Faisal Hassan co-sponsored a bill this week that calls for the electrification of the UPX line.
The “Clean Trains Now Act” would “establish a committee to review the UP Express” with the goals of:
Electrification has long been promised. In 2013, Glen Murray, then the Ontario Liberal Minister of Transportation, said that the train would be electrified by 2017.
Faisal Hassan, our MPP, said this week that he would like to “ban greedy profit driven corporations from the home care and long term care sector so that every dollar goes into better care, and better living.” [sic]
This is a gob-smackingly terrible idea.
I have a friend who thinks that profit is in some way immoral. Something about it—he can never explain what (to my satisfaction at least)—seems dishonourable. I think that Hassan probably feels the same: that making a buck from seniors is a bit underhanded.
But there is nothing—not spiders, eels, or sticky tape—that I would fear more as an old person than someone who isn’t interested in my money. When I retire, I hope to live in comfort, able to buy myself high-speed internet, beer deliveries, and a sweet private room where I can sleep in until 10. This is why I save money now, and I expect my eventual nursing home to earn that money by giving me what I want.
In other words, I expect them to profit. I hope they do.
Would you eat at a non-profit restaurant? Gross. Would you sleep in a non-profit hotel? No, thank you. I like my meals hot and my sheets cold, and when I pay for these things, I get them.
Forbidding profits in nursing homes would be just as bad an idea. At best, government could force providers to follow regulations rather than their own self interest. Residents would get what they want only if the providers were obligated or inclined to provide it. They might hope to get kindly workers, but they could never be sure of that affection by—horrors—paying for it.
We buy warmth and affection everywhere else in the hospitality sector. We should be able to buy it in elder care too.
MPP Faisal Hassan hopes to present a petition to the Legislature when it resumes. He is asking the province to “provide immediate relief to homeowners suffering from flooding damage and that green infrastructure investment in York South-Weston to immediately mitigate and ultimately prevent future flooding.”
While wet basements are often an issue in Weston, no part of the riding is harder hit than Rockcliffe, which often has terrible floods. Residents there marched today to draw attention to the issue.
I am so proud to stand with @AllianceBlack today. The community has been clear. They expect all the levels of government to work together on flood mitigation urgently, and that is been my commitment. #ysw #onpoli #yorksouthweston pic.twitter.com/zcnII0oSRC
— Faisal Hassan (@FaisalHassanNDP) August 16, 2020
The city and the province feds announced money for flooding last year.
Our MPP, Faisal Hassan, asked the province to make June 25 to July 1 “Somali Heritage Week” to “recognize the economic, political, social, and cultural achievements of Somali Canadians”.
Megan DeLaire at Toronto.com has written a report on the recent meeting of the Mount Dennis Eco-Neighbourhood group. Mount Dennis through their community association has spearheaded a drive to make Weston’s southern neighbour into a net-zero community.
What is a net-zero community? The term isn’t clearly defined but in general, it’s a place where total carbon emissions are reduced to zero through conservation, by changing energy sources and by generating a surplus of non-carbon based energy that is used to offset carbon emissions. It’s a laudable goal and a determined group at MDCA has been pushing it for several years with considerable success. The gas-powered generating station that was to supply the Eglinton Crosstown with emergency power was nixed in favour of a large battery. This was thanks to concerns expressed by the MDCA and others that not only would the generator pollute the neighbourhood, it would also be used during times of peak demand, adding to local pollution levels..
It’s refreshing that all three local politicians seem to be behind this endeavour, MP Ahmed Hussein sent greetings by video message, MPP Faisal Hassan is strongly supportive and local councillor Frances Nunziata spoke to the audience. Nunziata seems open to supporting net zero in new buildings which is a good thing. This will be more expensive up front but the cost savings and lower pollution levels will last for the lifetime of a building. Check out this building in London Ontario.
Read Megan’s report here.
The new York South–Weston Tenant Union is asking the owners of 22 John to hold their rent increases to 2.2%, and they’ve signed up many community groups in support, in addition to Frances Nunziata and Faisal Hassan.
Late last year, the owners of 22 John wanted to raise rents on month-to-month tenants by as much as 25%. Tenants who signed yearly leases were asked to bear a smaller increase: about 6%. The owners later backed down on the largest increases.
The Tenant Union says that the building was “subsidized through millions of dollars in public investments”. This isn’t quite what it seems. The below-market units were subsidized, but there are also also at-market rentals built with the developer’s own money. These rentals received no subsidies, and the developers—rightly or wrongly—are entitled by law to increase those rents.
“This is what York South-Weston is all about. When our neighbours are struggling, we step up and help each other out. Stable housing is key to building a healthy community, and we’re all part of this community.”
York South-Weston is a tough nut to crack for Tory politicians. The riding, both federally and provincially, has consistently elected Liberals with the occasional NDP exception. MP Mike Sullivan, MPP Paul Ferreira and current MPP Faisal Hassan are the three exceptions.
Last year, Conservative candidate Mark DeMontis came within a whisker of winning in 2018’s Big Blue Wave courtesy of Doug Ford and Kathleen Wynne. Local man DeMontis, with a compelling back-story, courted the area politically and there was speculation that had he stuck around for another campaign (namely the recent federal one), he might have been able to pull off a victory. In June, DeMontis announced he had moved on to focus on his role with the Ontario Government thus making way for candidate Jasveen Rattan.
As an unknown parachute candidate from Mississauga and without a Big Blue Wave to propel her, she faced an uphill task eventually finishing a distant second to incumbent Liberal Ahmed Hussen. In the article, Rattan frames her result as the most successful for a federal Tory in over 40 years but in reality, her vote total and share of the popular vote were almost identical to those of 2015 Tory candidate James Robinson.
TVO’s Steve Paikin has written an article dealing with the Tories’ recent loss and focusses on Ms Rattan and York South Weston. In the article, Ms Rattan states that the people of York South Weston need help. I wonder if she will be providing that help between elections (along the lines of Chiara Padovani and Yafet Tewelde), or whether we can look forward to yet another new Tory face to contest the next election.
Read Steve Paikin’s article here.
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