings of parliament rather then governing the province. They have over 5000 submissions on requests for input on changing the Lord's prayer. McGuinty seems intent on making sure the status quo changes no matter how many people object, including his mother. They have also overhauled the schedule in the legislature starting at 9:00am. Question period has moved from the afternoon to 10:45 and night sittings of the legislature have been eliminated. Not everyone is happy with the changes.
On Monday the new schedule went into effect. Conservative MPP Norm Sterling requested to be allowed to drink his morning coffee inside the legislature. Liberal MPP Michael Bryant expressed his support for the request. Rather then making a decision the Speaker referred the matter to an all party committee.
The Speaker is concerned that allowing coffee opens the door to a whole bunch of other questions. What about tea, orange juice, donuts, muffins, disposable cups, mugs, advertising on cups etc.... ? Offices across the country consider the morning coffee to be an important part of the morning routine. A decision about the surrounding issues should be made quickly and easily with adjustments made as unanticipated scenarios arise. Is it really necessary to spend days, possibly weeks making such a simple decision? There are more important things for the government to deal with. If they need their coffee let them have it.
On Monday the new schedule went into effect. Conservative MPP Norm Sterling requested to be allowed to drink his morning coffee inside the legislature. Liberal MPP Michael Bryant expressed his support for the request. Rather then making a decision the Speaker referred the matter to an all party committee.
The Speaker is concerned that allowing coffee opens the door to a whole bunch of other questions. What about tea, orange juice, donuts, muffins, disposable cups, mugs, advertising on cups etc.... ? Offices across the country consider the morning coffee to be an important part of the morning routine. A decision about the surrounding issues should be made quickly and easily with adjustments made as unanticipated scenarios arise. Is it really necessary to spend days, possibly weeks making such a simple decision? There are more important things for the government to deal with. If they need their coffee let them have it.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
'Have-not' maybe not
With the economy in the US tanking, the fear is growing as to how hard it will hit the Canadian economy. Ontario is already showing signs that they will be hit the hardest with job loss in the manufacturing sector. TD released a report today predicting that Ontario is on it's way to 'have not' status within the next two years. The policy that the federal government is to make sure funding is available for each province to provide the same level of basic service is enshrined in the constitution. The labels of 'have and have-not' play a huge role in how each province is perceived across the country. Labeling the economic engine of Canada a have not province would be a tremendous embarrassment.
As can be expected the public reaction has been to reinforce previous held stereotypes about government and inter-provincial relations. Different levels of government are being blamed for tanking Ontario, with congratulations for other provinces for shifting the economic power outside the traditional power base.
For the average person who just follows the headlines the most important detail is being overlooked. The equalization payment formula has just been revised. These changes add to the economic strength of provinces like Newfoundland & Alberta without changing their economies. Ontario is not declining in as much as they are not able to benefit from the skyrocketing price of oil as other provinces have.
Ontario is heading into some tough economic times. The Ontario economy needs to be evaluated on standard economic benchmarks such as unemployment. Using the equalization formula that has just changed is irresponsible and misleading. To stimulate the economy real economic factors must be considered. If the public and politicians use the politically negotiated equalization formula as the key indicator, they will make the wrong decisions.
As can be expected the public reaction has been to reinforce previous held stereotypes about government and inter-provincial relations. Different levels of government are being blamed for tanking Ontario, with congratulations for other provinces for shifting the economic power outside the traditional power base.
For the average person who just follows the headlines the most important detail is being overlooked. The equalization payment formula has just been revised. These changes add to the economic strength of provinces like Newfoundland & Alberta without changing their economies. Ontario is not declining in as much as they are not able to benefit from the skyrocketing price of oil as other provinces have.
Ontario is heading into some tough economic times. The Ontario economy needs to be evaluated on standard economic benchmarks such as unemployment. Using the equalization formula that has just changed is irresponsible and misleading. To stimulate the economy real economic factors must be considered. If the public and politicians use the politically negotiated equalization formula as the key indicator, they will make the wrong decisions.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Banning cars, one crime at a time
Yesterday, David Miller launched a Youtube/facebook campaign for the federal government to ban handguns. The provincial Liberals have also been long time supporters on a ban on hand guns.
Liberal MPP Mike Colle decided to take action by introducing a private members bill. The bill calls for drivers license suspension as well as impounding cars found with illegal handguns. The focus on banning handguns has been used as an excuse for different levels of government not to deal with issues that result in kids turning to a life of crime. This bill does nothing to make the streets safer.
Cars are impounded if a driver is caught without a valid license. The onus is on the owner of the vehicle to verify that someone using their car has a valid license. The government has recently implemented racing laws where speeding 50 km/h over the speed limit results in a car being automatically being impounded for a week. Despite the risk police are still impounding cars. If a person has no fear in carrying and presumably using an illegal gun, why would they fear the loss of driving privileges. They should be afraid of facing the justice system. The police should be focusing having these offenders put in jail.
A few weeks ago there was a shooting on the TTC. Will the government consider taking away metropasses for criminals who do not commit their crimes in cars? The government will be introducing a ban on smoking in cars with children present. Will the punishment also be to have license suspension and cars impounded?
Punishments must fit the crime. This trend to solve the worlds problems by simply punishing drivers and car owners is short sighted. There are times when such action is appropriate. This does not make it the solution to every problem.
Liberal MPP Mike Colle decided to take action by introducing a private members bill. The bill calls for drivers license suspension as well as impounding cars found with illegal handguns. The focus on banning handguns has been used as an excuse for different levels of government not to deal with issues that result in kids turning to a life of crime. This bill does nothing to make the streets safer.
Cars are impounded if a driver is caught without a valid license. The onus is on the owner of the vehicle to verify that someone using their car has a valid license. The government has recently implemented racing laws where speeding 50 km/h over the speed limit results in a car being automatically being impounded for a week. Despite the risk police are still impounding cars. If a person has no fear in carrying and presumably using an illegal gun, why would they fear the loss of driving privileges. They should be afraid of facing the justice system. The police should be focusing having these offenders put in jail.
A few weeks ago there was a shooting on the TTC. Will the government consider taking away metropasses for criminals who do not commit their crimes in cars? The government will be introducing a ban on smoking in cars with children present. Will the punishment also be to have license suspension and cars impounded?
Punishments must fit the crime. This trend to solve the worlds problems by simply punishing drivers and car owners is short sighted. There are times when such action is appropriate. This does not make it the solution to every problem.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Playing in the Political Sandbox
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty held a press conference in Toronto today to try and 'convince' the Ontario Government to reduce the corporate tax rate in tomorrow's budget. Flaherty is well aware that budget's are extremely complex calculations that take months of planning. Such a drastic change in policy could not be adopted and ready to implement in a single night. His provincial counterpart Dwight Duncan was quick to call Flaherty on his political grandstanding and pointed out that citizens rejected the tax cut philosophy "in 03 and 07". Technically the Liberal mandate endorsed tax hikes that occurred in the Liberal's first mandate and status quo on taxes for now. Nobody will argue that the Liberals got reelected on their tax policy.
With election fever peeking in early spring the feud between Ontario & Ottawa over how to structure their counterparts budget has grown. People have a tendency to place blame for the feud based on which philosophy they happen to agree with. This ignores key elements of the feud.
When McGuinty was elected in 2003 he argued as a Liberal he was the best person to work with a federal Liberal government to best serve Ontario's needs. In the end it made very little difference. During the last federal election Martin did not want to be scene anywhere near the unpopular Premier.
McGuinty has long complained about the feds not giving enough money to the country's economic engine. There was the $26 billion in taxes that we not coming back to Ontario. He joined in on 1% GST and gas tax going to municipalities. McGuinty wants the Harper to cut GHG without in any negative results for the Ontario manufacturing sector. When Toronto, the economic engine of Ontario asked the province for money, McGuinty gave them new taxing powers and told them to deal with their own problems.
This game between Queen's Park and Ottawa has gotten old fast. They each have their own responsibilities and tax payers expect them to do them. When kids can't play together nicely in a sandbox the parents need to have them removed. McGuinty already has his mandate to stay and play until 2011. Sometime in the next year and a half Harper/Flaherty will have to answer to voters. If everyone can play together nicely, we can have an effective strategy for dealing with the consequences of the United States tanking their own economy.
If only it could be that easy.
With election fever peeking in early spring the feud between Ontario & Ottawa over how to structure their counterparts budget has grown. People have a tendency to place blame for the feud based on which philosophy they happen to agree with. This ignores key elements of the feud.
When McGuinty was elected in 2003 he argued as a Liberal he was the best person to work with a federal Liberal government to best serve Ontario's needs. In the end it made very little difference. During the last federal election Martin did not want to be scene anywhere near the unpopular Premier.
McGuinty has long complained about the feds not giving enough money to the country's economic engine. There was the $26 billion in taxes that we not coming back to Ontario. He joined in on 1% GST and gas tax going to municipalities. McGuinty wants the Harper to cut GHG without in any negative results for the Ontario manufacturing sector. When Toronto, the economic engine of Ontario asked the province for money, McGuinty gave them new taxing powers and told them to deal with their own problems.
This game between Queen's Park and Ottawa has gotten old fast. They each have their own responsibilities and tax payers expect them to do them. When kids can't play together nicely in a sandbox the parents need to have them removed. McGuinty already has his mandate to stay and play until 2011. Sometime in the next year and a half Harper/Flaherty will have to answer to voters. If everyone can play together nicely, we can have an effective strategy for dealing with the consequences of the United States tanking their own economy.
If only it could be that easy.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Tory stays on for now
This weekend was the first time John Tory had to formally face his party since the embarrassing election loss in October. Normally having your party blown out in an election and losing your own seat is an automatic sign step down. After a long campaign and a promise to never, ever bring up the faith based school funding issue again, Tory managed to garner 66.9% support to stay on.
The Conservative Party is split between the 'Progressive' and 'Conservative' fragments. Not having an overwhelming majority of support will cause the campaign to force Tory to resign to continue. Uniting the party will be a difficult task. Tory must deal with asking an MPP to step down to allow him to take a seat in Queen's Park.
The fact he has not been knocked out yet is a testament to his character. He has the character traits that people like to see in their politicians. He fought a campaign based on his convictions and payed the ultimate price. He was willing to take a risk by avoiding running in a safe seat. While Premier McGuinty was proud of the fact that he did not knock on any doors and was kept away from unscripted meetings with people who were not pre-cleared as Liberal supporters. Tory went door to door on the campaign trail often followed by the media ready to pounce on him if someone asked him a tough question. He is also known for his strong work ethic at Queen's Park.
Tory took a risk and lost. His reputation in Ontario is severely tarnished, which could put him at a serious disadvantage in the 2011 election. Repairing the split in the party is going to be too big of a task without a change at the top. The best move for him would be to move on as party leader and find another way to apply his skills at serving the public.
The real loser in all this politicking is the 53,000 students in faith based schools. The government funds sports, arts, Catholic, Aboriginal, Gay and Lesbian and coming soon Afrocentric schools. Intentionally ignoring Jewish, Muslim, Protestant etc... schools is a tragedy to the multicultural mosaic of Ontario. Ontario has been condemned by the United Nations for this arrangement. The election proved that it is easier to ignore these human rights issues than try to find an appropriate solution.
In order to move forward the Conservatives need a new face and a new direction. Failing to do so could leave the Liberals in office until 2015 without a serious challenge. Just as it took the federal Conservatives a decade to recover from the Kim Campbell loss (which Tory was part of the campaign team), losing in 2011 could be just as devastating for the Conservatives in Ontario.
The Conservative Party is split between the 'Progressive' and 'Conservative' fragments. Not having an overwhelming majority of support will cause the campaign to force Tory to resign to continue. Uniting the party will be a difficult task. Tory must deal with asking an MPP to step down to allow him to take a seat in Queen's Park.
The fact he has not been knocked out yet is a testament to his character. He has the character traits that people like to see in their politicians. He fought a campaign based on his convictions and payed the ultimate price. He was willing to take a risk by avoiding running in a safe seat. While Premier McGuinty was proud of the fact that he did not knock on any doors and was kept away from unscripted meetings with people who were not pre-cleared as Liberal supporters. Tory went door to door on the campaign trail often followed by the media ready to pounce on him if someone asked him a tough question. He is also known for his strong work ethic at Queen's Park.
Tory took a risk and lost. His reputation in Ontario is severely tarnished, which could put him at a serious disadvantage in the 2011 election. Repairing the split in the party is going to be too big of a task without a change at the top. The best move for him would be to move on as party leader and find another way to apply his skills at serving the public.
The real loser in all this politicking is the 53,000 students in faith based schools. The government funds sports, arts, Catholic, Aboriginal, Gay and Lesbian and coming soon Afrocentric schools. Intentionally ignoring Jewish, Muslim, Protestant etc... schools is a tragedy to the multicultural mosaic of Ontario. Ontario has been condemned by the United Nations for this arrangement. The election proved that it is easier to ignore these human rights issues than try to find an appropriate solution.
In order to move forward the Conservatives need a new face and a new direction. Failing to do so could leave the Liberals in office until 2015 without a serious challenge. Just as it took the federal Conservatives a decade to recover from the Kim Campbell loss (which Tory was part of the campaign team), losing in 2011 could be just as devastating for the Conservatives in Ontario.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Shaking up Queen's Park
One method for judging the importance of a government is by counting the days they are in session. In June, Queen's Park broke for the summer 3 weeks early to help bury the 'slushgate' scandal. The excuse at the time was that parliament had accomplished everything they needed to do. Since that time, there has been an election and the legislature sat for a total of 2.5 weeks before going on winter break. The break is officially scheduled to end on March 17th. Sources have indicated that parliament will be called back early and resume sitting on February 25th.
Today the government announced that they will be form a comitee to look into replacing "The Lord's Prayer" which is recited everyday to open parliament. It no longer reflects the multicultural demographics of the province. While having some merits for a review it is ironic this change is being introduced by the same government that blasted funding faith based schools, while supporting the status quo of funding Catholic Schools.
On Sunday, the government indicated that they are interested in making Parliament more appealing to parents with small children. They plan to eliminate night sittings and start having sessions on Friday. They also want to address the problem of time being cut short on question period due to procedural matters and allow more debate time for private members bills.
They have proposed moving question period to first thing in the morning. Currently MPPs have staff who's job it is to brief them on issues that may come up in question period. By being prepared both the government and opposition are able to serve the public interest with intelligent debate. Using the full time allocated for question period helps serve this purpose. If parliament is unprepared to ask or answer questions properly it is of very little value. Hopefully, they will move question period to the early afternoon with the other details worked out, so that this time can be used effectively.
The government has had essentially 10 months to prepare for a full session of parliament. Hopefully they will use the time to focus on the addressing the needs of the province and not tinkering with parliamentary procedures.
Today the government announced that they will be form a comitee to look into replacing "The Lord's Prayer" which is recited everyday to open parliament. It no longer reflects the multicultural demographics of the province. While having some merits for a review it is ironic this change is being introduced by the same government that blasted funding faith based schools, while supporting the status quo of funding Catholic Schools.
On Sunday, the government indicated that they are interested in making Parliament more appealing to parents with small children. They plan to eliminate night sittings and start having sessions on Friday. They also want to address the problem of time being cut short on question period due to procedural matters and allow more debate time for private members bills.
They have proposed moving question period to first thing in the morning. Currently MPPs have staff who's job it is to brief them on issues that may come up in question period. By being prepared both the government and opposition are able to serve the public interest with intelligent debate. Using the full time allocated for question period helps serve this purpose. If parliament is unprepared to ask or answer questions properly it is of very little value. Hopefully, they will move question period to the early afternoon with the other details worked out, so that this time can be used effectively.
The government has had essentially 10 months to prepare for a full session of parliament. Hopefully they will use the time to focus on the addressing the needs of the province and not tinkering with parliamentary procedures.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
TDSB approves 'Afrocentric' School
Less than 6 months ago Premier McGuinty declared that non-Catholic religous schools posed a threat to society. His position was endorsed across the board by the public school board system, from unions to school boards.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has approved the opening of an 'Afrocentric' school. The high school drop out rate amongst black students is around 40%. It is believed that by making school more relevant, students will stay in school and have hope for a better future.
The cookie cutter approach to education does not work. Students have different learning styles and interests. The schools need to be flexible enough to adapt the curriculum. In some cases this does require alternative schools based on a special interest.
The Black community does have problems with poverty, violence, single parent families, teenage pregnancy that severely hamper a students ability to be successful in school. These problems need to be dealt with head on. Setting up a school based on skin colour will not make these issues go away.
The City of Toronto offers a healthy lunch program. This highly subsidized program allows a child to have a hot healthy lunch at school a number of days per week for a very reasonable cost. Children are given a head start on learning about nutrition and healthy eating habits. This program is so important that it is even offered in the non-Catholic religious schools.
The problems in 'disadvantaged' communities need to be faced head on. More programs need to be developed to help kids succeed in school and not be lured by gang culture. These programs can range from sports to arts to any number of after school programs. Parents need to be encouraged to get involved in their kids education. The funding formula needs to be fixed so schools have enough councillors and other support staff the kids can turn to for help. University needs to be accessible to students coming from impoverished homes to give hope of a post secondary education. A school focused on skin colour does not address any of these issues.
The sad thing is that the 3 year pilot project is going to be a success. Not because they are fundamentally sound but because they will get the best students, extra funding plus extra parent and community volunteer support. These are all key ingredients for a successful school, irrelevant of the colour of the students skin.
While expressing discomfort for the proposal Premier McGuinty said he would allow the TDSB to make their own decision. Education Minister Kathleen Wynn has expressed her support for this project. These are the same people who argued against funding non-Catholic religious schools because it would create 'segregation'.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has approved the opening of an 'Afrocentric' school. The high school drop out rate amongst black students is around 40%. It is believed that by making school more relevant, students will stay in school and have hope for a better future.
The cookie cutter approach to education does not work. Students have different learning styles and interests. The schools need to be flexible enough to adapt the curriculum. In some cases this does require alternative schools based on a special interest.
The Black community does have problems with poverty, violence, single parent families, teenage pregnancy that severely hamper a students ability to be successful in school. These problems need to be dealt with head on. Setting up a school based on skin colour will not make these issues go away.
The City of Toronto offers a healthy lunch program. This highly subsidized program allows a child to have a hot healthy lunch at school a number of days per week for a very reasonable cost. Children are given a head start on learning about nutrition and healthy eating habits. This program is so important that it is even offered in the non-Catholic religious schools.
The problems in 'disadvantaged' communities need to be faced head on. More programs need to be developed to help kids succeed in school and not be lured by gang culture. These programs can range from sports to arts to any number of after school programs. Parents need to be encouraged to get involved in their kids education. The funding formula needs to be fixed so schools have enough councillors and other support staff the kids can turn to for help. University needs to be accessible to students coming from impoverished homes to give hope of a post secondary education. A school focused on skin colour does not address any of these issues.
The sad thing is that the 3 year pilot project is going to be a success. Not because they are fundamentally sound but because they will get the best students, extra funding plus extra parent and community volunteer support. These are all key ingredients for a successful school, irrelevant of the colour of the students skin.
While expressing discomfort for the proposal Premier McGuinty said he would allow the TDSB to make their own decision. Education Minister Kathleen Wynn has expressed her support for this project. These are the same people who argued against funding non-Catholic religious schools because it would create 'segregation'.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Return of Slushgate too little too late
In the late spring a scandal broke where the Ontario government had awarded $32 million in grants to ethnic groups without any kind of application process. The scandal really caught public's attention when a cricket club that received twice as much money as they requested. A $15 million grant to the UJA went mostly unnoticed in the media.
The decision to shutdown parliament 3 weeks early avoided the government having to defend themselves during question period. The Auditor General was eventually called in to investigate and confirmed the government acted improperly but that the funds did not go to friends of the Liberal party. Citizenship Minister Michael Colle resigned his cabinet position. The scandal was completely overshadowed in the October election by the faith based school funding issue. The government did promise that they would make every effort to recoup the money that was handed out.
A letter has been released from Larry Tanenbaum, thanking the Premier as well as Michael Colle, Monte Kwinter, David Caplan and Greg Sorbara for their support in obtaining the $15 million grant. The money went to the improvement projects for (3) Jewish Communities Centres in or on the outskirts of Toronto. The NDP and Conservatives have renewed calls for an RCMP investigation to determine if any criminal acts were committed.
The opposition response is too little too late. They had the opportunity to make this scandal a central issue in the election campaign and blew it. Even Michael Colle was able to retain his seat (with a significantly smaller margin of victory then past elections). The thank you letter just demonstrates that those who normally lobby the government had the opportunity to obtain these funds. This is should not be a surprise as it demonstrates that the lobbying industry works.
What is surprising is that every media outlet with the exception of the Toronto Sun is referring the grant as going to "a Jewish group" Why is the media choosing not to name the UJA as the recipient of this money? The public is better served when relevant information is made available to the public. Creating the impression that the UJA will not fall under the same scrutiny as the cricket club is a disservice to the Jewish community.
The decision to shutdown parliament 3 weeks early avoided the government having to defend themselves during question period. The Auditor General was eventually called in to investigate and confirmed the government acted improperly but that the funds did not go to friends of the Liberal party. Citizenship Minister Michael Colle resigned his cabinet position. The scandal was completely overshadowed in the October election by the faith based school funding issue. The government did promise that they would make every effort to recoup the money that was handed out.
A letter has been released from Larry Tanenbaum, thanking the Premier as well as Michael Colle, Monte Kwinter, David Caplan and Greg Sorbara for their support in obtaining the $15 million grant. The money went to the improvement projects for (3) Jewish Communities Centres in or on the outskirts of Toronto. The NDP and Conservatives have renewed calls for an RCMP investigation to determine if any criminal acts were committed.
The opposition response is too little too late. They had the opportunity to make this scandal a central issue in the election campaign and blew it. Even Michael Colle was able to retain his seat (with a significantly smaller margin of victory then past elections). The thank you letter just demonstrates that those who normally lobby the government had the opportunity to obtain these funds. This is should not be a surprise as it demonstrates that the lobbying industry works.
What is surprising is that every media outlet with the exception of the Toronto Sun is referring the grant as going to "a Jewish group" Why is the media choosing not to name the UJA as the recipient of this money? The public is better served when relevant information is made available to the public. Creating the impression that the UJA will not fall under the same scrutiny as the cricket club is a disservice to the Jewish community.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Smoking in cars
Previously, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has rejected the idea of banning smoking in cars with children due to the slippery slope argument. A private members bill calling for a fine between $200 - $1000 for those caught smoking in a care with children is gaining support. McGuinty has changed his position to 'neutral' and he is willing to listen to what Ontarians have to say.
The current stigma against smokers is well deserved for all of the negative side effects both social and medical. The government should be commended for most of the steps taken to protect the general public from second hand smoke. Most responsible smokers are aware of the dangers and take steps to avoid exposing their children to second hand smoke.
The problem with this proposed legislation is it expands the powers of the state to control parenting decisions. The Ontario Medical Association states that second hand smoke is 23 times more concentrated then in a small room. The Ontario Lung Association says that enforcing such a law is no different than mandatory seat belt or car seat laws.
There is one major difference. Seat belts only protect motorists while they are in their vehicle. Smoking can take place anywhere and poses a danger to children even if they are not in a car. If a parent is subjecting a child to second hand smoke in a car, they are probably doing the same in the home. A car ban will not protect these children unless the state enforces non-smoking around children in the home. The slippery slope begins.
Where does the government draw the line for protecting children? Due to the health risks trans fats have started being banned from public schools. Will there eventually be legislation banning parents from feeding their children food with trans fats? Could parents who smoke or consume trans fats be declared unfit parents and have their children taken away? Once the government starts establishing the standards of 'acceptable risk' for children the possibilities of how far things can get out of hand are endless.
As long as cigarettes sales remain legal the government must limit how far they are willing to act in the interests of public safety. Non-smokers need to be able to be free to avoid the dangers of second hand smoke. Public education needs to continue to reduce smoking. The government choosing to micro manage family dynamics and which risks are acceptable for children is the first step to creating a police state.
The current stigma against smokers is well deserved for all of the negative side effects both social and medical. The government should be commended for most of the steps taken to protect the general public from second hand smoke. Most responsible smokers are aware of the dangers and take steps to avoid exposing their children to second hand smoke.
The problem with this proposed legislation is it expands the powers of the state to control parenting decisions. The Ontario Medical Association states that second hand smoke is 23 times more concentrated then in a small room. The Ontario Lung Association says that enforcing such a law is no different than mandatory seat belt or car seat laws.
There is one major difference. Seat belts only protect motorists while they are in their vehicle. Smoking can take place anywhere and poses a danger to children even if they are not in a car. If a parent is subjecting a child to second hand smoke in a car, they are probably doing the same in the home. A car ban will not protect these children unless the state enforces non-smoking around children in the home. The slippery slope begins.
Where does the government draw the line for protecting children? Due to the health risks trans fats have started being banned from public schools. Will there eventually be legislation banning parents from feeding their children food with trans fats? Could parents who smoke or consume trans fats be declared unfit parents and have their children taken away? Once the government starts establishing the standards of 'acceptable risk' for children the possibilities of how far things can get out of hand are endless.
As long as cigarettes sales remain legal the government must limit how far they are willing to act in the interests of public safety. Non-smokers need to be able to be free to avoid the dangers of second hand smoke. Public education needs to continue to reduce smoking. The government choosing to micro manage family dynamics and which risks are acceptable for children is the first step to creating a police state.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Ministry of Transportation to fix laughable mistake
The Ministry of Transportation rejected an application to have replacement plates for REV JO after 19 years. The original reason sighted was that the term 'REV' could encourage speed racing. An alternative REVRNJO was rejected because it represented religion. The silliness of the decision made big news and the 9 person committee was forced to reconsider the original decision. They once again rejected plates because REV could refer to an alcoholic drink and encourage drunk driving.
Premier Dalton McGuinty stepped to the plate to bring common sense to the issue. All plates that have already been issued will be allowed to be renewed. The government will set new guidelines for license plates next year.
The government thinks very highly of the impact of license plates. Does a license plate really have more impact on fellow drivers than (currently unregulated) bumper stickers? At least bumper stickers offer a clear message instead of plates that are open to various interpretations.
The new guidelines should be simple, easy to apply consistently while keeping in mind the fundamentals of freedom of speech. Plates should be banned if they use foul language or in appropriate sexual references. The system used to put in guidelines for media could be easily transferred. Plates that promote hatred or discrimination should also be banned. Anything more complicated will be difficult to define and apply. This will allow the free expression vanity plates were meant to provide to motorists.
Anyone making decisions on drunk driving, speeding or any other bad driving habits based on someones licence plate, do not deserve to have a drivers license.
Premier Dalton McGuinty stepped to the plate to bring common sense to the issue. All plates that have already been issued will be allowed to be renewed. The government will set new guidelines for license plates next year.
The government thinks very highly of the impact of license plates. Does a license plate really have more impact on fellow drivers than (currently unregulated) bumper stickers? At least bumper stickers offer a clear message instead of plates that are open to various interpretations.
The new guidelines should be simple, easy to apply consistently while keeping in mind the fundamentals of freedom of speech. Plates should be banned if they use foul language or in appropriate sexual references. The system used to put in guidelines for media could be easily transferred. Plates that promote hatred or discrimination should also be banned. Anything more complicated will be difficult to define and apply. This will allow the free expression vanity plates were meant to provide to motorists.
Anyone making decisions on drunk driving, speeding or any other bad driving habits based on someones licence plate, do not deserve to have a drivers license.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
McGuinty vs Wynn on African (black) schools
Stats have shown that failure rates and drop out rates from school are higher among black students. TDSB is taking under consideration a recommendation to open an elementary school for 'black' students. The school would have more black teachers and a focus on 'black' culture in an attempt to make the educational experience more relevant to the students.
With the rejection of religious school funding, it would seem to be a no-brainer that the provincial government would be quick to come out against this idea.
In an interview Education Minister Kathleen Wynn indicating that she was very concerned about the failure rates among black students and would like to see different solutions. She avoided having an opinion on this solution because it is up to the school board to make the decision and out of her jurisdiction. When asked why her position was different than on the faith based schooling issue she explained that she was concerned about students that are being failed by the system. Based on this answer the reason religious schools should not receive funding is that these communities have stepped up to take care of their own kids. They did not wait for the government to decide that they would benefit from a slightly different learning experience.
Premier Dalton McGuinty was quick on the ball stating that he is not in favour of this idea. He used the same lines from his election campaign that he wants a school system that brings children together. He is in favour of the public education system. It is nice to see that he is being consistent on this point. The problem with his statement is it ignores the fact that if approved this proposal will take place under the umbrella of public education. McGuinty really needs to stop defining his educational policy in terms of who pays for it. A definition based on the student learning experience would be a far better way of defining public policy.
Public consultations will take place next week. If TDSB does go ahead with this plan it is unclear how McGuinty and Wynn will reconcile their differences on this issue.
With the rejection of religious school funding, it would seem to be a no-brainer that the provincial government would be quick to come out against this idea.
In an interview Education Minister Kathleen Wynn indicating that she was very concerned about the failure rates among black students and would like to see different solutions. She avoided having an opinion on this solution because it is up to the school board to make the decision and out of her jurisdiction. When asked why her position was different than on the faith based schooling issue she explained that she was concerned about students that are being failed by the system. Based on this answer the reason religious schools should not receive funding is that these communities have stepped up to take care of their own kids. They did not wait for the government to decide that they would benefit from a slightly different learning experience.
Premier Dalton McGuinty was quick on the ball stating that he is not in favour of this idea. He used the same lines from his election campaign that he wants a school system that brings children together. He is in favour of the public education system. It is nice to see that he is being consistent on this point. The problem with his statement is it ignores the fact that if approved this proposal will take place under the umbrella of public education. McGuinty really needs to stop defining his educational policy in terms of who pays for it. A definition based on the student learning experience would be a far better way of defining public policy.
Public consultations will take place next week. If TDSB does go ahead with this plan it is unclear how McGuinty and Wynn will reconcile their differences on this issue.
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