By Staff

September 6th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Featured below are companies that have experienced recent insider trading activity in the public market through their direct and/or indirect ownerships, including accounts they have control or direction over.

The list below features insider transaction activity for today’s date; it does not convey total ownership information as an insider may hold numerous accounts.

Buying and selling activity by insiders may reflect perceived value in a security. Selling activity may or may not be related to a stock’s valuation. An insider might want to raise funds for personal reasons. An insider’s total holdings should be considered because a sale may, in context, be insignificant if this person has a large remaining position in the company. Some people put great weight on insider transaction activity when they see multiple insider trading’s of a company’s shares.

By Pepper Parr

September 6th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Burlington Green has a new manager of Volunteer, Fundraising & Community Engagement: Sue Alknsis Manager

Her  experience within social services, civic engagement organizations, higher education and health care, includes engaging volunteers, developing partnerships, anti-racism and anti-oppression work, grassroots advocacy, political organizing, and a wide range of fundraising disciplines.

She  is eager to connect with you about collaborative partnerships, impactful volunteer opportunities, older adult programming, rewarding sponsorship opportunities and ways to help raise funds to support BG’s important work with the community.

You will not be surprised when you learn that she loves to camp, hike, canoe and garden.

Included amongst her favourite ways to tread more lightly on the planet include no-till vegetable gardening, re-usable food containers, cooking and baking from scratch (especially dried legumes!), taking walks, eating little meat, infrequent air travel, advocating for local change through her neighborhood residents association.

By Pepper Parr

September 5^th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

It is getting tricky.

Yesterday Jagmeet Singh tosses Trudeau overboard to create opening against Poilievre

A new poll today shows Singh tops Poilievre as most favoured leader; Poilievre lags his party while Singh leads his.

The material from this article comes from Data Shows, a column written by Tom Parkin who is a  principal with Impact Strategies where the mission is to provide research and communications support to clients focused on solving the economic and public policy challenges facing Canada today. He sates that: “For my clients, I develop data-driven research reports, policy reviews and polling analyses.”

Do you see a lot of trust or confidence on any of these faces: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Opposition and Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP party

Over the past two years Jagmeet Singh extracted a series of policy wins out of the Trudeau Liberals, with dental care and pharmacare being the most well-known.

Today Singh pivoted from extracting new programs from Trudeau to protecting them from Pierre Poilievre.

Poilievre is the most hard-right Conservative leader Canada has ever seen. Yet if an election was held today, he would easily become prime minister and those policy wins would be cut.

And the Trudeau Liberals can’t stop him. To a great degree, antipathy to Trudeau is the fuel driving Poilievre’s support. In a fight between Trudeau and Poilievre, the Conservatives win.

In an Angus Reid poll released today the Liberal held just 21 per cent support. To beat Poilievre, a different fight is needed.

In tossing Trudeau overboard, Singh has opened a new political dynamic in which Singh can take the attack to Poilievre without the Justin Trudeau acting as deadweight on him or fuel for Poilievre.

Liberal party national campaign director Jeremy Broadhurst

Trudeau has an additional problem; the Liberal party’s national campaign director, Jeremy Broad is reported to have told the Prime Minister he is quitting. Jeremy Broadhurst privately told Prime Minister last month he is leaving, according to several Liberal sources.

It’s impossible to say whether Singh can be successful in stopping Poilievre and putting himself in the prime minister’s chair. He’s got a distance to go and just a year to do it But it’s got to be tried, and for two reasons it’s now possible.

First, the major policies extracted from Trudeau are now mostly in place. The dental care plan is in operation. The anti-scab bill is law. The pharmacare plan has passed the Commons and is in the Senate. To a large degree, the work of the confidence and supply agreement is done.

Second, it’s possible because of the opening Singh created today — and there are reasons to be optimistic,  Singh can take advantage of it.

Today’s Angus Reid poll again showed Trudeau holds low favour with Canadians — only 30 per cent. But more important, at 36 per cent, Poilievre’s favourable rating trails his own party, suggesting some Conservatives supporters could be peeled away from the hard-right leader.

Most significantly, Jagmeet Singh received the highest favourable score at 37 per cent, suggesting that, with Trudeau out of way, Singh has big potential to raise his party’s support level.

Singh’s goal has got to be to engineer a head-to-head battle with Poilievre. And he has some material to work with.

Polls consistently show Singh’s dental and pharmacare plans are popular. In contrast, Poilievre cutting them won’t be.

Across the wide range of problems Canada faces, Singh can create a competition of visions that Trudeau has been unable to articulate for many years due to scandal and corporate control over him. To the degree Singh’s contrasts with Poilievre become crisper and clearer, Singh can peel support from the Conservatives over worries about Poilievre’s hard-right politics and cuts.

And there’s the likability factor. Singh is a decent person. Poilievre is unpleasant.

Finally there is the issue of timing. In responding to today’s news, Poilievre continued to challenge Singh to force an immediate election.

Can Jagmeet Singh do it?

But no one should expect Singh to force an election on the timing Poilievre prefers. Singh should force an election when it benefits his NDP and won’t put Poilievre in the PM’s office, obviously.

How long that takes or whether Singh can do it before the next schedule election is unknown. But we are now in a different dynamic, one where Poilievre faces an opponent who is stronger, popular, and not beholden to the corporate interests that held Trudeau back.

For those fundamentally opposed to Poilievre’s politics, today is a hopeful and refreshing change.

By Pepper Parr

September 5th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

The comment struck some people as a little over the top.  The medal the Mayor was given is something handed out by each Member of Parliament.  In this situation the Medal was handed out (awarded is not the appropriate word here) by Pam Damoff who is the MP for Oakville North Burlington.

Oakville North Burlington MP Pam Damoff with Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward after receiving a King Charles III Coronation medal

Why it was given by Damoff rather than Karina Gould who is the MP for Burlington isn’t clear – maybe they jointly decided on who the recipients should be.  Each Member of Parliament was given 35 medals they could hand to whomever they wanted.

Here is what Mayor Marianne Meed Ward had to say on social media about the medal she was given:

“I am deeply honored to have received the King Charles III Coronation Medal last evening from PamDamoff

“I am grateful to be recognized alongside so many dedicated individuals who share a commitment to improving the lives of others. This award inspires me to continue working tirelessly to make a positive impact and to contribute to the advancement and well-being of our community. Thank you to MP Damoff for her ongoing support and the incredible honour. ”

Marianne was born in the United States and would therefore be an American citizen.

Several Burlington citizens took exception to the occasion when Mayor Meed Ward did not take the steps necessary to ensure that the National Anthem was played before the commencement of a Council meeting.

Slip ups happen – the polite thing to do is apologize for the error and assure people it won’t happen again.

The medal is traditionally worn at ceremonial occasions.

One wonders if the Mayor will stand tall facing the Canadian flag when the National Anthem is played proudly wearing her King Charles III Coronation Medal.  The practice is for such medals to be worn at ceremonial occasions.

When the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II was broadcast the Performing Arts Centre broadcast the event on their large screens.  Few attended.  Marianne was one of the few sitting in a row at the front of the theatre.

By Pepper Parr

September 4^th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

We were copied on a note from Anne and Dave Marsden to the City Clerk in which they asked:

Please Register Anne and Dave Marsden Pro Bono Health, Safety and Access Advocates to appear in Council at the Committee of the Whole on September 9, 2024 on the following agenda items:

Anne Marsden delegating at City Council

8.1        Procedure By-law Update CL01-24

8.2         Closed Meeting Investigation Report  CL-19-24

8.3         Ombudsman Complaint  CL-20-244

12.2       Provincial Planning Statement 2024 (PL-64-24

The Marsden’s are frequent delegators.  To some they are seen as a bothersome couple who do nothing but complain.

To other they are among the very few that pay attention to what happens at city council.

In their note to the City Clerk that advise that: We may well withdraw our delegations when we see the information provided on 8.1  8.2 and 12.2.

“We do object profusely to not having the information before us two business days before the delegation deadline.   They add that reports are added to the council agenda as Addendums – which we believe interferes with Council’s Municipal Act Transparency requirements.”

There is a concern here.  Events that concern people are seldom given the time people need to read a report, do their own research and talk to their neighbours.

The way the City Clerk’s office handles things it is almost as if they don’t want people to be aware of what is being discussed.

There is seldom the sense that Staff really want to help.  And that is not healthy.

While doing some research recently I used the word Burlington in an online search forgetting that there is a city in Vermont called Burlington as well as several other United States.

Something caught my eye. Notice the signs in the various city council chambers.  Try that in Burlington and you would be escorted out of the building with a better than even chance of being served with a No Trespass Notice preventing you from entering the building for a period of time.

Have you ever seen this happen at a Burlington, Ontario Council meeting.

These people don’t look like trouble makers.

Burlington Ontario Council meetings were done virtually during the pandemic.

An engaged community. Wasn’t Burlington Ontario

At the start of every Council meeting in Burlington there is a stern message delivered by the Mayor on what you can and can’t do. The Mayor, who chairs most of the meetings these days, tell those in the audience that she wants respectful behaviour – which she defines. At time there is some clapping – when it does take place it is always started by members of Council.

By Staff

September 3^rd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

There is at least one political party that believes there is an election coming. The New Democrats raised $1.1 million in just 10 weeks.  They did it with 20,000 contributions from across the province lead to historic fundraising results

This historic support shows that people are ready for a real alternative to Doug Ford and his politicians. The people of Ontario are trusting Marit and the Ontario NDP to make their lives better.

NDP Leader of the Opposition standing in a farm field that was part of the Greenbelt grab that turned into a scandal and could result in a much different Legislature next year.

“Earlier in the summer, Marit set us a clear and ambitious goal – to rapidly accelerate our work to be election-ready if Doug Ford decides to call an early election.” said Kevin Beaulieu, Ontario NDP’s provincial director. “These numbers send a clear message that Ontarians are stepping up behind Marit. We are seeing a fired-up grassroots movement who know that it is time for better and are motivated to be a part of it. Under Marit’s leadership, we’re not just meeting our goals – we are exceeding them. There has never been a clearer sign that Marit and the Ontario NDP are the ones to defeat Doug Ford and his politicians to bring the change that the province is ready for.”

BACKGROUND

• Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles designated June 24th to September 2nd as an “Election Sprint” period, tasking the party with accelerating their preparations for a potential early election.
• In that time the party raised $1,079,259 from 19,989 contributions – usually a quieter period for fundraising in the summer months.
• The average donation was just under $52.
• The Ontario NDP relies primarily on smaller donations from a larger number of ordinary Ontarians than the other parties. These smaller donations under $200 are not reported in quarterly Elections Ontario filings.
• 1,246 brand new donors contributed to the Ontario NDP for the first time ever during the past 10 weeks.
• Outside of fundraising, the Ontario NDP has ramped up nominations with 10 nomination meetings completed or scheduled, and hosted two campaign schools to train local organizers.
• This summer the Ontario NDP has launched an election planning committee chaired by veteran strategist Brian Topp, and appointed Dave Clark as campaign director for the next election.

By Staff

September 3^rd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

The Joseph Brant Hospital announces the launch of its newly redesigned public website: www.josephbranthospital.ca

Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of JBH, said “We are committed to continually improving our services and resources, and this website launch is an important step in enhancing our digital presence to better serve our patients, visitors and community.”

The redesigned website features a modern visual appearance and improved site navigation for patients, families, community healthcare providers and other visitors to the website. Key enhancements include:

• Refreshed Homepage: The homepage has a contemporary look and feel with quick-links to high-traffic webpages and valuable resources, ensuring visitors can easily access the information they need.
• Wayfinding Module: A new wayfinding tool assists users in finding directions both to the hospital and within the hospital to make it easier to find where you need to go and how to get there.
• Resource Library: Patients and visitors can now access essential documents and referral forms in one centralized location, improving convenience and accessibility.
• A-Z Areas of Care Listing: The website’s A-Z listing of Areas of Care now includes photos, providing visual cues to make it easier to locate specific departments, programs, clinics and services.
• Enhanced Search Functionality: The search toolbar has been upgraded for improved accuracy and efficiency, helping users find information more quickly.

Not sure where to start? Patients, visitors, career seekers, health care providers and others can quickly find what they’re looking for through our new “I am a…” Concierge Menu on the top right corner of our website.

Questions or concerns? Please contact us at info@josephbranthospital.ca. We are always looking at ways we can improve your experience on our website.

Background:

JBH’s skilled staff of 189 physicians, 2,019 full- and part-time staff and 200 volunteers are committed to providing exemplary care and living the hospital’s core values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

JBH is a Clinical Education site in conjunction with McMaster University and a partner member of the Burlington Ontario Health Team. It is honoured to be recognized as one of Hamilton Niagara’s Top Employers for eight consecutive years.

By Pepper Parr

September 3^rd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

At this point much of the political comment points to a Spring provincial election, however everything is very fluid.

One view is that Doug Ford does not want to wait until after the 2026 federal election which he is reported to think Pierre Poilievre will win.  Traditionally Ontario residents like to have one political party running the show federally with a different party running things provincially.

There is also a view that it would be better to get ahead of anything the RCMP might choose to do; holding an election and having the RCMP deliver some hard news is not a smart tactic.

Traditionally the police are adamant at not deliberately laying charges or arresting anyone in the months leading up to an election.

Premier Doug Ford

The Tories are raising considerable amounts of money.  The Liberals are having problems raising funds.  Some committed Liberals experiencing “buyers remorse” over the selection of Bonnie Crombie as their leader.  She will meet with her party in London on September 19^th.   It could be an uncomfortable meeting.

Crombie did put a cool million dollars of donations into the party coffers weeks after the she was elected as leader of the party. But not much since then.

Losing the Milton by-election hurt; the right candidate and a strong election team could have made that a Liberal riding provincially.  The federal Liberals hold the riding and the current MPP did have conversations with Bonnie Crombie before he resigned as a provincial Cabinet Minister to run against Adam van Koeverden.

The hope for many, who think re-electing Doug Ford would be a terrible mistake, is just how well Marit Stiles, the NDP Leader of the Opposition will manage to improve her political profile and get the recognition she has earned.  The challenge is how well she can do once an election is called.  The hope for her is that Liberals who have given up on Bonnie Crombie put their support behind the NDP.  The problem is too many people remember Bob Rae and his NDP government.

NDP Leader of the Opposition speaker to municipal leaders as an AMO conference.

Stiles has been doing a superb job as Leader of the Opposition, She gets credit for the report released by Bonnie Lysak, the provincial auditor genera, who released a devastating report on the Greenbelt land transfers that quickly became known as the Greenbelt scandal, and for the J David Wake the Provincial Integrity Commissioner report that listed names of people who made doubtful decisions and did things they should probably not have done.

The two best shots taken at the Doug Ford government were fired by Stiles.

Andrew Drummond

What does all this mean to Burlington.  Well – finding a candidate that can run a solid campaign and win would help.  At this point there isn’t even a mention of a possible NDP candidate in Burlington. When was the last time you heard anything about the Burlington New Democrats?  Andrew Drummond seems to be unelectable

Locally the Liberals are at least thinking.  Their choice last time out was unfortunate – let’s leave it at that.

Some have suggested that Mayor Meed Ward is in trouble as Mayor and might decide to run provincially as a Liberal.  She ran against Joyce Savoline in 2006 and lost then ran against Rick Craven in ward 1 – lost again.

Burlington ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns

The last time out provincially, the word was that the Burlington provincial Liberals were not interested in Meed Ward as a candidate. They approached ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns who said yes – days later she said no.  Andrea Grebenc, the then chair of the Halton District School Board trustees was interested and ran for the nomination.  Her duties as chair, a job she was very good at, limited what she could do in terms of campaigning.

Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre speaking in the Legislature

The current MPP, Natalie Pierre, hasn’t endeared herself to very many people – even some Conservatives would like to see more than the photo ops.  A number of strong local Tories are not part of the support team.

Expect both 2025 and 2026 to be important years during which citizens have to make important decisions on who should lead the city, the province and the country.  There are critical issues to be address: climate; housing, transportation and what we will have in the way of a social safety net.