New Ontario Government 2018

[mariomike]

They should perhaps bring back the strap (he said with tongue in cheek).  Seriously though, the strap worked but the reason it worked was kids knew that when their parents found out that they had been strapped, it would happen again. 

Got the strap when I was 8-years old for throwing a snowball at recess.

I wasn't being disobedient, just got caught up in the fun and forgot the rules.

Made sure to remember after that.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

This has indeed been a welcomed about-face in this province. (Another article I was reading earlier was speaking of the change and calm from the government side ref the teacher’s unions, and how significant progress has been able to be made.)

Of course, not everyone will be fully content with the all decisions made and directives given during this time. But he has certainly stepped up, is prioritizing accordingly and is leaving any blatantly questionable behaviour/comments and agendas on the back-burner...at least for the time being.

Doug Ford's surprising turn

Max Fawcett: Before the coronavirus made its way into Canada, Ford was best known for leading a government that could best be described as dumpster-fire adjacent.

The coronavirus pandemic has produced a lot of unexpected outcomes, from Mitt Romney’s embrace of a universal basic income to Britney Spears calling for a general strike and the redistribution of wealth. But few have been more surprising than Doug Ford’s transformation from a carbon-tax hating, license-plate bungling premier into an inspirational national leader. It is, to borrow a term from professional wrestling (an art form that has more in common with politics than some might want to admit), the biggest babyface turn in Canadian political history—and it may well end up saving his political career.

Before the coronavirus made its way into Canada, Ford was best known for leading a government that could best be described as dumpster-fire adjacent. In its first year, Ford’s PC government was defined by a cronyism scandal that involved his former chief of staff and a tone-deaf approach to funding childhood autism therapy that only served to mobilize an army of angry parents against it. Its second year didn’t start much more auspiciously, as his baby-faced education minister picked a fight with the province’s teachers and their union that looked to be headed towards a widespread strike.

Ford’s government may have reached its nadir when it became clear the new blue-on-blue license plates that it had introduced to replace the existing white ones couldn’t be seen at night (no small problem for the province’s police officers, among other people). And remember: Ford’s family made its bones in the label business, an unfortunate irony that his opponents weren’t shy about pointing out.

When the coronavirus first appeared in Canada, and Ford encouraged people to continue with their spring break plans, it looked as though he would make a predictable hash of his province’s response. Then, as if by magic, the combative and error-prone premier was replaced by a different Doug Ford—one who projected an unmistakable air of calm, competence and decency. He praised his federal partners for their work, and made it clear that they were in this together. And when a reporter served up an opportunity on Monday for him to spike the political volleyball back in Ottawa’s court by asking about the imminent increase in the federal carbon tax, he let it drop, instead calling Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland “an absolute champion.”

That wasn’t all. When Ford, who is famous for fielding phone calls from constituents against the advice of his political staff, got wind that an Ontario medical supply company was donating 90,000 masks to hospitals in the province, he personally drove over to their warehouse in Markham and loaded them onto his truck—and didn’t tell anyone. And while nobody is going to mistake Ford for a fiscal spendthrift, he’s pulled the reins on his government’s effort to cut costs in the public sector. “I gotta protect anyone who is not working, they have mortgages to pay, rent to pay,” he told reporters. “I’m not comfortable with laying provincial frontline people off.”

Jason Kenney, on the other hand, appears more than comfortable with that idea. After all, the Alberta premier signed off on the decision by his education minister to temporarily cut the funding for 25,000 educational assistants and support staff, one that will put them out of jobs and onto the federal government’s unemployment rolls. This is a curious strategy for someone who is still depending on the federal government to bail out his province’s oil and gas sector, and it’s one that sparked howls of outrage within Alberta as well. But Kenney has built his political movement around the anger many Albertans feel towards Ottawa, and he has so far shown no real inclination to change that strategy. Indeed, if the federal government doesn’t come up with a shock-and-awe rescue package for the energy sector, it’s likely that he’ll press this case even harder.

If there’s anything that could change his mind, it might be Doug Ford’s reinvention as a minor national hero. He’s even received glowing praise lately from the Toronto Star, a paper that isn’t exactly in the business of handing out plaudits to Conservative politicians: “In the midst of a crisis, amid shortages and suffering, it is a relief that Ford has struck a tone that speaks to all Ontarians,” columnist Martin Regg Cohn wrote. “Give him credit for being the best premier he can be when his province needs him most.”

This is no guarantee of re-election, of course. Winston Churchill rose to the challenge of the moment during World War II, and was promptly dumped by the British electorate just two months after it ended in 1945. But a government that was careening towards electoral disaster, and polling behind a leaderless Ontario Liberal Party as of January, now has a real chance at winning a second term. Never let it be said that there aren’t second acts in Canadian politics.

https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/doug-fords-surprising-turn/

 

[Good2Golf]

Fair enough, however a teaching degree also doesn't mean someone is competent to teach. Personally I am in the skilled trades. My teachers are the tradesmen around me. Some of them I doubt have highschool yet they are some of the best teachers I have ever had. Others though aren't particularly good at teaching despite being excellent at what they do. Same thing applies to teachers themselves. They might be very knowledgeable on a subject, that doesn't mean they are good at transferring the information.

Teachers, or trainers?  Do you mean teach/train in the sense that Craftsmen pass on to Journeymen and Apprentices, and Journeymen to Apprentices, that skill and expertise of the trade?

 

[mariomike]

When Ford, who is famous for fielding phone calls from constituents against the advice of his political staff, got wind that an Ontario medical supply company was donating 90,000 masks to hospitals in the province, he personally drove over to their warehouse in Markham and loaded them onto his truck—and didn’t tell anyone.

Reference,

Toronto Sun

Premier uses own truck to pick up donated masks amid the COVID-19 crisis

https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/premier-uses-own-truck-to-pick-up-donated-masks-amid-the-covid-19-crisis

 

[Remius]

Can’t fault Doug Ford for his handling this crisis.

Good on him.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Teachers, or trainers?  Do you mean teach/train in the sense that Craftsmen pass on to Journeymen and Apprentices, and Journeymen to Apprentices, that skill and expertise of the trade?

Teachers, or trainers?  Do you mean teach/train in the sense that Craftsmen pass on to Journeymen and Apprentices, and Journeymen to Apprentices, that skill and expertise of the trade?

One in the same. Show me the difference between teaching/training? With both you are acquiring knowledge and new skills. With teachers and tradesmen they are both teaching their subject area with the skills and knowledge they (hopefully) have in their field. The skilled trades teachers (high schools, colleges, etc.) are just tradesmen generally. Some have a teaching degree as a add on, some do not (my college professors didn't have any teaching degree, just their trades tickets).

 

[Remius]

One in the same. Show me the difference between teaching/training?

Both involve learning learning.  But they are not quite the same.

https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-teaching-and-training.html

 

[YZT580]

Both involve learning learning.  But they are not quite the same.

https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-teaching-and-training.html

Remius, the attachment does a wonderful job of explaining the difference between teaching and training.  It does not differentiate between being a teacher or a trainer.  And that is the point.  A teacher can be involved in presenting either the theoretical information on a subject for example explaining the interactions between welding rod temperatures and differing metals or the same individual can be guiding his student's hands as they try and draw a bead for the very first time.  But from the passing on of knowledge which is the common element of both the teaching and training elements viewpoint the skills of the trainer are far more valuable than the knowledge of the teacher.  Any reasonably well read individual can acquire knowledge.  Being able to convey that knowledge to a variable assortment of minds in a manner that is conducive to the knowledge transfer is the crux and that does not require a degree.  It requires empathy and an ability to communicate and for the best teachers that is intuitive.  What teacher's unions have done is try and place the teaching portion on a pedestal while down playing the importance of the hands-on thing.  It was their way of creating a 'uniqueness' that resulted in higher pay.  It also forced out those undesirables who knew how and why but couldn't write B.A. after their names and forced the pay scales up as it forced boards to pay for the education. 

 

[mariomike]

Doug had this to say,

"We have a bunch of yahoos out in front of Queen's Park sitting there protesting that the place isn't open," Doug Ford says in response to protesters who want Ontario reopen. "They're setting us back months. Obviously they don't care about everyone else."
https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/1254099071192760328

 

[Remius]

Doug had this to say,

Cats are barking and dogs are meowing.

When you read the comments and replies to his tweet a lot of people who were not Ford supporters are certainly impressed with his performance.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Cats are barking and dogs are meowing.

When you read the comments and replies to his tweet a lot of people who were not Ford supporters are certainly impressed with his performance.

It’s true. I absolutely detested his brother for personal and political reasons, and while Doug, slightly less-so, he was still quite high on my ‘no friggin’ way’ list.

In addition to overall candour (or lack thereof) and complete disagreement with certain policy initiatives, also having connections to those who knew the two of them from high-school and early adulthood days and the reputations surrounding them made him a hard no in my book. (I had issue with Libs too, but not to the same degree.)

Anyway, I’ve been extremely impressed with how he’s stepped up since this all began. I believe in giving credit where credit is due. That being said, I have no idea how I’d vote in the next election. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic that a hammer won’t fall at some point to reveal some old shenanigans again, but right now, it’s safe to say he’s winning over some potential voters.

 

[mariomike]

It’s true. I absolutely detested his brother for personal and political reasons, and while Doug, slightly less-so, he was still quite high on my ‘no friggin’ way’ list.

In addition to overall candour (or lack thereof) and complete disagreement with certain policy initiatives, also having connections to those who knew the two of them from high-school and early adulthood days and the reputations surrounding them made him a hard no in my book. (I had issue with Libs too, but not to the same degree.)

Anyway, I’ve been extremely impressed with how he’s stepped up since this all began. I believe in giving credit where credit is due. That being said, I have no idea how I’d vote in the next election. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic that a hammer won’t fall at some point to reveal some old shenanigans again, but right now, it’s safe to say he’s winning over some potential voters.

In my opinion, when being sent into homes during a time of psychological stress, showing empathy is 90 per cent of the job.

Doug is showing empathy when he is sent into homes via TV. So, good for him.

 

[Walt]

To add to BTN's post, I agree. Doug Ford's reputation has been tarred by "the sins of his brother", and perhaps by the premier himself. I was dumbfounded, and actually scared for the future of Ontario when he won the election. That was then, and this now. Within the past few months, during the Covid pandemic crisis, I've garnered a new respect for the man. Drastic times call for drastic measures, and I would not want to be in his shoes.

 

[PuckChaser]

Doug is showing empathy when he is sent into homes via TV. So, good for him.

It feels like a real empathy as well. He either actually does, or gives off a convincing impression that he really does care. He'd be the world's best actor if those tears when answering a question about LTC outbreaks the day his mother-in-law was diagnosed with COVID-19 were fake. The same cannot be said for other politicians in this country in higher levels of government.

He's even quick to abandon his attempts to balance the budget recognizing how serious the economy could tank without supports. That's real leadership, the ability to abandon your ideology because its the morally right/tactically correct thing to do.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... That's real leadership, the ability to abandon your ideology because its the morally right/tactically correct thing to do.

:nod:  I'm also impressed with his dropping the partisan politicking as well, acknowledging other people's work while at the same time saying clearly what's needed.

 

[LittleBlackDevil]

I have mixed feelings about Doug Ford's "performance" ... I'm not quite ready to jump on the bandwagon of "he's shown great leadership" but I do agree with those who say he's apparently shown real compassion and I give him major kudos for putting his money where his mouth is and going out personally delivering PPE and it does not come across as merely making a show or trying to score political points.

That said, I'm not convinced that such draconian measures and trampling of civil liberties was necessary or advisable. Not that anyone else would have done anything different.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I'm a right wing Doug Ford/ Donald Trump kind of guy and my "draconian and trampling" would have been more severe then what we did.  Maybe it's about time this generation (s) actually had to know what a real bobo can feel like.

 

[Remius]

That said, I'm not convinced that such draconian measures and trampling of civil liberties was necessary or advisable. Not that anyone else would have done anything different.

And that is just it.  It isn’t a liberal vs conservative thing.  All parties are more or less following the same play book.  At least in Canada.

So much is unknown with this virus that you can’t take any chances.

 

[Underway]

I have mixed feelings about Doug Ford's "performance" ... I'm not quite ready to jump on the bandwagon of "he's shown great leadership" but I do agree with those who say he's apparently shown real compassion and I give him major kudos for putting his money where his mouth is and going out personally delivering PPE and it does not come across as merely making a show or trying to score political points.

So what is great leadership to you. He's shown compassion, not tried to score political points, followed the medical/scientific advice and worked with former political "enemies (read Federal Liberals)" to get the job done.  At every turn, he's tried to do the right thing.  So... is it perhaps your own political leanings and previous opinions are getting in the way.  By any objective measure, he's doing amazing.  And let me say... I was NOT a fan before this.

That said, I'm not convinced that such draconian measures and trampling of civil liberties was necessary or advisable. Not that anyone else would have done anything different.

I'm impressed (not intended to be sarcastic, that's a genuine compliment).  Some consistency in an opinion.  One of the least talked about issues with left/right is their inconsistent belief systems (pro-life but also pro-death penalty?  What?  Generally soft on law and order but in favour of lockdown of the economy?  Huh? and vice versa). 

 

[OceanBonfire]

Ford says Ontario will not put children in 'harm's way' as Quebec moves to reopen daycares, schools

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-says-ontario-will-not-put-children-in-harm-s-way-as-quebec-moves-to-reopen-daycares-schools-1.4915629



'Stay at home': Premier warns people from outside Ontario they aren't welcome in province

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/stay-at-home-premier-warns-people-from-outside-ontario-they-aren-t-welcome-in-province-1.4917350