Jan 20 2020 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — For many of us, the recent holiday season was a time for rest and relaxation. Not for political parties. In the political world, the countdown to New Year’s represents a fundraising bonanza. Their pitch is simple: Give before Jan. 1 and through a generous tax credit system (far better than anything enjoyed by any charity), […]
Dec 23 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — Ontario Liberals are in the middle of a leadership contest and, depending on who wins, Liberals could be making some fairly bold promises in the next provincial election: eliminating public funding of Catholic schools; free public transit; a citizens’ assembly on electoral reform; a basic income program; or the nomination of 30 Liberal candidates under […]
Dec 10 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — In our post-letter society Christmas cards seem out of fashion these days. The one glaring exception is cards from politicians. You may not give these cards much thought. But as a former MPP, I can tell you that these seasonal missives take over the lives of many politicians and represent much work and painstaking planning. […]
Nov 15 2019 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — There were many casualties in our recent federal election: truth, civility and reasoned public debate – to name only three. The greatest wounds, however, appear to have been inflicted on the notion that people of faith can contribute — in a positive way — to political discourse. Instead, we witnessed religious faith caricatured, maligned and […]
Oct 15 2019 — John Milloy — Globe and Mail — After a divisive brawl of a campaign, Canada may be looking at a minority government come Oct. 21. This might be seen as a good thing. There is a belief that minority governments force politicians to work together, put aside partisan differences and co-operate for the greater good of the nation – allowing the best […]
Sep 14 2019 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — In a recent opinion piece, National Post columnist John Ivison encouraged Andrew Scheer to directly confront those trying to portray him as an ultra-conservative Catholic harbouring a secret agenda to ban abortion and curb LGBTQ rights. Ivison suggested Scheer adopt the strategy used by John F. Kennedy during the 1960 election campaign. Trying to reassure voters […]
Aug 25 2019 — John Milloy — The Spectator — Patronage is a bit of a dirty word at Queen’s Park these days. Earlier this summer, when news broke that folks had been appointed to various government positions because of their relationship with Doug Ford’s then-chief of staff, Dean French, the peanut butter really hit the sandwich. French is now gone, and the premier has […]
Aug 4 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — There was something endearing about Doug Ford’s unusual habit of giving out his personal cellphone number to anyone and everyone. He invited them to call or text him with questions or concerns. The practice was so unorthodox that when he ended it a few weeks ago it made headlines. According to Ford’s office, the phone […]
Jul 29 2019 — John Milloy — St. Catharines Standard — Ah summer — long lazy days, BBQs and trips to the cottage. For Premier Ford, this should be a time to unwind and forget about unpopular budgets, being booed in public and potty-mouthed cabinet ministers. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen. In response to the current patronage scandal facing his government, the premier has […]
Jul 2 2019 — John Milloy — TheSpec.com — It’s not the best of times for Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives. As they begin their second year in office, the Ford government is trailing in the polls and the premier keeps being booed at public events. Although the recent cabinet overhaul and subsequent departure of the premier’s chief of staff may help, a big part of […]
Jun 7 2019 — John Milloy — Toronto Star — Choosing the leader of a political party is kind of like choosing a spouse: You don’t expect perfection, but you want someone who doesn’t embarrass you in public, and gets along with your entire family — even your right wing uncle, your tree-hugging sister and those nieces and nephews who never look up from their […]
May 20 2019 — John Milloy — Hamilton Spectator — Maxime Bernier, leader of the People’s Party of Canada, is “obsessively opposed” to the idea of free tampons. At least that’s what Torstar columnist Emma Teitel believes. In a recent column, she took issue with Bernier’s hostility toward a proposal by the Trudeau government that all federally regulated workplaces be mandated to provide free and […]
Apr 8 2019 — John Milloy — The Record — Although there is much speculation about the details of the Doug Ford government’s first budget, there is no doubt about its overall theme — spending cuts. Finance Minister Vic Fedeli seems poised to deliver a “tough-love,” “it’s-worse-than-anyone-thought,” “slash-and-burn” budget on April 11. The signs are everywhere. Since taking office, the Ford government ended the Ontario […]
Mar 11 2019 — John Milloy — The Spectator — My heart goes out to parents of children with autism. They advocate for their kids with courage and I understand why they are angry with the government’s plan to cap treatment dollars. I also feel for the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Lisa MacLeod. Her heart is in the right place and as […]
Feb 20 2019 — John Milloy — National Newswatch — Gerald Butts has resigned and Ottawa is awash with speculation about the next chapter in the SNC-Lavalin affair. My take on it is simple — I have absolutely no idea. And in the interests of full disclosure, I worked with Gerald at Queen’s Park and found him to be a capable and honourable fellow. What I do know, however, is that as the dust settles on this […]