For the second time in a year, the Ontario government has announced an increase to the minimum wage. Phrased as an eight per cent bump to “help workers keep up with rising costs and inflation”, and as another positive pre-election announcement from the government, the exact amount of the increase is 50 cents, which means that starting on October 1, the minimum wage for Ontarians will now be $15.50 per hour. Continue reading “Ontario Government Announces Second Min. Wage Hike in 6 Months”
The pressure on Ontario’s long-term care homes has been enormous since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which is maybe why it’s understandable that there’s been three long-term care ministers in Ontario during that time period. The province’s latest Long-Term Care Minister, Markham-Stouffville MPP Paul Calandra, was in Guelph Friday night to answer some tough questions about his recently acquired portfolio. Continue reading “Calandra Says His Party is Dedicated to Best Possible Long-Term Care”
Over 70 people got together inside an Edinburgh Road South store front on Saturday afternoon. They were cheering, they were excited, they were ready to get others to share their enthusiasm about a candidate. It was a political rally! Live and in-person and the first one of its kind locally in this pending provincial campaign season. The candidate was Mike Schreiner, and Team Green is eager to knock on doors to get him re-elected. Continue reading “Schreiner Gets Grassroots Election Ready with Office Opening”
The circle is now complete. On Monday night, the provincial electoral district of Guelph now has a full slate of major party candidates for the spring provincial election with the acclimation of James Parr as the New Democratic candidate. Parr, and special guests, promised that the NDP is ready and set to win Queen’s Park on June 2. Continue reading “Parr Completes “Big Four” Accepting Provincial NDP Nomination for Guelph”
Nurses. We say they’re our heroes, but is that how we treat them? Through the course of the pandemic, many politicians, activists, and nursing representatives have said we don’t treat them like heroes, and that responsibility has been thrown at the feet of the Ontario government. So on Monday, the health minister literally raised the ante by $5,000, which will be made available to Ontario’s nurses if they stay in the nursing business. Continue reading “ONgov Offers Nurses $5,000 to Stick Around, Many Unimpressed”
Peter McSherry’s got his work cut out for him. As the elected nominee for the Progressive Conservative Party in Guelph, he might have the advantage with his party currently sitting in government offices, but Mike Schreiner got more than twice the number of votes as McSherry’s predecessor in 2018. So can the mild-manned employment lawyer make a case for Guelph to go from Green to Blue? Continue reading “McSherry Tells Open Sources That Guelph Needs Someone on the Government Side”
It was a rough week if you’re a fan of the environment and want to see fewer reasons to drive around Ontario. In the last seven days, Premier Doug Ford cancelled tolls on two provincial highways, and cancelled licence plate renewal fees, but there’s still a chance to stop the construction of at least one more highway in Ontario. At least that was the hope of Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner this Friday afternoon. Continue reading “Schreiner Says He’s Still Against a Highway Through the Holland Marsh”
It’s been said before, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work in more ways than one, and while many people probably enjoy the freedom of being able to work from home, how and when you’re working, as well as what else you’re doing on a work computer, could be being monitored by the boss. Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton apparently doesn’t like the sound of that, and wants to take steps to protect workers. Continue reading “Ontario Government to Add Work Protections from Employer Surveillance”
Members of Provincial Parliament and their staffs returned to Queen’s Park on Tuesday for the commencement of another legislative session, the last one before the Provincial Election, which is presently expected on June 2. For opposition parties and interest groups, it was a chance to talk about the challenges and issues still being caused by the pandemic, and for the Premier, it was a chance to just play politics. Continue reading “Busy First Morning Back at Queen’s Park Begins With More Sticker Drama”
Family Day is supposed to be a day of rest, and an occasion to spend time with the family, but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be a little time for politics. Some of Ontario’s political leaders were thinking the same thing. The Ontario’s Members of Provincial Parliament return to Queen’s Park on Tuesday for the last legislative session before the election, but before that, they want to talk about their agendas. Continue reading “Opposition Gets Ready for New Session (and the Election)”
Guelph Politico 