JUSTCAWS

  Have been taking the time to listen and understand Guelph citizens’ concerns over the upcoming City budget. My wife attended a Ward town hall, I jumped on the live stream to listen to public delegations speak to a variety of issues and I also attended the Guelph Chamber of Commerce Budget breakfast to hear viewpoints from the business community. In hearing and reading fellow Guelphites competing concerns it is clear that Guelph, like many Ontario cities, is under significant social and financial strain from forces outside our control. People have genuine concerns with affordability and the threat of another big property tax increase. Many have legitimate concerns about the most vulnerable in our city and the challenges they face gaining accessibility to services and basic mobility. While others want to move past the annual budget squabble and want to see a plan to spark the strong economic growth needed to fund a prosperous and just city. In all of this, one issue stood out as a ...

One of the great things about being a parent is that it gives you the chance to reflect on past decisions that you have made and actions that you take. I recall my four year old son asking “Dad, why do you wear a poppy?” In answering my son, I gave the standard reply -- that I like many other people wear the poppy to remember the sacrifice of those who served the cause peace and freedom. His question however, caused me to ponder further why I dutifully wear the poppy each November. For my family the poppy and Remembrance Day give pause to remember my uncle Alex Gray who died as a stretcher bearer during the Korean War. I never met him, but my mom made sure the memory of her brother was not forgotten. His name as well as his life story have been passed on to many of her grandchildren. Of course, with the thoughts of him comes my supreme gratitude for the sacrifice of thousands of others who have made this country a place to raise a family in peace and with freedom. ...

  Just woke up from the screeching tires of another late night street race. Now that I’m up, I might as well write about something where everyone seems to have an opinion. When it comes to the issue of speed cameras there should be enough space for middle of the road consensus. Ontario Doug Ford says he will ban them while other politicians have put their finger in the air and banned them already - see former Provincial Liberal leader Steven Del Duca (now Mayor of Vaughan) have  already done so. They see a political winner in going against the cash grab and the surveillance state vibe cameras create. Those in favour of the cameras rightfully point out one clear fact - they work. Perhaps too well for their survival. Cities that once deployed a few in trouble spots expanded them in community zones where there was a need or a vocal neighborhood who wanted them. Here in Guelph 4 cameras became 12, but at least here we have kept them where they belong - in school zones. Other place...

  While times of crisis are something to endure and not celebrate, they do provide an opportunity for us to be reminded of what’s really important. The chaos of Trump and the economic pain he has inflicted thus far on Canada has been manageable, but the toll from the uncertainty grows each day. The threat of the tariff hurricane still looms and if our current trade deal is scrapped next year - look out. It is for this reason governments have to look at their upcoming budgets and make some tough choices. Governments like everyone else have to manage money coming in and going out. Just like many of us, they pay interest on the debt owed. When governments spend beyond their means they add to the debt and more of the money coming in from taxes is eaten up just servicing that debt. Last year the feds spent more debt payments than they did on healthcare transfers to all the provinces! To fix this fiscal mess, governments could simply raise taxes, but asking people to pay more when they ...

  An opportunity to solve many of our persistent social ills with significant funding has arrived on Canada’s doorstep. With our new PM’s pledge to dramatically increase our military spending to meet our NATO commitments - we can finally provide drug treatment and housing to all those in need. How’s that? Rather than viewing military spending as competing with social programs for tax dollars - we should look at military spending AS a social program. If viewed under that lens - a right leaning capitalist country like the United States looks much more socialist. Average citizens may have trouble getting free healthcare, but American enlistees not only get free health care, but food shelter and post secondary education as well. Now I know not everyone wants to join the military and compromise their values by putting a rifle in their hand to achieve economic salvation. But what if the military broke into two separate branches of combat and non-combat. The Canadian military already serv...

If you follow the Blue Jays like me, you probably have been trying to figure out what the heck has been happening with this team’s remarkable turnaround. It was only a short while ago that fans were lamenting another lost season that was looking a lot like last year. Good starting pitching and defense were being let down by an anemic offense. I normally like to write a column summarizing the season at the half way point. This year I had to wait to understand how the Jays had become the best team in all of baseball. To have a good season some things have to go your way, but to have a season like this - almost everything has to come up roses. So what happened? For starters, the injuries to the major offseason acquisitions of Santander and Gimenez who were struggling mightily at the time, forced the Blue Jays manager’s hand to start playing Ernie Clement and Addison Barger on a regular basis. Those two have been a major upgrade. They both strike out a lot less and both can play well at a ...

  Everything is louder during an election, but all Canadian media and politicians want to talk about Trump's Trade policies. What seems absent is more discussion about how we got here. “Liberation Day” seems as good a time as ever with the U.S. and other countries abandoning free trade in the pursuit of protectionist policies. It is worth asking why the electorate has elected leaders like Tariff Trump? Trade barriers like tariffs are used to protect domestic industries by making either trade difficult or raising the cost of imported goods so consumers will buy domestic goods and protect jobs from domestic industries. The case for eliminating these barriers is that free trade allows countries to specialize in products that they can produce cheaper or have a comparative advantage (ie. lower opportunity cost and or better quality product) over other countries.  The cost savings is then passed on to consumers. This part of the free trade deal has been partially kept.  But bu...

Many of us are still confused as to why Americans would elect a political party hell bent on cutting the size of government and turning its back on helping the world. I’ve been taken back by the change, but the voter frustration that has led to it has been building for sometime. If liberals are still wondering why their brand is under siege globally, perhaps a lesson about Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can help explain. I’ve learned and taught about Maslow so many times I feel like I met him, even though he died before I was born. His premise was that humans are motivated to satisfy a pyramid of needs and that until our most basic needs are met (food, water and shelter) we won’t concern ourselves with any higher purpose. Once the basics are met then people move onto safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem and finally fulfilment. I believe the same motivation holds true for voters. Nobody will concern themselves about more progressive causes or concern themselves with...