Worth Reading - June 20, 2013

A somewhat shorter list this week, preparations for my move has cut down on my time devoted to reading the news.

Former Premier Dalton McGuinty (OLP – Ottawa South) has retired and resigned from the Ontario Legislature. The Star offers some thoughts on his career.

Relations are at an all-time low between the province and the federal government. Martin Regg Cohn documents a series of slights and attacks the federal Conservative government has directed at Ontario. A totally reasonable thing to do to the largest province in the country.

Bad relations between Queen’s Park and City Hall are causing trouble for the Premier. Actually, to be more exact, Rob Ford’s embarrassments are causing trouble for Premier Kathleen Wynne (OLP – Don Valley West). Perhaps most troubling, leaders from other jurisdiction have been asking Wynne about Ford wherever she goes.

Martin Regg Cohn writes on the electoral reform at City Hall in Toronto. Cohn refers to the changes as anti-democratic. I find this difficult to swallow. I’m quite biased on this issue, but sometimes I don’t see the harm in reforming the electoral system without a referendum. Representatives are elected to make decisions after all. I am sympathetic about raising the question of whether non-citizens could vote, but not the ranked ballot issue. Also, I hardly feel that Wynne could gain more legitimacy through our broken first-past-the-post system, but that’s just my opinion. Voter turnout at the local level is about a third, if I recall correctly, what harm does changing our voting method do?

Bob Rae (LPC – Toronto Centre, ON) has announced his retirement from the House of Commons, but likely not public life. 

Justin Trudeau’s (LPC – Papineau, QC) speaking fees have caused some controversy of late. Andrew Coyne breaks down the problem clearly and succinctly. 

As Coyne writes, the fact that Rob Ford stands a reasonable chance to be re-elected is a strong argument in favour of electoral reform.