Editorials - April 12, 2024

So, once again, Doug Ford has stepped in to save the day; a true everyman’s hero. Last Sunday, he sent a letter to the top dog at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario “requesting” that the organization reverse its decision to remove paper bags. In April of 2023, the LCBO discontinued the familiar branded bags in an effort to divert 2,655 tonnes of waste from landfills and save 188,000 trees annually.

 

“At a time when many Ontario families are already struggling to make ends meet, every additional expense counts. That includes charging customers for reusable bags instead of the free paper bags that the LCBO previously offered,” Ford said in the letter, bravely championing a cause that no one, give or take, has raised in the last year.

 

At a time when the Ford government is coming under criticism for land deals, possible farmland appropriation, transit and transportation woes,  health care battles and gravy can reminders of Ford family slogans after the so-called Sunshine List was released, the sudden care for the burden on the public of having to remember to haul a reusable bag to the liquor store or be “stuck” openly carrying alcohol in public seems to be another shiny object to deflect our attention.

 

Doug Ford has demonstrated once again that he is the master of disruption, distraction and dysfunction. – DS

A few days ago, Canada’s The Globe and Mail won the Freedom of Information (FOI) Award from the Investigative Reporters and Editors, a non-profit organization based in the U.S. that focuses on improving the quality of journalism. It was the newspaper’s “Secret Canada” project that brought home the bacon. The investigation into Canada’s freedom of information systems was called “one of the most ambitious public records projects ever published” by the organization’s judges. 

 

Tom Cardoso and Robyn Doolittle (of Rob Ford crack smoking reportage fame back when she was with the Toronto Star - she has since written several books and remains one of the country’s best reporters) began this work in 2021 amid woeful Freedom of Information access.

 

As The Globe was feted, The Whitehorse Star announced it was ceasing its work permanently, ending a 124-year history of reporting. The contrast between the two announcements served as a stark reminder of the precarious nature of this thing of ours: journalism. 

 

Community support is essential for any business to flourish and, for a newspaper to serve its community, it requires that buy-in. Without journalists to keep tabs on decision-makers, they tend to shift into the shadows and, little by little, residents lose connection to their community and higher-ups act unfettered, knowing no one’s watching, no one’s reading and no one cares. As we’ve voluntarily turned our lives over to rich weirdos like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, we’ve lost the connection and protection that a newspaper provides.

 

Remember in the months and years ahead to use something, lest you lose it. The Star won’t be winning any more awards, but your support for The Globe and Mail, and yes, The Citizen, and others ensures a future in which those publications retain that opportunity. – SL 

In a recent opinion piece for The Globe and Mail, public affairs columnist Lawrence Martin shed light on a pressing issue that strikes at the heart of our national heritage: the neglect of 24 Sussex Drive. Martin’s insights highlight the urgent need to address the decay of this iconic landmark and his proposition deserves attention and support.

 

Martin articulates how 24 Sussex Drive stands as a pivotal site in Canada’s history, where monumental decisions were made and where leaders from diverse backgrounds converged. Despite its rich historical significance, the residence has remained vacant for eight years, a symbol of political hesitance and public indifference.

 

A proposal put forth by former Prime Ministers Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper, as outlined by Martin, offers a pragmatic and non-partisan path forward. By leveraging private donations to fund the restoration, Chrétien and Harper seek to remove political obstacles and breathe new life into this emblematic structure.

 

Martin emphasizes the symbolic power of Chrétien and Harper, representing different political ideologies, joining forces for a common cause. Their collaborative effort transcends partisan divides, embodying a spirit of co-operation sorely needed in today’s polarized climate.

 

The National Capital Commission, entrusted with the stewardship of 24 Sussex Drive, would likely embrace the Chrétien-Harper initiative, as Martin suggests. Martin’s piece addresses potential concerns about funding sources and influence. He believes that Chrétien and Harper’s reputations, coupled with transparent fundraising practices, mitigate these apprehensions and would bolster public confidence in the project.

 

Working together across the political divide can ensure that 24 Sussex Drive regains its place as a symbol of our national identity. – SBS