Toronto’s ombudsman blasts the city’s ‘Below Market Rental’ program
April 5th, 2013 | Comments (0)
A report into Toronto’s ‘Below Market Rental’ program says the initiative has let the city’s poor tenants down. The program is intended to offer low rent to non-governmental organizations for city-owned spaces in return for low-cost for Toronto residents. Toronto Ombudsman, Fiona Crean, says rents have been raised, sometimes by as much as 550 per cent over three years. She also says the city failed to provide the tenant agencies with written notices of increases. Councillors have unanimously voted to adopt 22 recommendations tabled in her report, including apologizing to tenants for the treatment they received.
A Former Tory MPP has passed away
April 4th, 2013 | Comments (0)
Former Tory MPP Robert Elgie is dead at age 84. Elgie led a multi-faceted career as a Lawyer and a Neurosurgeon and also served as chairman of the workers’ compensation board and the Ontario Press Council. He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1977, representing the Toronto riding of York East. He held the labour, consumer and commercial relations and community and social services portfolios in Conservative cabinets before leaving politics in 1985. PC Leader Tim Hudak says Elgie will be remembered as knowledgeable, quick-witted man who was always willing to see the other person’s point of view.
The province is trying to get to the bottom of how watered down chemotherapy drugs were issued to 990 cancer patients
April 4th, 2013 | Comments (0)
The province is trying to get to the bottom of why watered down chemotherapy drugs were given out to 990 cancer patients. Premier Kathleen Wynne calls the situation very worrisome, while Health Minister Deb Matthews says experts have assured her the health risks from the watered down cancer drugs were minimal. Patients affected were treated or are being treated at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, London Health Sciences Centre, Windsor Regional Hospital and Peterborough Regional Health Centre. The reasoning for the issue was the fact there was too much saline added to the bags containing the chemo medications, effectively watering down the drugs by up to 20 per cent. Some patients were getting under-dosed for as long as a year. According to one oncologist, it’s likely the worry and anxiety is harder on the patients that the negative effect of the cancer treatment.
Younger high school teachers expected to get a better payout for banked sick days in new agreement
April 3rd, 2013 | Comments (0)
Some details of the tentative deal the government has worked out with the union representing public high school teachers have leaked out. Sources say younger high school teachers will be given a much better payout for their banked sick days under the proposed agreement. Teachers with less than 10 years on the job will get 25 cents on every dollar for sick days they banked, compared with 10 cents under existing agreements. Premier Kathleen Wynne insists the updated tentative agreement will not cost the province any additional money.
Major repairs to the eastern end of the Gardiner Expressway put on hold
April 3rd, 2013 | Comments (0)
Major repairs to the eastern end of the Gardiner Expressway will have to wait. The work is being put off for at least a year as the city waits for the results from Waterfront Toronto’s Environmental Assessment. The delay comes despite the fact city staff have said the section may remain safe for only six more years. The price tag has been put at $495 million over the next decade to repair the elevated expressway.
Toronto’s inside city workers announce their opposition to a new casino
April 2nd, 2013 | Comments (0)
As the casino debate rages on in Toronto, the union representing the city’s inside workers has given an emphatic ‘No’ to the project. A poll conducted by CUPE Local 79 showed 67 per cent of its members are against the idea of a casino with a majority thinking poverty and crime would be worsened. President Tim Maguire says the facility could double the number of problem gamblers. The union represents 20,000 employees with the city working in areas including public health, transportation, childcare and social services.
Tentative agreement reached between the province and the OSSTF
April 1st, 2013 | Comments (0)
A tentative agreement has been reached between the province and its high school teachers. Education Minister Liz Sandals says terms have been reached on numerous issues including: sick leave, maternity leave, retirement gratuity, unpaid days and local bargaining. More details will be given to the members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation over the next few days. Sandals says the agreement in principle is consistent with the existing collective agreements, while reflecting the ministry’s fiscal situation.
Former NDP politician being remembered as a champion
March 31st, 2013 | Comments (0)
Former Ontario NDP politician Peter Kormos is being remembered. He passed away Saturday morning at his Welland home at the age of 60. All three provincial leaders have issued statements about Kormos. Andrea Horwath says he was a champion and legend in politics. She says she’s lost a mentor and friend. While Premier Kathleen Wynne and Conservative leader Tim Hudak also paid tribute to the former MPP. Wynne calling him a supportive friend, and Hudak finding a bond through their heritage – something he says, transcends politics.
Former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein dies at the age of 70
March 29th, 2013 | Comments (0)
Former Premier of Alberta Ralph Klein has died at the age of 70 after a long battle with a form of dementia and emphysema. Klein was outspoken, popular and at times controversial during his time as Alberta’s premier from 1992-2006, a period in which he led the Progressive Conservative Party to four consecutive majority governments. Klein also served as the Mayor of Calgary from 1980 until 1989 and played a key role in bringing the city the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Province lowers cap on annual tuition fee increases for post-secondary institutions
March 28th, 2013 | Comments (0)
The latest announcement by the Ontario government to lower the cap on average tuition fee increases for public post-secondary institutions is getting a mixed reaction. The framework caps fee increases by an average of three per cent. In the past, colleges and universities were allowed to increase by an average of five per cent. Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Brad Duguid says the policy strikes a balance between increasing affordability while helping institutions with long-term financial balance. President and CEO of Colleges Ontario Linda Franklin disagrees, saying the restrictions will make it more difficult to deliver quality programs. President of the College Student Alliance Ciara Byrne is happy the ministry changed the status quo but would have liked to see a 2-year freeze followed by linking tuition increases to the rate of inflation.
Some backbench Tory MP’s complain about being muzzled by the Prime Minister’s Office
March 27th, 2013 | Comments (0)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be getting an earful from his own Conservative caucus at a meeting in Ottawa. Some backbench Tory MP’s are complaining about being muzzled by the Prime Minister’s Office, and not being allowed to make statements in the Commons about controversial topics that are important to their constituents. Some members fell the strong-arming is a violation of their privileges as MP’s. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae says it appears Tory backbenchers are tired of being kept in a harness.
ETFO lifts ban on members taking part in voluntary or extracurricular activities
March 27th, 2013 | Comments (0)
Great news for thousands of Ontario’s elementary students, as the union representing their teachers has lifted its advice that members not take part in voluntary or extracurricular activities. President of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Sam Hammond says the ban is being lifted thanks to progress being made in ongoing talks with the Liberal government. Premier Kathleen Wynne says she is thrilled and hopes teachers and support staff will return quickly to running afterschool activities and programs. Teachers withdrew from extracurriculars last fall to protest legislation that was used to force a contract on them in January.