I debated with myself over which blog to post this in, Northern Ontario - Political Issues or Labour Relations and Other Workplace Issues. It deals with gaining public support, which the First Nation Community has taken on, in a big way recently, but is of critical importance to Unions as well, given the growing threat of globalization.
There are similarities in the blockades utilized by the Idle No More movement, the sit-ins of the Occupy movement, or the picket lines of the Unions as they work to gain public support by the pressure caused from disgruntled members of the public demanding their political leaders find solutions. However, not all leaders work well under pressure and the result may not bring a lasting solution that all sides can live with.
Those that handle pressure well, like Mr. Harper, will see that the inconvenience suffered by the public can actually turn public opinion against the protesters and use that backlash to further his own agenda, to the detriment of the First Nations, in this example. I have long advocated for the Labour movement to find a better way to gain support for their cause, rather than the divisive nature of a strike and picket line.
The answer may lie in the actions of six Native youth from Northern Quebec who have undertaken a project that is inspiring in its challenge.
I will leave the links to explain their journey and the reasons for it, but suffice to say, they are raising awareness (over 14,000 group members), inspiring both Native and Non-Native peoples, and delivering a message of unity and peace without inconveniencing nor driving away any member of the public.
This is how you shift public support to your side and bring pressure to bear on the other side of the bargaining table. We should prepare our arguments and sharpen our pencils, because the Native community has learned how to negotiate.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/351350614972320/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=17t9172YIYI
NORTHERN ONTARIO - POLITICAL ISSUES An opinion on the issues affecting the province and primarily Northern Ontario
Friday 25 January 2013
Sunday 20 January 2013
Transportation Policy
Interesting to read about a Toronto view on the importance of transportation to the province www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1317435--liberal-leadership-next-premier-can-t-detour-around-gridlock. Martin Regg Cohn is coming at the issue from a slightly different angle, (OK...the complete opposite) but it speaks to the central issue: Ontario needs a comprehensive multi-modal transportation policy.
The divestiture of Ontario Northland is the result of that failure in policy development and its impact on Northeastern Ontario is as devastating as gridlock is, on Toronto. The next Liberal leader has the unenviable job of trying to figure out how to counter both of those opposing challenges.
Fortunately, an answer has presented itself, borne out of desperate circumstances, so you know it has a real foundation. The answer is the "New Deal" and the port authority it proposes.
Liberal leadership hopeful Sandra Pupatello wants to get Ottawa to hand over more money to solve the problem. While that does seem a little far fetched, Prime Minister Harper has given Nipissing MP Jay Aspin the authority to support the "New Deal" which is a positive signal. It is now up to the province to recognize that signal and move forward on a formal way to integrate federal and provincial participation in transportation policy.
Ontario Northland has always felt the contradiction inherent in a provincial railway operating in an area that has federal jurisdiction. By virtue of the fact that the ONR extends into Quebec, it is an inter-provincial railway and subject to the rules and regulations applicable to Canada's rail system. On the other hand it is a provincial crown corporation and that led to the confusion that was demonstrated by the Northlander subsidy.
In that Ontario Northland provided service to the otherwise totally isolated community of Moosonee and all the communities up the Ontario side of James Bay, it was entitled to funding under the Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Services Class Contribution Program operated by the federal government. But, because ONTC was a crown corporation, the federal government ruled it was ineligible for subsidy.
The solution was to fund the line between Toronto and North Bay only, where the Northlander ran on CN tracks and by virtue of that segment the federal government contributed 2.5M per year unadjusted for inflation. However, the optics of providing funds under a remote access program for a rail line that ran beside a four-lane highway put the subsidy under constant stress and it was being reviewed again, until the province wiped the issue off the map with the elimination of the Northlander.
With the Port authority proposal, the funding can be straightened out and put clearly toward a mandate that could also include private money. All together they can fund an operation that has development squarely in its sights, with the bonus of First Nation approval and participation already included. If the new leader does not readily accept this lifeline with its other end firmly wedged in the riches of the Ring of Fire we will never get another chance to develop a transportation policy which brings all parties to the table and expands the service area into the entire province.
I hope the new Premier gets better advice than the last one.
The divestiture of Ontario Northland is the result of that failure in policy development and its impact on Northeastern Ontario is as devastating as gridlock is, on Toronto. The next Liberal leader has the unenviable job of trying to figure out how to counter both of those opposing challenges.
Fortunately, an answer has presented itself, borne out of desperate circumstances, so you know it has a real foundation. The answer is the "New Deal" and the port authority it proposes.
Liberal leadership hopeful Sandra Pupatello wants to get Ottawa to hand over more money to solve the problem. While that does seem a little far fetched, Prime Minister Harper has given Nipissing MP Jay Aspin the authority to support the "New Deal" which is a positive signal. It is now up to the province to recognize that signal and move forward on a formal way to integrate federal and provincial participation in transportation policy.
Ontario Northland has always felt the contradiction inherent in a provincial railway operating in an area that has federal jurisdiction. By virtue of the fact that the ONR extends into Quebec, it is an inter-provincial railway and subject to the rules and regulations applicable to Canada's rail system. On the other hand it is a provincial crown corporation and that led to the confusion that was demonstrated by the Northlander subsidy.
In that Ontario Northland provided service to the otherwise totally isolated community of Moosonee and all the communities up the Ontario side of James Bay, it was entitled to funding under the Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Services Class Contribution Program operated by the federal government. But, because ONTC was a crown corporation, the federal government ruled it was ineligible for subsidy.
The solution was to fund the line between Toronto and North Bay only, where the Northlander ran on CN tracks and by virtue of that segment the federal government contributed 2.5M per year unadjusted for inflation. However, the optics of providing funds under a remote access program for a rail line that ran beside a four-lane highway put the subsidy under constant stress and it was being reviewed again, until the province wiped the issue off the map with the elimination of the Northlander.
With the Port authority proposal, the funding can be straightened out and put clearly toward a mandate that could also include private money. All together they can fund an operation that has development squarely in its sights, with the bonus of First Nation approval and participation already included. If the new leader does not readily accept this lifeline with its other end firmly wedged in the riches of the Ring of Fire we will never get another chance to develop a transportation policy which brings all parties to the table and expands the service area into the entire province.
I hope the new Premier gets better advice than the last one.
Thursday 17 January 2013
The Arrogance of Perceived Power
The culture that Toronto Star reporter Kevin Donovan speaks of, in his article on Culture of Secrecy (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1305751--culture-of-secrecy-keeping-canadians-in-the-dark) is fed by both ends of the political structure. On the one hand, we have egotistical Ministers who eventually get blinded from reality by the political power they wield in their dealings, being fed by bureaucrats who have discovered the FOI legislature is a convenient way to delay or hopefully divert public disclosure of their questionable decisions. The end result is an outright denial of access to what should be public information.
As an example, the decision to divest ONTC has been claimed by Minister of Northern Development and Mines as his response to a perceived unsustainable business model that was contributing to the deficit situation of the province. Despite repeated requests to show how the divestiture will save money, how the mandate of the company will be met in the future and what analysis was used to determine both, Min. Bartolucci keeps parroting the worn out sound bites first drafted by the bureaucrats to "spin" the decision to the public.
When one reviews the Liberal government reaction to the ORNGE inquiry, the gas plant cancellations, eHealth and other missteps by bureaucratic advisers the Ministerial reaction is predictable and widespread. The fact that it flies in the face of efforts by Dr. Cavoukian to increase openness in government seems not to have made an impression on the former Premier.
The fact that he is soon to be a "former" Premier should be uppermost in the new Premier's mind as she/he seeks to implement the changes all of the candidates seem to be espousing. If they fail to impress upon their team the importance of what Dr. Cavoukian is talking about, the voters of Ontario will remind them in the next election.
(Please join the Facebook groups "Northern Ontario - Political Issues" and "Ontario Northland - NOT FOR SALE" for more information.)
As an example, the decision to divest ONTC has been claimed by Minister of Northern Development and Mines as his response to a perceived unsustainable business model that was contributing to the deficit situation of the province. Despite repeated requests to show how the divestiture will save money, how the mandate of the company will be met in the future and what analysis was used to determine both, Min. Bartolucci keeps parroting the worn out sound bites first drafted by the bureaucrats to "spin" the decision to the public.
When one reviews the Liberal government reaction to the ORNGE inquiry, the gas plant cancellations, eHealth and other missteps by bureaucratic advisers the Ministerial reaction is predictable and widespread. The fact that it flies in the face of efforts by Dr. Cavoukian to increase openness in government seems not to have made an impression on the former Premier.
The fact that he is soon to be a "former" Premier should be uppermost in the new Premier's mind as she/he seeks to implement the changes all of the candidates seem to be espousing. If they fail to impress upon their team the importance of what Dr. Cavoukian is talking about, the voters of Ontario will remind them in the next election.
(Please join the Facebook groups "Northern Ontario - Political Issues" and "Ontario Northland - NOT FOR SALE" for more information.)
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