With prices continuing to rise due to inflation, every day is budget day for most Ontarians.But for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, “Budget Day” came on March 23.The presentation of the provincial government’s taxation and spending plan for the fiscal year ahead is one of the most anticipated days on the legislative calendar.Each year, no […]
Canada’s retired Governor Generals aren’t always the retiring type.
The Right Honourable David Johnston, who served as the late Queen’s representative in Canada from 2010 to 2017, has written another fine book, this time in collaboration with Brian Hanington. It has just been released.
Empathy: Turning Compassion into Action (Signal-McClelland and Stewart) offers Johnston’s observations and reflections of his diverse life experiences, structured around the theme of how we all need to think beyond our individual self-interest to show care and compassion for
Preparations for the 2023 Ontario Budget are nearing their final stages, with the Budget expected to be presented in the Legislative Assembly in late March. As always, the Ministry of Finance is engaged in extensive consultations in the lead up to the Budget. The Legislature’s all-party Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs has travelled the province […]
As we look back on 2022, many negative headlines come to mind: the barbaric Russian aggression in Ukraine, the lingering impacts of COVID-19, the rising cost of living caused by inflation, higher interest rates slowing economic growth, and concerns about climate change have all had impacts on our local communities. Taken together, they made 2022 […]
As the Christmas season beckons and 2022 draws to a close, we can look forward to the coming holiday season with excited anticipation. I was glad to attend the Santa Claus parades in Acton and Georgetown on November 19 th , along with many of our colleagues in elected public service. It was wonderful to see […]
A few days ago, I attended the funeral of a veteran of World War II who landed with Canadian Forces onJuno Beach on June 6 th , 1944.He survived the war, returned home after it was over, became a dentist, a husband, a father, a grandfather,and a respected community leader. He was deeply loved by […]
The passing of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has given us all reason to pause and reflect upon herextraordinary life of public service. For many in Canada, The Queen was dignified grace personified. But as our Head of State for more than70 years, she was also the living embodiment of our country at its very […]
“How will democracy fare in the twenty-first century? Can the civic spirit born in Athens in 430 BC dealwith the microchip?”-Patrick Watson and Benjamin Barber in the introduction to their 1988 book, The Struggle forDemocracyThe democratic ideals that we all value—but sometimes take for granted— are being challenged aroundthe world. Authoritarian leaders are stoking and […]
The everyday heroes in our midst continue to be Ontario’s health care workers. They are truly resilience personified. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic more than 28months ago, their compassion and dedication to patients have kept our health system functioning underunprecedented stress. Halton Healthcare’s Georgetown Hospital continues to be the hub of our local health care. […]
A little over a month ago, on June 2nd, the Provincial election was held and I was honoured to be re-elected as the representative for Wellington-Halton Hills at Queen’s Park. Over the course of the campaign, I met countless Wellington-Halton Hills constituents who shared theirconcerns with me. I met a small business person in Elora whose product […]