Spec Online

Hamilton welcomes Palin

Spec columnist Susan Clairmont writes:

'Sarah Palin. Celebrity.

As she swept into Hamilton last night with her entourage and adoring fans and lonely protesters and press pack, it was abundantly clear that the former Alaska governor and one-time Republican vice-presidential candidate has transcended politics to become the ultimate American powerhouse: a full-fledged celebrity.

And it is that status, more than anything, that drew 900 posh people to Carmen's Banquet Centre to hear Palin speak for more than 45 minutes about her family. From her bootlegger grandfathers in Saskatchewan and Alberta, to the five children we know so much about.

The $200-a-ticket event raised money for Charity of Hope, a local group supporting such charities as Good Shepherd Youth Services and McMaster Children's Hospital.

Palin's tightly stage-managed appearance left no room for spontaneity. Or going rogue.'

What did you think of Palin's visit, speech and the situation overall?

An earlier start for sex-ed

The Spec's Carmelina Prete reports:

'Ontario elementary schoolchildren will learn more detailed sex education in earlier grades under a new province-wide curriculum that begins this September.

The revised curriculum, to be taught in all school boards in Ontario, also means for the first time, children will learn about "invisible differences" such as sexual orientation and gender identity in Grade 3.'

See the full story at thespec.com. Supporters point out kids are maturing earlier, and to be effective education needs to happen before rather than after maturity. Critics say this is too early, and some don't like the fact that things such as sexual orientation will be taught at all. What do you think?

Subsidizing ice rental fees

Hockey players will get a break on their ice fees this year.

Council voted yesterday to increase ice costs by just 2 per cent this season instead of sticking to the 8.3 per cent increase approved late last year. The move is intended to ease the effect of the harmonized sales tax, scheduled to hit Ontario on July 1.

Councillors approved the smaller increase despite some trepidation about municipalities shouldering the burden of the province's tax increase.

Hamilton taxpayers pay about 57 per cent of city ice costs -- one of the highest subsidies in the province.

The move will cost taxpayers more than $162,000 in lost ice revenues for the 2010 season.

The HST break will only be given to girls' and boys' hockey, figure skating, ringette, public programming and sledge hockey.

Other city sports programs won't receive fee cuts to ease the effect of the HST, which applies to services not covered under the provincial sales tax.

What do you think? Do you support the municipal subsidy for ice rental in general, and in this specific case?

Cracking down on buskers

The Spec's Mark McNeil reports:

'A local lawyer says police are bullying street musicians and violating their constitutional rights by fining them under a provincial law that was intended for aggressive panhandlers.

Lawyer Michael Puskas appeared in provincial offences court yesterday representing busker Ken Steffler, 53, and the case was adjourned until May 17.

Puskas is also representing a second street musician, a fiddler who was ticketed in March for busking on Summers Lane to people attending a Blue Rodeo concert. That case comes up later this summer.

Puskas is representing the street musicians for free because, he said, "If the law is actually constitutionally valid, the police are really stretching the law to apply it to buskers."

The musicians could face fines of $65 for soliciting in separate incidents this year on Hamilton streets.

Steffler was charged in January for busking on King Street too close to a bus stop.

Under the provincial act, it is illegal to panhandle near places such as public transit stops and bank machines. Steffler agreed he was close to a bus stop near John Street but said he had never had problems playing there before.'

What do you think? Is it fair to target buskers as if they're panhandlers?

Drug plan bitter pill?

From Joanna Frketich article
 

Patients will soon pay less for generic drugs but pharmacies warn they'll be harder to get as the province moves forward with controversial reforms to slash drug prices.

The proposed changes announced this week to lower the cost of generic drugs by at least 50 per cent pits the province and its quest to drive down health-care costs against pharmacies fearing deep cuts to profits.

Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews says the reforms will push down the cost of generic drugs to 25 per cent of the price of the original brand-name medications, saving millions of dollars for Ontario's public drug system, private-employer drug plans and customers paying out of pocket. She predicts the savings will mean drug plans can cover more medications.

But pharmacy owners say they'll lose money and have to close stores, reduce hours, charge more for services, eliminate free home delivery and cut face time between patients and pharmacists to offset profit losses. As a result, it will be harder for patients to get their drugs.

Do costs of this plan outweigh the benefits?

What have we learned from Tiger Woods?

Nike aired a new TV commercial Wednesday featuring Tiger Woods and the voice of his late father, an edgy move that calls out his personal problems on the eve of his return to competitive golf.

The ad aired on ESPN and the Golf Channel just one day before the Masters begins.

In the stark, black-and-white ad, a solemn Woods looks directly into the camera without speaking while a recording of his late father is heard, speaking about taking responsibility.

“Did you learn anything?” Earl Woods says.

What have we learned?

Case of the disappearing brewery

From Steve Arnold's article about Lakeport

City Councillor Bob Bratina has asked the federal Competition Bureau to stall the closure of Hamilton's Lakeport Brewery.

In a formal complaint filed with the national watchdog this week, Bratina asks for an order banning Labatt Breweries of Canada from dismantling or removing equipment from the plant until a review of the closure has been completed. He also asks that the Burlington Street plant be offered for sale for one year before it can be closed.

Competition bureau spokesperson Alexa Keating said Bratina's complaint is being reviewed.

Labatt owns the equipment, but the Hamilton Port Authority owns the building and land. Labatt has said all salvageable equipment will be moved to its other operations.

Bratina said last week he'd file the complaint to the competition bureau "to determine whether the unilateral decision by a Canadian company to destroy the historic brewing industry in Hamilton for its own selfish purposes is acceptable ... under Canadian law."

Is this an appropriate action to take? Does it smack of grandstanding? What action would you take, if any?

Less garbage please

It took the city three years to work its way down to the one-container limit.

In 2007, councillors spent hours debating the move and waffled between one bag, two bags and a voluntary cap on garbage. Some worried the move would cause massive illegal dumping and lead to overwhelming complaints from residents.

Council eventually opted for a phased-in approach.

Despite the number of households that didn't follow the rules, about 97 per cent of the 29,000 homes with garbage pickup Monday complied with the new bylaw, said Beth Goodger, the senior director of operations and waste management. However, there's no way to tell how many complaints the city received as its offices were shut down Easter Monday.

Were you prepared for this week's one-container garbage pick-up restrictions?

Distracted driving

The Spec's John Burman reports:

'Some drivers swore they had to answer their cell because their wife was calling.

Another said he was checking the time. Some thought the law didn't apply to motorists from outside Hamilton.

But one way or another, all of those ticketed by Hamilton police in a two-week blitz were aware of Ontario's new distracted drivers law.

In two weeks ending last Sunday, police handed out 146 tickets.

Sixteen of those went to young drivers for texting while touring.

The first half of the two-week blitz from March 14 to 28 was aimed at younger drivers, the demographic most inclined to live on their cellphones. Eighty-four offence notices were issued.

Constable Claus Wagner, Hamilton police traffic safety co-ordinator, says officers were watching for younger drivers because that age group doesn't seem "to get it" that texting is even more dangerous than talking on a phone while driving a motor vehicle.

That's because violators are hiding the device in their lap below the steering wheel and looking down and away from the road to tap out a message.

In the week that ended last Sunday, police watched for distracted drivers across the city and issued another 62 tickets.

The distracted driver law came into effect in Ontario Feb. 1 and carries a $155 fine.

Fresh from the cellphone and BlackBerry blitz, police are planning their April seatbelt campaign, checking on drivers not buckled up.

They will hold a special "all hands on deck" day April 19 between 9 and 11 a.m. with officers of all ranks blitzing the belts.'

What do you think. Is the new  law working? Are you obeying it?