Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler
I expect it will surprise very few people when I say that I am going to write about two Conservatives today and no doubt, some of you will be tempted to stop reading right now. But don’t, because there is something for everyone to disagree with here!
Like most with an abiding interest in politics, I come from a certain perspective. There is nothing wrong with being a partisan, as many political pundits are but just refuse to admit. Indeed, respectful debate and disagreement on public policy is an important element of a democratic society.
But partisanship should never be blind. No political party is free from abuse of power, lack of accountability, or inappropriate behaviour. To pretend otherwise, to defend it, to refuse to acknowledge it when it occurs, is a serious mistake that will eventually bite you on the back.
One of my former colleagues, a person I have always liked, is a fierce Liberal partisan who takes to Twitter like a fish takes to water. While there has been much opportunity, I have never seen him be critical of one of his own. But when someone in the other camp so much as passes gas (metaphorically speaking), he is all over it like a wet blanket.
I think differently than that. I think it is important to speak out when you believe someone you would otherwise support has behaved improperly. I also believe it is important to defend those who are being unfairly pilloried. To do both, protects the integrity of the political party you support, even though many may not like it. And so, today, that is what I am going to do.
Let’s start with Rod Phillips, until very recently finance minister of Ontario. What he did, in leaving the country for a vacation in the middle of this pandemic while the government in which he was a senior member was urging people not to travel and to stay home, was just plain stupid. It undermined the credibility of the Ford Government’s pandemic strategy. It showed a shocking lack of leadership and a measure of superiority. It was simply wrong.
Add to that the tweets deliberately intended to depict Rod Phillips at home over the holidays and the fake background on Zoom calls he participated in from St. Barts that disguised where he was, and it becomes pretty clear that deception was top of mind. It also became abundantly clear that he could no longer remain in Cabinet.
I do not know Rod Phillips well, but I do know that he was a very competent minister. There may have been compelling family reasons for him to take an out-of-country vacation at this time but it, along with the cover up, remains incompatible with his role as a minister of the Crown.
I accept the word of Premier Doug Ford that he did not know about the Phillips’s trip until the horse was out of the barn. When he should have dealt with it is a matter of conjecture. I do agree it is usually best to get out in front of these issues when they occur. In any event, Ford did deal with it and Rod Phillips is no longer one of his most trusted advisors. And that is a shame.
On the other side of the coin is a Conservative that needs to be defended. Former premier Mike Harris fully deserves to be named to the Order of Ontario. It is understandable that some people don’t like him. Anyone who leads a government will be inevitably called upon to make tough decisions and there will always be those that disagree.
But to dump all over Mike Harris for being awarded the Order of Ontario, as some are now doing, is just plain wrong. Serving as the head of government, either nationally or provincially, is a life-changing experience and a sacrificial public service. Few people really understand the 24/7 pressure under which these people operate.
On that basis alone, anyone who has served as premier of Ontario is deserving of the province’s highest honour. It is not a partisan honour. In this year’s list there are people quite properly recognized from other walks of life, other forms of service, and other political backgrounds.
Mike Harris has served this province, in and out of office, to the best of his ability and in keeping with his conscience. He has been elected and re-elected as premier. Has he made mistakes? Yes, but please tell me who hasn’t? On balance, Harris, not unlike his predecessors and successors, did what he thought was right and what he believed he was elected to do.
Now, there are some Harris critics featured in the Toronto Star and on social media who object to the appointment of Mike Harris to the Order of Ontario because he is the chair of Chartwell Retirement Residences.
One critic is Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, who said this: “Doug Ford is rewarding Chartwell Chair and former Premier Mike Harris with the Order of Ontario. Chartwell is a for-profit nursing home that failed our seniors.”
Well first of all, Mr. Del Duca, as you probably know, Doug Ford did not appoint Mike Harris to the Order of Ontario. That is not the way it works. If you don’t believe me, ask Kathleen Wynne, or ask Hershell Ezrin, who was principal secretary to former premier David Peterson and was included in the honours list.
Second, Chartwell is primarily in the business of offering retirement facilities to senior citizens who choose these facilities for a degree of independent, chore-free living and retirement community programs that are not possible in the more confining environment of nursing homes.
Chartwell also operates 23 long-term care facilities, or nursing homes, in Ontario, representing about 11 per cent of their total operations in four provinces. This is the only part of their operation for which they receive government funding, 100 per cent of which must be dedicated to LTC resident care and programs and cannot be used for profit.
Finally, issues related to the standard of care in nursing homes have been a systemic issue in Ontario for decades. If you are going to hold Mike Harris accountable for “failing seniors” then, sir, you must also hold two successive Liberal governments accountable, including at least one of which you were a part.
Mike Harris deserves to be a member of the Order of Ontario. He also has the right to earn a living in the private sector. Every decision he has been a part of may not have always been the right one, but to accuse him of endangering senior citizens is simply inflammatory and untrue and based on bias and opportunism. If perfection is what you expect from a member of the Order of Ontario, the roster would be completely empty!
There, I think I’ve stirred it up enough for the first week of 2021. So, have at it!
And by the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hugh Mackenzie
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Be on the lookout for online protest calling for removing MH’s nomination for the Ontario Governor General’s award.
For some reason thousands of Ontario citizens are opposed to honouring Mike Harris with the Order of Ontario. Surely they would not object to honouring Mr. Harris in some other way. Perhaps a First Nations would consider naming a community centre after Mr. Harris. Or a school board could name a school for him, in recognition of his impact on Ontario education. One or more food banks might take his name given how his policies contributed to their spectacular growth. His name could be given to a long-term care home or a rural water treatment facility. Finally, Highway 407 really should be named the Mike Harris Memorial Highway (or Giveaway).
Mike Harris’ policies have had profound impact on the lives of Ontario citizens. It is only fitting that they remember him appropriately.
BRAVO, Mr. Barltrop & Mr. Logagianes! Sometimes it is very easy for me to believe that Conservatives will sell anything they can (hydro, Connaught Labs, health care services, seniors care). Sometimes, there is a fine line between the common good and greed, at other times there is a chiasm.
Our MH years were akin to Britain’s Margaret Thatcher. Your clear comments and insights are heartwarming critique to a reality that many experienced. Thank you very much.
I completely disagree with Hugh regarding Mike Harris. Even my elderly mother, a life-long Conservative, switched sides due to the multiple infuriating and detrimental policies of the Mike Harris government. Had to be pretty “off” to get that lady to abandon the party. The pain he caused seniors and students was more than she could tolerate. Others have listed other specific problems so I don’t need to bother. And Doug Ford DID know where Phillips was. He admitted so on television, saying he had a conversation with him about 2 days after he left the country but regretted that he didn’t tell him to come home at that time. So, it was only when the public uproar began that he did the right thing. I’m generally not a Ford supporter, but he has upped his game and done a pretty decent job managing pandemic issues.
Here is my email forwarded to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario ( Sat. Jan. 2 , 2021 ) as to why Mike Harris should not receive the Order of Ontario .
Anyone , like former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who has created so much anger,should not receive the Order of Ontario . Rather than contributing positively, he was a divisive premier as evidenced by the present uproar. Here are my reasons why he should not be included in the list of nominees as it makes a mockery of the award .
Common Sense Revolution
1)- championed privatization of Ontario’s LTC system and profits from it (Chartwell) – COVID pandemic deaths
2)-closed Montefort hospital
3)-Ipperwalsh Pubic Inquiry -death of Dudley George
4)-Walkerton tragedy
5)-selling off of Hwy 407 to Spanish consortium
6)- many not happy with Ontario education changes
7)- many not happy with city Amalgamation
Therefore , I suggest that you withdraw the name of former premier Mike Harris from your nominee list
” Order of Ontario ” .
Hugh your comments this Morning are Right On!
and Jim Boyes Comments hits the nail n the head.
Mike Harris should receive the Order of Canada for selling the (cash cow) 407 to foreign interests. Oh and let us not forget how this remarkable individual broke up Ontario hydro and sold off all the profitable segments to private interests. (Especially all the dams that generate electricity at a fraction of the cost). Hydro costs have escalated and manufacturing is dwindling. The cost of these two decisions will be detrimental to our provinces prosperity in the future. Sadly Hugh Mackenzie thinks he should be rewarded for his true leadership, I disagree.
Most Ontario businesses have received less income from their services and goods. That means their profitability will decline, become a loss, or even cause bankruptcy.
If a business gets some free money from the government for operations and the business wants to declare a profit and payout dividends to the shareholders it can find itself in an advantaged position over the rest of the businesses.
If you want to make money you should invest in those types of businesses, they are more profitable, just look at who has already invested in them. You can rub shoulders with the Elite.
You sir represent the epitome of a partisan water carrier!
Thank you Mr. Emmett. That says it all.
I for one, am very pleased to see that Mr Harris will be named to the Order of Ontario. He had to make tough decisions to turn us around financially. Decisions no other leader had the guts to make. As for partisanship, one partisan will ignore the beam in their party leader’s eye and make a big deal out of the speck in the opposing parties’ eyes. Partisanship has a mendacious component to it and has become a lightning rod whereby people will make the most negative and vile comments on social media and even stop speaking to family members. So sad. Life is too short for that level of drama.
Hugh, your piece was a well-executed fine-balancing act. Well done!
One word – Walkerton
Those deaths were on his watch.
Mike Harris was a disgrace. He spent most of his time in office attacking
the poor and handicapped. Taking away welfare and social services.
Had to balance the budget? Himself and the upperclass did not suffer much.
He was known to have a strong dislike for our native people. North Bay living?
Mr ford will do okay as long as he does not become another Mike harris or Donald Trump?
The arrogance and naivety in Phillips incredibly poor decision to leave the country while pretending to be in Canada is a blessing to tax payers Hugh. I say this because his actions resulted with him swiftly leaving the cabinet. I don’t want a minister with his lack of judgment and deception managing our money.
Clearly Mr. McKenzie, you were not at the receiving end of those “tough decisions” during the MH years.
Hugh: Despite all your laudatory comments about Mr. Harris, you missed one important well reported fact.
Mr. Harris lied under oath at the Dudley George inquiry in 2006 when he denied he said, “…’I want the fucking Indians out of the park’, direction which was transmitted to OPP officers at the scene. This direction by Harris was confirmed in sworn testimony at the inquiry by Attorney-General Charles Harnick, a first hand witness to the statement at the Ontario Legislature.
Mr. George was shot and killed by OPP hours later in Ipperwash Park.
Many people will know that Aboriginal Services lawyer Julian Falconer, at the inquiry, likened the statement by Mr. Harris to that of Henry ll in 1170, when he said, ‘…will anyone rid me of this meddlesome priest?’, referring to Thomas Becket. Hours later, royal knights took the king’s words as direction and murdered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
All the facts, Hughie, if you please!
Mr. McKenzie; When a student at Nipissing, I cringed when Nipissing U, North Bay was to name their new campus library in honour of MH. The ideology of the MH years (the common sense revolution) for health care, public health, education, and indigenous affairs were terrible- we lived it, we protested during those years. Who could forget Snoeblen’s, “we have to create a useful crisis in education”? Well, crisis they did create.
Thank you for clearing up that the nomination for Order of Ontario did not come from DF – but the optics are very poor.
Will you clarify whether or not new builds of LTC facilities in Ontario – specifically contracted during MH years – were not Chartwell? I know the new build in Huntsville was Jarlette for profit.
Are you 100% sure that DF did not know of the RP holiday in advance, or would you like to given him the benefit of doubt?
Finally, to those given much (power, money, talent), much is required.
Del Duca will make Provincial Grits wish Ms. Wynne had stayed . Perhaps Cheapshot artists should focus more attention on the ethically challenged leader of this Country . Doug Ford did his job and divested himself of The less than honorable Mr. Phillips . Now the Albertan Premier should dump his miscreants . Ethics need to be unquestioned to avoid the ” I got caught apologies ” so prevalent today !