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Nazi boy will remember why he is free

2009-11-13T05:38:00.000-08:00

Letters

Nov 13, 2009

Remembrance Day is a very emotional time for me, my Dad, Bert Whittle, was a Second World War hero.

I went over to the memorial service at the Royal Canadian Legion branch 163 Memorial Park on Hamilton Mountain to honor my Dad.

As I knelt there I thought about the many times I ran to my Dad at night when I awoke from a bad dream or when a windy, howling night frightened me so.

I can still feel those big old arms wrapped around me, the feel of those bulging muscles, knowing I was safe from harm, his warm heart melting my fears away.

One particularly bad night when struck with scarlet fever and delirious, my Dad told me a story about what fear is, and what it takes to stare it down.

He told me a war story I will never forget.

It was during the time of war when Holland was liberated and my Dad was going house to house rooting out the Nazis and restoring order. It was guerrilla warfare with snipers shooting from second-floor windows, booby-trapped buildings and eye-to-eye combat, up close and personal, and messy, too.

Dad's right foot got pretty sore kicking in doors to check the homes so the terrified resident could return, if they were still alive. This was a time during the war that Hitler had conscripted mere children, giving them ill-fitting uniforms and guns.

Late one full-moon evening during a house to house search, my Dad kicked open an upstairs bedroom door and ran head long into the enemy, a sniper perhaps. My Dad was so shocked at what confronted him, he hesitated on the trigger for a millisecond.

It was a little boy dressed in ill-fitting Nazi fatigues, no more than 14 years old, cowering in fear and whimpering. His gun was on the floor, it was wooden, it was clearly a toy. He was not armed.

My father had a duty to shoot him, but didn’t. He committed an act of treason to save that boy. He couldn’t bring himself to cross the moral divide, to kill a child who knew not what Hitler had done, could never fully understand the depravity and ruin Hitler had spread across Europe.
He did not know of the horrors of war, he knew the primal fear he faced staring down the barrel of my Dad's gun.

He was innocent. I know that boy remembers what my dad did, and so do his children and grandchildren because it is their duty to never forget the freedom my Dad won for them by sparing that boy's life, despite him being dressed as the enemy.

Mark-Alan Whittle, Hamilton Mountain

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Little grass left to absorb all this rain: MAW

2009-09-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

After reading all the stories and headlines regarding the repeated sewer backups and flooding happening in different parts of the city, I’m left wondering how on Earth this could be classed as a “natural disaster” as opposed to an engineering problem with the sewer system the flooded homes are hooked up to. If you enter the co-ordinates into Google Earth, an image of the area from 2005 shows that hundreds of homes have been built in this area and hooked up to the existing sewer trunk line buried under the road.

I then went to the city’s mapping system, available online, that shows where all the sewer system connections are and how they are grafted into the main trunk line for the area.

I’m no expert, but even “Joe Plumber” could figure this one out: a capacity problem caused by massive over-development leaving almost no grass to absorb any excess rain, with all of it (runoff) running into the sewer system in the street.

Mark-Alan Whittle, Hamilton Mountain
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Tim Hudak: Stop The DST

2009-04-24T04:23:00.000-07:00

Ontario taxpayers bailed out Hamilton again

2009-04-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 9, 2009)

Re: 'McGuinty is council's fairy godmother' (Column, April 3)

After reading about the latest $16.5 million bailout for the City of Hamilton from the Dalton McGuinty Liberal government, I would like to thank the rest of the hard-working taxpayers of Ontario for bailing out our city for the fifth year in a row.

Unfortunately for the people who live here, it has allowed our local council to avoid the hard decisions necessary to right our sinking ship and balance our books without getting millions of dollars from the rest of you.

As old habits are hard to break, I look forward to next year's bailout so we can keep our property taxes the lowest they have been since amalgamation.

-- Mark-Alan Whittle

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Ontario Liberals wasted $647M on e-health records: opposition parties

2009-04-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

TORONTO — Five years and $647 million were wasted by the Ontario government’s attempt to develop electronic health records before the project was shut down and started all over again, the opposition parties charged today.

The government quietly shuttered the Smart Systems for Health Agency last fall and replaced it with e-Health Ontario, another body charged with the same task of creating a system that would allow people’s medical records to be shared electronically among health professionals.

The Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats say it was no accident the Liberals closed the old agency the same day the government released its first report on outbreaks of a deadly bacteria in Ontario hospitals.

“They finally recognized the agency was a failure ... and quietly pulled the plug on the same day that C. difficile results were announced, on a Friday ... and set up the other agency hoping that nobody would notice,” said Opposition critic Elizabeth Witmer.

“For five years this government allowed the agency to move forward without any accountability whatsoever.”

Witmer said “it’s unbelievable” that a government agency could spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and have practically nothing of value at the end — a sentiment echoed by NDP critic France Gélinas.

“Ontarians should be worried that $647 million was spent with very, very little to show for it,” Gélinas said. “This is a complete failure. There is no way this government will ever be able to account for the $647 million that they’ve scattered with no result.”

However, Health Minister David Caplan said the old agency did manage to set up a secure computer network linking 7,000 sites of various public health agencies and family health teams across the province.

“That is all in place, and having that secure network where health information can be transmitted is really an incredible fist step,” said Caplan, who admitted Ontario was falling behind other jurisdictions in creating electronic health records.

“I decided to make the change from that agency to e-Health Ontario with a new board and new senior management because I think we can do much better in this area with much more aggressive timelines.”

The opposition parties said they couldn’t understand how moving the implementation date for electronic health records in Ontario from 2012 to 2015 could be considered a more aggressive timeline.

They also complained that the new CEO of e-Health Ontario, Sarah Kramer, spent $51,500 on new office furniture, but Caplan said there are always startup costs with new agencies.

Kramer said the old CEO’s furniture was showing its age and needed to be replaced, and insisted the new furnishings are appropriate for the office.

“It’s professional,” she said. “It’s definitely not opulent.”

The Tories and New Democrats want the province’s auditor general to look into the now-defunct Smart Systems for Health Agency.

“If this government has nothing to hide, call in the auditor general, do the value-for-money audit, and let’s make sure that moving forward the public can be confident their tax dollars are being well-spent,” Witmer said.

“Right now we have nothing to show whatsoever.”
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Tory's loss is Ontario's loss

2009-03-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

By THE CARIBBEAN CAMERA

When John Tory first stepped into politics in 2003, everyone in Toronto watched him suspiciously.

Why would a successful lawyer and front man for communications giant Rogers, whose entire life has been way above that of the ordinary folk, want to serve us? Was his bid an effort to turn the inner workings of Canada's largest city over to the interests of big business?

That suspicion, alas, is probably what did Tory in in almost every election he has contested since. And it's a pity, because John Tory the politician turned out to be quite a decent man, a rare entity in the world of politics.

Those who got to know him during the five years since that mayoral election will attest to the fact that Tory rose head and shoulders above most politicians who try to reach out to us simply to secure our vote.

He was real in his passion for caring about all of Ontario's residents, and made every effort to reach out across social, ethnic, religious and cultural barriers in a genuine effort to get to know the people he wanted to serve.

Tory did not just pay lip-service to these communities, but really cared about the issues facing Ontarians, whatever their backgrounds.

He was a welcome guest at almost every Hindu temple, Islamic mosque and other churches, where he involved himself deeply so he could truly understand these communities.

Not just that, but Tory also attached himself to worthy causes in our community, such as Camp Jumoke and The Caribbean Children Foundation, and used every opportunity he had to tell the wider community about the work these groups do.

At no time, however, did it seem like he was campaigning.

He once told The Camera, during his mayoral race, what he cherished most about his decision to enter politics was the opportunity it offered him to meet people and experience cultures he otherwise would not have.

We believe him.

This is why we're so sad to see him bow out of politics.

To see such a decent man walk away from politics is something every Ontarian should regret.

God knows, we don't have enough of them as it is.

To let him go without a thank you will be a dereliction of our duty.

So thanks, Mr Tory.

Your time in the arena was truly appreciated.

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PM announces investment: Evergreen Transit Line

2009-03-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

John Tory campaigns in HKLB by-election

2009-03-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Obama flubs the Oath of Office: No retakes allowed

2009-01-21T06:04:00.000-08:00

Your Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean

2008-12-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

I would like to advise you on the constitutional crisis created by a coalition of political parties in opposition of the elected minority Conservative government.

Therefore, In light of the rampant speculation in the media of these developments, I took some time to read up on the procedure for dissolution of Parliament at your web site.

It seems it's the responsibility of the Prime Minister to come to you and submit an instrument of advice on the matter.

Furthermore, I submit to you that until that happens the 'opposition coalition' has no constitutional standing in the government because it does not include all the opposition parties.

This is exclusionary and counter to your mandate to do no harm to the interests of all Canadians and their respective provinces.

Canadians like me, and seniors on a fixed income, have been tightening our belts as best we can and expect no less from the government.

For example, my gas bill has doubled so I was forced to turn down the thermostat a bit to off-set the added cost of heating my home in the winter.

Money saved by the federal government could help fund a stimulus package for our faltering economy. Now is not the time for panicky financial decisions and rampant spending nor wholesale replacement of government because the opposition parties don't want to give up their political welfare in the form of a vote subsidy.

This is the issue that caused them to panic, not the state of the economy.

To say this coalition exists because of the lack of a economic stimulus package forthcoming from the elected government is disingenuous at best and venal political self-interest at its worst.

You, on behalf of all Canadians, should have nothing to do with this partisan political hackery.

I would humbly suggest that you should reject this attempt to usurp the elected government of Canada by the New Democratic Party of Canada in concert with the Liberal Party of Canada to the exclusion of the political party that represents Quebec and simply tell our elected Politicians get back to work.

Respectfully,
Mark-Alan Whittle
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May shoots self in foot: Canadians are stupid

2008-09-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

Welcome Message from Terry Anderson

2008-09-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hamilton Mountain needs a Member of Parliament with a strong voice as a member of the governing party, who will fight for the needs of this community. I am not afraid to speak up to get things done. As a three-time elected Hamilton councillor, I have the experience, the community knowledge and the dedication to get real action for Hamilton Mountain.

I have good working relationships with representatives at all levels of government, and of all political stripes. I understand the issues that face Hamilton in the coming years -- revitalizing our downtown cores; growing our industrial base to provide jobs; ensuring there are enough doctors and hospital services to provide for the needs of seniors; and making our community safe from crime. I also believe we have to stop coddling young offenders who have a history of criminal activity.

I believe it’s important to protect our environment for our children and their children. I believe we can do this in a way that is effective and that does not unduly burden our economy.

I have lived in this community all my life. I work here. I have raised my family here. This is where my heart is. I want to help my city and my country by serving as your Member of Parliament. Hamilton Mountain deserves an MP who will work hard to represent your interests and your values. I am that person.

During two years as Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has shown himself to be a man of integrity, and a decisive, accountable leader. He has acted quickly on his promises to tackle crime, make government more accountable, and reduce taxes. I would be proud to serve on his team on your behalf.

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Search ramps up for new city manager

2008-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

The creaky mechanism for finding a new city manager to replace Glen Peace is finally clicking along.

The city has hired a headhunting firm, job ads are appearing in the national papers and a target date of Oct. 1 has been set for having Hamilton's next top bureaucrat sitting at his or her desk.

Councillor Russ Powers, chair of the steering committee tasked with interviewing candidates and recommending a final choice, says members aren't looking for an agent of change in the mode of a Doug Lychak.

They want a staff leader who will continue to implement agreed upon strategic objectives such as growing the economy. "We don't want somebody coming in reinventing the wheel," Powers said.

Peace announced his resignation in March. He left the job at the end of June. And finance director Joe Rinaldo has been appointed interim city manager until the position is filled.

If the legwork to find a new broom seems slow (actually it's roughly in line with previous hirings), blame it on the tedious RFP process they first had to go through just to choose a headhunter.

The committee ended up selecting the national firm of Ray & Berndtson and earmarked $60,000 for the search-and-find mission.

Applicants are welcome from both the private and public sectors, as well as from existing staffers.

No internal candidate has submitted a resume yet, but Scott Stewart, general manager of public works, has said he intends to.

Other senior staffers widely expected to throw their hats into the ring are Chris Murray, director of the city's housing division and former pointman on the Red Hill Valley project, and Jo-Anne Priel, general manager of community services.

It's generally believed Rinaldo will resist the temptation to take the plunge and that Tim McCabe, the newish general manager of economic development and planning, is circling the bait, but might not bite.

There's also speculation that Dave Logan, the former head of labour relations for the city who left in '06 to work for the provincial government, may be eyeing the post.

The newspaper ads certainly make it sound like an attractive position, even without reference to a salary and benefit package of about $200,000 a year.

"With its diverse economy, lakeside location and extraordinary community spirit, Hamilton is a lively and livable city that's located in the heart of Canada's most populous province," says the career ad.

No argument there. That's absolutely true. This is a great city to live and work in.

The ad makes note of our internationally renowned educational institutions and hospitals, our manufacturing, health care and agriculture-based industries, and the happy fact that Site Selection, a real estate and economic development magazine, rated Hamilton as the fifth best location in Canada for investing and growing a business.

Again, no argument. As long as the economy stays on the rails, this city is ready to boom.

It's only when the ad starts talking glowingly about the new city manager working closely with the mayor and city council that the rose starts to wilt.

But, really, what do we expect from a job ad? It's not supposed to poison the well, is it?

It can't talk about our well intentioned but inconsistent and struggling mayor and his divided and frequently muddled council.

It can't talk about the infighting and backstabbing and the intense media scrutiny that makes city hall a combination bear pit and toxic fishbowl.

No, let prospective candidates do their own due diligence.

But let's at least give them a cryptic clue about what to expect by sharing what, in my books, will always be this city's unofficial slogan, courtesy of political gadfly and unsuccessful council candidate Mark-Alan Whittle.

Hamilton: Get used to it.

Andrew Dreschel's commentary appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

adreschel@thespec.com

905-526-3495

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The Twilight Zone: Hinky Fred

2008-07-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Eisenberger's night of the long knives

2008-06-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

The strange thing about Mayor Fred Eisenberger is he usually doesn't seem to be bothered by political defeats or reverses.

It's almost as if he just shrugs mentally and then carries on to the next issue.

That wasn't the case last week.

Sitting in the mayor's chair during the final Lister debate, he looked like a beaten man who was hanging on by sheer will.

Earlier that day, Eisenberger had called a news conference to admit he may have broken city council's code of conduct in an off-the-record conversation with me, a tape recording of which had apparently been swiped from his office and given to a news outlet.

Taking it on the chin, Eisenberger called for a police probe of the missing tape and a city investigation of his own behaviour.

At his news conference, Eisenberger noted his conversation with me had not been published and that he had never leaked or released a confidential document.

But he was surely aware that, as the driving force behind hiring an integrity commissioner, his pedestal had lurched sickeningly.

Now, hours later, he was watching the Lister project and the $7-million provincial grant slip through his fingers despite his best efforts to seal a deal.

If ever he needed a win, this was the time.

Then came what may have been the cruellest cut of all.

At one point, Eisenberger stepped out of the room and into what must have been a stomach-dropping hallway conversation.

Councillor Sam Merulla buttonholed him to say that it was Councillor Brad Clark who had sold him down the river by circulating a digital file and transcript of the missing tape to Hamilton Community News, formerly known as Brabant.

http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-chchnews-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=chchmain&maven_referralObject=1803820

Eisenberger knew, of course, that the files had been passed on to the paper.

That's what precipitated his confessional news conference earlier that day.

But until that moment, he had no idea that the person responsible was in the same room debating Lister with him.

You have to wonder what went through Eisenberger's distracted mind when he returned to the meeting and looked at the man who had plunged a political knife into his back.

His shoulders seemed to sag. He seemed to visibly shrink in the mayor's chair.

Clark would later admit that, yes, he was responsible for distributing the files.

Clark said he did it in the name of public interest, arguing that because the mayor had wagged his finger at city hall leakers, the public deserves to know he was also guilty.

Context is everything, of course, both when it comes to disclosing confidential information and claiming the moral high ground.

Clark's whistleblowing argument would hold more water if he had given the files to the city's lawyer rather than trying to orchestrate a media outing of the mayor.

But for reasons of his own, that's not the way Clark wanted the story to unfold.

To make matters worse for Eisenberger, the same man who rocked his reputation for integrity also arguably marshalled the most persuasive arguments of the night against the Lister deal.

In one horrible day, Eisenberger lost the Lister vote and became the subject of a code of conduct investigation.

He's not likely to shrug off either any time soon. On the other hand, he has been a politician long enough to know how rough and dirty things can get in this town.

In fact, it was Eisenberger who once memorably observed that in Hamilton, politics are played with live bullets.

After last week, he may want to suggest printing that warning on the cover of the candidates' handbook they give out to people thinking of running for city council.

Andrew Dreschel's commentary appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
adreschel@thespec.com 905-526-3495
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Real Leadership. Real Results for the Economy.

2008-05-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

With increasing uncertainty in the global economy, it is essential that Canada has its own economic fundamentals right.

Thanks to real leadership and real action from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government, Canada’s economy now has a strong foundation to grow and succeed, regardless the economic news from other countries.

Over the last three budgets, the Conservative Government has dedicated half of its available fiscal room to reducing taxes for Canadians; we have split the remainder evenly between debt pay-down and new investments in key priorities for Canadians.

Lower taxes not only put more money back into Canadians’ hands, they strengthen our economy and put Canada in a globally competitive position. Today Canadians benefit from $60 billion in new broad-based tax relief for individuals, families and businesses. This includes the two-point cut in the GST, a tax cut which benefits all Canadians.

Thanks to these lower taxes, balanced budgets, and strategic investments, Canadians can be confident that our future is bright. Today, we’re in the best financial and economic position of any G-7 country. Inflation and interest rates remain low and stable. Personal disposable income has been rising steadily. Net employment has increased by over three quarters of a million jobs since our government took office, including 43,000 jobs last month alone. In fact, the national unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since 1975.

For all that we have to be proud of, Canada’s future economic growth could be at risk. With the United States, our closest trading partner, facing considerable economic challenges, Canada cannot leave our economic well-being to Stéphane Dion’s weak leadership and lack of priorities.

Mr. Dion is addicted to new spending; his spending promises to date would plunge Canada at least $62.5 billion deeper into debt. Stéphane Dion has already hinted that he would hike the GST. Now he is talking about increasing gas taxes as well.

The choice between Prime Minister Harper and Mr. Dion is clear. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government are delivering real leadership and real results for Canadians, including lower taxes and a balanced budget.

Stéphane Dion is promising higher sales taxes, higher gas taxes, and billions in new debt. In a time of global economic challenges, the Stéphane Dion Liberals are not worth the risk.
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Amalgamated Transit Union's decision to strike

2008-04-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

The decision taken by the Amalgamated Transit Union to go on strike without notice is outrageous. It jeopardizes public safety and is irresponsible at best.

This insensitive action had the effect of stranding thousands of people across the city for no valid reason.

While we are encouraged to hear that the parties are returning to the negotiating table tomorrow, the process to bring the strike to a swift end must begin immediately.

Subject to a review of proposed back to work legislation, the Ontario PC Party will co-operate in ensuring swift passage.

We would urge Premier Dalton McGuinty to reconvene the Legislature at the earliest possible time Saturday or Sunday to get this process underway.

We would assume proper planning means a Bill has already been drafted and could be shared with all parties first thing Saturday to assist in expediting this process.

Particularly in light of the fact the union membership have rejected wage increases of 9 per cent over three years, we also urge the McGuinty government to include in the legislation a provision which would require any arbitrator to take into account the ability to pay on the part of taxpayers in deciding on the ultimate terms of a new contract.
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Territorial teachers: Union vs Union warfare

2008-04-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Full-day kindergarten taught by a combination of teachers and early childhood educators would be a vast improvement over the hodge-podge of school, daycare and babysitting that currently makes up the day of many four- and five-year-old children. It is disappointing that Ontario's elementary teachers don't see it that way.

The Ontario government's promise to implement full-day kindergarten and junior kindergarten has become controversial. Charles Pascal, who is advising Premier Dalton McGuinty, suggested some creative ways to implement the program -- including the use of early childhood educators as well as teachers, and holding some classes in sites other than schools.

The teachers' union, jealously protecting its turf, has responded with concern. They want only "certified" teachers running the classroom, even though many instructors with an early childhood education designation would be just fine teaching four- and five-year-olds. If we were ECE instructors, we'd be insulted at the union's suggestion that we're good mainly for providing child care before class begins and after it ends.

The union is particularly out of touch in its suggestion most parents will reject Mr. Pascal's model. As it stands, half-day kindergarten and junior kindergarten is the bane of working parents' existence. It involves getting young children to school for 21/2 hours of education, then whisked to a babysitter (or someplace) for lunch and an afternoon of daycare that is tough to find and whose quality varies widely. The logistics and expenses are a nightmare.

Lucky children, whose parents have the resources, already enjoy full-day kindergarten, either at private schools or fancy daycares staffed with, yes, early childhood educators. The proposed Ontario plan would put the most vulnerable children on equal footing and should be welcomed by parents and teachers.

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John Tory thinks budget failed Ontarians

2008-04-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last week's fifth McGuinty budget failed the people of Ontario. It provided no change in government policy. Thanks to continued taxing and spending by Dalton McGuinty, Ontario now enjoys some of the highest taxes in the country, and spending that has gone up almost 40 per cent since they took office in 2003.

Ontario's economy is on the wrong track.

The facts are clear. Four years ago, Ontario's per capita fiscal capacity was $400 above the equalization payments cut-off. That is, $400 above have-not status. Today, that number has fallen to $84.

In 2007, Ontario's unemployment rate was above the national average for the first time in 30 years. Last year Ontario's growth was the slowest in Canada. Ontario suffered a net loss of over 36,000 people to other provinces in 2007. Ontario has the highest tax rate on new business investment of all provinces. No wonder that Ontario's private sector job growth was the slowest in Canada.

Dalton McGuinty boasts of job creation, yet over half these new jobs, 208,100 to be precise, are public sector jobs. He added a population the size of Kitchener to the public payroll. Indeed, Ontario is the only province in Canada to create more public sector jobs than private sector jobs since 2003.

The 2008 McGuinty Liberal budget was a 'stay the course' budget. You simply don't 'stay the course' when you are in a tax-and-spend spiral of economic failure.

Ontario is falling behind the rest of Canada. Mr. McGuinty likes to blame this entirely on external factors, but his government has a responsibility to ensure that Ontario remains competitive, a place where businesses will invest and stay. Dalton McGuinty's budget fails to do that.

At a time when we need bold action, Mr. McGuinty tinkered.

The Liberals allocated money in skills training for 20,000 people, when over 200,000 people have lost their jobs.

The money Dalton McGuinty provided to municipalities through infrastructure was one-year, one-time funding - a billion dollars that has to be rushed out the door by the end of this fiscal year.

Dalton McGuinty had $5 billion in unexpected revenues last year and instead of providing Ontario businesses and families with meaningful relief, he just spent it. Big spending. Few results.

Instead of reducing burdensome regulation on businesses, the McGuinty budget promises that for every regulation they remove they will add a new one. He remains committed to bloated, intrusive government, which gets in the way of job creation. What kind of help is that?

Ontario was once the economic engine of Canada, but is slipping under Dalton McGuinty. I'm angry about this squandering of our shared economic legacy. I am angry because it costs jobs and hurts families, but also because that jeopardizes our ability to fund public services and help those who need help.

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Prime Minister Harper and Premier McGuinty announce three new federal-provincial initiatives

2008-03-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

OTTAWA, March 27 /CNW/ - Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty today announced three important initiatives that will support provincial programs that provide assistance for workers and communities who have been negatively affected by the rapid appreciation in the Canadian dollar, softening in the US economy, high oil prices, and intense competition from emerging economies, as well as support for public transit and policing.

"Our Government is committed to the federalism of openness, an approach to federal-provincial relations that relies on respect for jurisdiction and productive collaboration to get things done for Canadians," Prime Minister Harper said. "These three initiatives contribute to Ontario's competitive strengths and support the Ontario Government's efforts by investing in workers and communities. Our Governments have collaborated on a number of projects that have delivered real, direct benefits to Ontarians during the last two years."

"Ontario has a five-point economic plan that will grow the economy by investing in our people, communities and infrastructure and further strengthen Ontario's international competitiveness. Our plan will continue to reduce taxes while investing in innovation and forming key economic partnerships, stimulating investment and job growth," said Premier McGuinty. "These federal initiatives will provide support for our efforts as the Ontario economy adjusts to new challenges in the global economy."

The Community Development Trust will provide Ontario with $358 million to support programs that improve productivity and competitiveness, technology development and training for workers and communities facing challenges in industries such as agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing, including automotive manufacturers.

The Police Officers Recruitment Fund allocated to Ontario is its share of the national Fund. Over the next five years, the province will receive $156 million to improve public safety and security by putting more officers on the streets of Ontario's cities and towns.

The Public Transit Capital Trust expands on existing federal support for public transit in Ontario by providing $195 million in new funding. The province will direct the funds into its ambitious plans for expanding public transit, including its MoveOntario 2020 transit plan.

"I want to congratulate Premier McGuinty and his Government for developing programs that will use these federal funds to strengthen the Ontario economy, improve public safety, and expand the public transit system," said Prime Minister Harper. "Working together, our governments are getting things done for all Ontarians."

Backgrounder

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST

This Community Development Trust Fund will support a three-year plan for transition, skills training and new job opportunities for workers who are being negatively impacted by the collapse of the U.S. housing market, the lower U.S. dollar, increasing foreign competition and other circumstances that are now challenging certain sectors of the Ontario economy.

Ontario's $358-million share of the Trust will be used for programs to support improved productivity and competitiveness, technology development, and training for affected workers and communities in agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing (including the automotive sector). Initiatives will include new skills training centres to provide up-to-date training for Ontario students and unemployed workers who require skills upgrading. Specific measures will be undertaken to help communities in northwestern Ontario which have been hard hit by layoffs in the forestry sector.

The Province will consult on the best ways to apply and leverage the new funding for maximum benefit to Ontario workers. The new federal funding is intended to support these specific priorities over several years.

PUBLIC TRANSIT CAPITAL TRUST 2008

Public transit plays an important role in easing traffic congestion in urban areas and contributing to cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions. In Budget 2006, the Government of Canada set aside $1.3 billion in support of public transit infrastructure and introduced a new tax credit for public transit passes.

Budget 2008 set aside up to $500 million in 2007-08 to be paid into a third-party trust, allocated on a per capita basis, for public transit infrastructure such as rapid transit, rail, transit buses, and high occupancy vehicle and bicycle lanes. Provinces and territories are encouraged to report publicly on the expenditures financed and outcomes achieved.

Between 2005 and 2010, the Ontario government and its partners will invest more than $30 billion in public infrastructure. Ontario is expected to announce further progress on this goal by making additional significant investments in public transit infrastructure supported, in part, by $195 million from the federal Public Transit Capital Trust. Among these will be a commitment to initiate a feasibility study for a Peterborough commuter rail line, accelerate the extension of the GO Transit line from Lakeshore East to Bowmanville, and to launch a regular GO bus service to Peterborough.

POLICE OFFICERS RECRUITMENT FUND

A paramount responsibility of government is to protect its citizens' rights to safety and security. The Government of Canada takes this responsibility seriously, and in Budget 2008 provided funding to provinces and territories to support them in recruiting 2,500 new front-line police officers.

Under the federal government's national effort to recruit 2,500 police officers across the country over the next five years, Ontario will receive $156 million from the new Police Officers Recruitment Fund. This funding will help the Province increase the number of police officers in Ontario and is a first step to help build on the Province's strategies to address top public safety priorities.

Provincial and territorial governments are encouraged to report directly to their residents on the expenditures financed and outcomes achieved with the funding provided through the Police Officers Recruitment Fund.
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Victories and attacks: Obama

2008-03-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

Mark-Alan,

It's tough to think of two states more different than Wyoming and Mississippi.

But we won Wyoming on Saturday, and we just learned that we won Mississippi by a large margin tonight.

Between those two states, we picked up enough delegates to erase the gains by Senator Clinton last Tuesday and add to our substantial lead in earned delegates. And in doing so we showed the strength and breadth of this movement.

But just turn on the news and you'll see that Senator Clinton continues to run an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day her campaign launches a new set of desperate attacks.

They're not just attacking me; they're attacking you.

Over the weekend, an aide to Senator Clinton attempted to diminish the overwhelming number of contests we've won by referring to places we've prevailed as "boutique" states and our supporters as the "latte-sipping crowd."

I'm not sure how those terms apply to Mississippi and Wyoming -- or Virginia, Iowa, Louisiana, or Idaho for that matter.

I know that our victories in all of these states demonstrate a rejection of this kind of petty, divisive campaigning.

But the fact remains that Senator Clinton's campaign will continue to attack us using the same old Washington playbook. And now that John McCain is the Republican nominee, we are forced to campaign on two fronts.

It's up to you to fight back.

Thank you, Barack

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Broad is Better

2008-03-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

Flaherty is boosting overall growth through tax cuts. That beats McGuinty's support of a few declining industries.

The war of words between the federal Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, and the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, is more than just a political debate. It represents a fundamental difference in views as to how to best conduct industrial policy. Ontario favours policies aimed at specific business activities. The federal government pursues broad industrial policies aimed at economic growth. Which one is right?

In recent years, Ontario has provided targeted subsidies for specific industries, especially in the auto, forest and film sectors in reaction to declining fortunes resulting from a rising dollar. True, Ontario has followed through on some broad policies to help all industries, the smartest being the elimination of the capital tax, not just for non-financial but also financial companies.

However, Ontario did hike its corporate income tax rate to 14% in 2004, reversing plans to achieve an 11% tax rate. Ontario's corporate tax rate is only slightly lower than that in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon, which are not exactly economic stars and can receive federal equalization payments to make up for their poor industrial tax base.

Even after federal corporate tax cuts scheduled by 2012, Ontario's effective tax rate on new capital projects will remain highest in the country at 31.2%. This places Ontario in the same league as Japan and France, which have the most onerous tax regimes on business investments in the world, now that the U.S. is bringing back bonus depreciation to support business investments in machinery and equipment.

Ontario has such a high effective tax rate on capital investment partly because it relies on an antiquated retail sales tax that has grown little as a source of revenue in the past five years. The sales tax hurts business competitiveness since one-third of revenue is collected from levies applied to intermediate and capital purchases. The Ontario retail sales tax has a much bigger impact on capital investment than had the capital tax. Moving to a value-added tax, similar to the federal GST or the Quebec sales tax, would remove most of the tax on business inputs and sharply reduce the effective tax on capital in Ontario to 23%, making it much more competitive.

This is the beef that Mr. Flaherty has with Mr. McGuinty. Ontario is criticizing the federal government for not doing enough to help business competitiveness and looking for the feds to provide major subsidies to support manufacturing and forest companies. In the meantime, Ontario maintains an unhealthy tax regime.
Moreover, the federal government has been helping Ontario industries with its own subsidies and tax reductions. The federal government has been sharply reducing corporate taxes on businesses and getting little credit from the province. Ontario is the biggest beneficiary since it has about 45% of Canada's corporate tax base and its businesses have enjoyed a much lower federal corporate tax rate, which will be 15% by 2012, down from 28.12% in 2000. The federal government has also eliminated capital taxes and replaced, in 1991, its anti-competitive manufacturers' sales tax with the federal GST. All these policies have helped Ontario.

Nonetheless, Ontario is facing a major challenge today and the Premier is right to be concerned about it. It would a real blight on his record if Ontario is declared a have-not province - its per-capita GDP has already tracked down to be close to the national average.

Canada is undergoing a major restructuring of its economy as Asian economic growth has created a continuing commodity boom:High prices for Canada's agriculture and resource industries will continue for at least a decade and half, repeating the 1950s and 1960s, when Canada had its last commodity boom and high dollar. Ontario's forest sector, which is in the doldrums now, has a better future. Its woes reflect the decline in demand for housing in the U.S., induced by the subprime mortgage fiasco, which will work itself out in the next few years.

Ontario will find that its northern and rural areas will benefit from the boom, but manufacturing industries, which only make up 20% of Ontario's economy (less than services, finance and insurance), will be challenged to maintain competitiveness.

All this raises a very troubling issue for Ontario. It can provide relief for specific industries, but to protect them from a world economy that is vastly different would mean large subsidies for a long period of time. Instead, the federal strategy of pursuing broad policy support that allows the market to sort out how best to be competitive seems far better. It allows resources to move to those business activities with the best economic returns.

It is sometimes argued that a targeted approach to industrial policy, similar to Asian countries like Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, can be successful. However, these countries aimed their support to grow new industries, not to support declining ones. The policies, generally fiscally costly tax holidays, require companies to perform according to certain standards, thereby blunting their effect on investment. It is questionable that targeted tax-relief measures and subsidies have been any more successful than the broad industrial support measures provided in Hong Kong, Chile and Ireland, which have grown equally well. Most countries, as they grow richer, see their manufacturing base move to low-cost countries. Meanwhile, they attract high value-added production involving business services and intangibles.

Overall, the Flaherty approach is right. Ontario needs to rethink its industrial strategy. Targeted subsidies won't cure competitiveness problems. Ontario should consider revamping its tax structure and look at other broad polices to support its industrial structure.

--- - Jack M. Mintz is the Palmer Chair of Public Policy, University of Calgary.
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Dion gets sued

2008-03-03T09:25:00.001-08:00

Finance minister blames premier for Ontario's struggles and offers little hope of budget help

2008-02-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

With a possible federal election looming, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is trying to lay the blame for Ontario's economic woes at the feet of Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Flaherty ratcheted up his war of words with McGuinty yesterday, suggesting in a speech to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business at the Royal York hotel that the Ontario Liberals' tax policies are behind the current slowdown in the province's economy.

Ontario was once the "envy of the country," Flaherty said, but, even though the rest of the country is expanding economically, Ontario's growth has been below the national average, partly due to "a lack of innovation, a lack of foresight and a lack of leadership.

"Flaherty, who will deliver the federal budget on Tuesday, held out little hope for an economic stimulus package to help central Canada, which has seen hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs disappear in the past few years.

McGuinty has accused Flaherty of ignoring Ontario during a time of economic crisis because of what the Ontario premier says is a right-wing Conservative ideology fixated on tax cuts as the only remedy for improving the economy.

"These are words of war and, if he wants a war, he's going to get one," said Ontario Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello, who attended the speech and spoke for the Ontario Liberals yesterday.

Flaherty's accusations of economic mismanagement directed at McGuinty are "an appalling string of bald-faced lies – totally unacceptable for a finance minister of this nation," Pupatello told reporters.

Flaherty said Ontario has the highest corporate taxes in the country and he urged the Liberals to follow British Columbia's lead and cut them. He said the Ontario government has provided bailouts and subsidies for "favoured firms and threatened to impose higher taxes on imports – the kind of protectionism we just don't need."

The exchange between Flaherty and the Ontario Liberals comes before a possible federal election. If the federal Liberals vote against the budget on March 4, there could be an election on April 14.

Yesterday, a Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll suggested the Conservatives would win 35 per cent of the vote if an election were held today, the Liberals 33 per cent, the NDP 13 per cent and Green party 9 per cent. The survey said the Bloc Québécois would get 35 per cent of the vote in Quebec.

Flaherty said McGuinty's approach reminds him of the government of former premier Bob Rae, which raised taxes and presided over an increased deficit.

McGuinty "sounds like Bob Rae," Flaherty said on CBC Newsworld.

The premier "needs to get his house in order," Flaherty said. Helping individual sectors is fine, not business by business, Flaherty added. In response, Rae, now a federal Liberal, said, "I'll admit I ran a deficit during the worse recession since the Thirties. I also built housing, saved companies and kept people working and off the streets.

"It's the Harris/Flaherty cuts that slashed income supports, cut vital programs and cancelled subways. And guess what? They even managed a $5.6 billion deficit when growth was good and unemployment was down as their going-away present to the people of Ontario," Rae said of the provincial government of Mike Harris, with Flaherty as provincial finance minister.

Pupatello said Ontario taxpayers have always helped other regions of the country, but now that Ontario needs assistance, the federal Conservatives are turning their backs on the province. "It's totally unacceptable that he (Flaherty) would refuse to look at Ontario's support requirements today."

She said that, with a federal election in the wind at a time of economic difficulty, Flaherty and the Conservatives are trying "to take the spotlight off themselves and the responsibility that they have for Ontario."

Ontario's economy has been battered by the rise in the loonie, high oil prices, the decline in the housing sector in the U.S. and longstanding problems in the auto sector.

A bank economist yesterday seemed to suggest that the Liberals were right and Flaherty's stance that the Ontario government is to blame is incorrect.

Lower taxes can be helpful, but aren't a guaranteed fix for Ontario's economic troubles, said Craig Alexander, TD Bank's deputy chief economist.

"The reality is that this is a very difficult environment," he said, referring to the U.S. slump and the impact of the higher loonie on Canadian manufacturers trying to sell to American customers.

"Tax cuts can improve productivity but that doesn't mean that they can't be part of a broader policy approach" that would include targeted support for certain industrial sectors.

But the economist noted that spending increases and tax cuts in Flaherty's previous budgets have left the federal Conservatives with very few financial resources to fund economic stop-gap measures.

Meanwhile, Ontario NDP Leader Howard Hampton said yesterday McGuinty should quit playing the "blame game" against Ottawa and spend the $1 billion in federal money already earmarked for Ontario.

"It is bizarre," Hampton told reporters yesterday at Queen's Park. "The McGuinty government is sitting on about $1 billion of federal money that is available for these things right now."

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PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES DECISIVE ACTION ON AFGHANISTAN PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS

2008-02-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the creation of a Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan and an Afghanistan Task Force within the Privy Council Office to better coordinate and ensure the effectiveness of Canada’s activities in Afghanistan.

The Government also announced it is giving notice of a motion to extend Canada’s commitment to the United Nations mandated mission in Afghanistan until the end of 2011 on the condition that Canada can secure a partner that will provide a battle group of approximately 1,000, as well medium helicopter lift capacity and high performance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Today's announcements represent further action by the Government to move forward on the future of Canada's mission, and to respond directly to recommendations the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan outlined in its report of January 22, 2008.

“Our Government is taking every step to ensure the future success of Canada’s mission to Afghanistan,” the Prime Minister said. “Over the past week, I have been speaking with other NATO leaders about our collective undertaking in that country. And I am pleased to announce today these steps to bring greater coherence and effectiveness to Canada’s efforts.”

The new Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan will have the mandate to consider diplomatic, defence, development and security issues related to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. The Committee will report to the Prime Minister and the Priorities and Planning Cabinet Committee on a regular basis.

Chaired by Minister of International Trade David Emerson, the Committee will include Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay, Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day, Minister of International Cooperation Beverley J. Oda and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Bernier.

The Afghanistan Task Force will support the Cabinet Committee by coordinating government activities related to Afghanistan.

Mr. David Mulroney, formerly the Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has been appointed Deputy Minister of the Afghanistan Task Force, effective immediately.

The Prime Minister’s Office - Communications

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