Latest news with #Stiles
Global News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
NDP calls for RCMP to include ‘permanently deleted' emails in Greenbelt probe
The Ontario NDP is calling on the RCMP to widen the scope of its criminal investigation into the Ford government's Greenbelt dealings after a provincial watchdog determined that relevant documents were allegedly 'permanently deleted' contrary to provincial law. NDP Leader Marit Stiles is also acknowledging that the opposition parties at Queen's Park may have 'run out' of options to use official legislative channels to hold the government to account, even as more questions arise. After a months-long battle with the Ford government over Greenbelt-related records, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) determined the Progressive Conservative party violated 'legal record-keeping obligations' by using 'opaque codewords' to discuss the controversial policy. Patricia Kosseim also said her office was concerned enough about government documents that the IPC was forced to issue an order to retain them in full. Despite that, some records remain unaccounted for. Story continues below advertisement 'We were pre-emptorily ordering the government to preserve all records and to recover emails that had been deleted, which they were able to and did and have since preserved all the records, except — as I said — those that were permanently deleted,' Kosseim told Global News. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have no way of knowing the circumstances around that.' It's unclear, however, what, if any, consequences could arise from the permanent deletion of records. While the RCMP has remained tight-lipped on its years-long investigation into the government's decision-making, there have been few public signs of progress. Meanwhile, the independent investigative bodies at Queens Park — the Integrity Commissioner, the Auditor General, and the Information and Privacy Commissioner — have all completed their Greenbelt investigations with varied impact. 'We've had a scathing report from the Auditor General. We've had a scathing report from the Integrity Commissioner. Now we have this report and these findings from the Information and Privacy Commissioner,' Stiles said. 'So to some extent, the tools here … we've run out.' Stiles said the opposition is now looking to the RCMP's Sensitive and International Investigations unit — which typically investigates allegations of financial crimes like fraud, corruption and procurement as well as complaints related to illegal lobbying activities and elected officials — to look deeper into the IPC's findings. Story continues below advertisement 'The commissioner is very clear, laws were broken here,' Stiles said. 'The last time a government was found to be permanently deleting emails like this around an issue that is contentious … somebody went to jail.' In 2018, the former chief of staff to then-Premier Dalton McGuinty was sentenced to four months in jail after an Ontario judge found he directed the indiscriminate wiping of hard drives in the premier's office in a deliberate effort to protect the office after the Liberal government decided to scrap two gas plants ahead of the 2011 provincial election. Stiles is also calling for a public inquiry into the scandal. 'I certainly think that a matter like this, just like with the gas plant scandal, would merit a public inquiry,' Stiles said, but acknowledged that the chances of a majority government calling an inquiry into its own actions is unlikely.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Video: Mom Shows What Parenting Multiple Children Looks Like
A viral video on Instagram shows an example of the practical realities of parenting multiple children. The household's mom, Brynn Stahle, recorded the video, featuring her husband and two children. The younger sibling's face was painted by the elder brother. Their dad held the younger brother in his arms, asking the elder one not to paint the baby's face again. An Instagram video captured a chaotic parenting moment, presenting the lives of parents raising multiple children. The mom records the hilarious moment while the dad deals with the chaos. As such, the clip perfectly encapsulates the mayhem and uncertainty of raising more than one child at the same time. The video shows a classic parenting scene that resonates with many parents raising multiple kids. Like any other dad, the dad in the video holds his young one in his arms. However, what sets this ordinary moment apart is that the child's face is covered in purple paint. The elder sibling's artistic flair and enthusiasm are responsible for the artwork. As the mother records the moment, the clip captures the dad, in his calm yet firm voice, telling his elder son, Stiles: 'Don't paint the baby, okay?' Brimming with toddler energy, the elder sibling responds, 'Okay!' The dad continues, 'Say, 'Daddy, I won't paint the baby.'' Without missing a beat, Stiles repeats each word with intention. The video's on-screen caption clarifies the context: 'pov: you blink while parenting multiple children.' This point of view sheds light on the maddening and endearing effect of the overlay text. Moreover, the video's caption is capable of leaving parents with a wry smile: 'and this is how we're starting our morning.' It is not just the video's humor but its relatability that makes it a resonating piece of media. The video is messy, chaotic, and shows the reality of parenting multiple kids with a spouse. It also serves as a reminder to enjoy such little chaos every chance one gets. The post Video: Mom Shows What Parenting Multiple Children Looks Like appeared first on Momtastic.
Toronto Star
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Doug Ford won't be the only one feeling the heat this summer
Ontario's long, hot summer of 2025 just got hotter. And longer. Not just for Doug Ford. The premier's political rivals will also be facing the heat, each in their own way. MPPs headed home this week with a surprise: Ford's Tories told them to stay away until Oct. 20. That's a sweet summer break lasting nearly 20 weeks for provincial politicians who sat in their legislative seats for only six weeks this year. Another seven weeks of work awaits them upon their return, after which they're back home for the Christmas break. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Total time at work in the legislature: 13 weeks out of 52 for the whole year. The ready excuse? Ford's Tories argue they've produced so much 'ambitious' legislation to date that they need more time to recharge. The real explanation? The premier has provoked so much antagonism to his controversial plan for 'special economic zones' — a new law to dilute old laws — that he's better off lying low. Ford's mishandling of the issue sparked warnings from Indigenous leaders that protests will flare over the summer. Away from the daily question period in the legislature, Ford can talk about standing up to Donald Trump instead of taking questions about trampling on rights of First Nations. All that said, if tensions rise, it could complicate Ford's plans to host his fellow premiers in Muskoka at their annual summit meeting in mid-July. Instead of the usual banter, there could be blockades pitting protesters against politicians — and cottagers. Ford won't be the only one on the firing line. Any highway blockades would also put Ontario's opposition leaders on the spot, forcing them to pick a lane — or, more precisely, restate their stance when the stakes are high. New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles and Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, choosing their words carefully, have said they won't side with civil disobedience on the highways. Not when motorists are fuming under the baking sun. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As Ontario's populist premier has noted, blockades rarely win public support. Either way, Ford will spend much of the summer watching his rivals face the heat while he cools off at his cottage. With or without the drumbeat of First Nations protests, both Stiles and Crombie will be facing the music in leadership reviews mandated by their parties after every election. New Democrats will meet on Sept. 20 in Niagara Falls — Canada's honeymoon capital — to vote on the post-honeymoon future of Stiles after the Feb. 27 loss to Ford. Despite losing seats and stature in the election — her party stumbled and tumbled in the popular vote — Stiles seems sure to prevail. Most activists understand their party was predestined to decline in an election called early by Ford to capitalize on anti-American animus. Provincially as federally, New Democrats suffered from a political squeeze play as polarized voters opted for a binary choice between Tories and Liberals to cope with economic uncertainty. In the aftermath, the NDP fell from a competitive 23.7 per cent of the popular vote in the 2022 election to a dismal 18.6 per cent this time. The only saving grace was the final seat count. While New Democrats dropped to 27 seats from 31, the Liberals came third with only 14 seats — despite winning a far higher 30 per cent of the popular vote (up from 23.9 per cent in 2022). For Crombie, the failure to win her own riding — or any seats — in her home base of Mississauga, where she once served as mayor, proved an embarrassment. In truth, Stiles was dragged down by the declining fortunes of the federal NDP under former leader Jagmeet Singh. So too, Crombie was lifted up by the remarkable popularity of Carney's federal Liberals. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW While federal-provincial crossover is a constant in Ontario politics, Crombie's Mississauga shutout leaves her with a lot of explaining to do. Now, she too faces a party leadership review in September — and a long, hot summer of reaching out to provincial Liberals who are wondering who does what next. Yet her future depends less on past performance than on future prospects. The problem for both Stiles and Crombie is that if another election were held now, Ford would do even better. A key difference is that Crombie's Liberals are positioned to fare better than the New Democrats under Stiles. The latest Leger poll shows Ford's Tories preferred by 45 per cent of respondents (up from 43 per cent in the February vote). That compares to 32 per cent for the Liberals (up from 30 per cent), versus 15 per cent for the NDP (down from 18.6 per cent in the election). You can do the math. Crombie's Liberals are more than twice as popular as the New Democrats, and Ford's Tories are precisely three times more popular. Which explains why Ford will be sitting pretty this summer while Stiles and Crombie will be stuck in their respective hot seats, looking over their shoulders. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? 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Ottawa Citizen
02-06-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
'A tax on sick people': Ottawa hospitals have record-breaking year for parking revenue
Article content On a recent visit to Ottawa, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles met with MPPs and toured the new Civic hospital construction site, including the massive parking garage now under construction. But her first stop was more personal. She spent the morning with her elderly father who had been taken to the emergency department at the General campus of The Ottawa Hospital and was undergoing tests. But one person was noticeably absent during her hospital visit: her mom. 'They are fixed-income seniors. They can't afford it—and they've spent so many hundreds of dollars already on parking fees,' said Stiles. They are far from alone. Across the province, patients and advocates say the high cost of parking at a hospital amounts to a tax on sick people and their families at a time they can least afford it. And while provinces like Nova Scotia this year eliminated parking fees at all health-care sites across the province, Ottawa is currently building the city's largest paid parking garage as part of the Ottawa Hospital's new campus by Dow's Lake. Ottawa's Julie Booker, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer nearly 15 years ago, says hospital parking fees made up a significant portion of the thousands of dollars her family spent during her cancer treatments. 'When you are diagnosed with cancer, you are at the hospital all the time for appointments. The Canadian Cancer Society has found that the average Canadian spends $33,000 out of pocket for lifetime expenses. Saving parking fees would really help,' she said. Booker, who continues to work with and advocate for cancer patients, said everyone has concerns about the cost of parking. An older woman she spoke with was parking far away from the hospital and walking a long distance while undergoing radiation treatment at the General campus because she couldn't afford parking fees. 'Radiation is tiring for the best of people. She is exhausted because she has to walk so far. These people have enough to worry about.' Patients, families, caregivers and organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society all say hospital parking fees – which top out at $15.60 a day in Ottawa and at $20 or more in parts of the GTA – are an unfair and often unaffordable burden on people who are already undergoing physical, mental and financial stress. In most cases, all-day fees apply after just two hours. Advocates are encouraged to see hospital parking fees on the radar in Canada and say now is the time to do something about them in Ontario. Jeff Burch, an NDP MPP from Niagara Centre, has put forward a motion calling for the province to eliminate hospital parking fees, following in Nova Scotia's footsteps. 'Right now, people are paying hundreds of dollars a year just to get the care they need. Times are tough, and this is one simple way the government can help people and make healthcare more accessible,' Burch said. Such a motion is meant to put pressure on the government to take action. Stiles said she believes the government is starting to listen to concerns about the issue as more people speak up. Nova Scotia's parking fee elimination move involves the provincial government reimbursing hospitals for lost parking revenue. Ontario would have to do the same and 'properly fund hospitals' in order to take the burden of parking fees off patients and visitors, said Burch. But it will be a tough sell in Ontario, which has the lowest per-capita funding of hospitals in the country and where cash-strapped hospitals – many of whom are facing deficits – are increasingly reliant on hospital parking fees to keep afloat. In Ottawa, hospitals and their foundations took in more than $35 million in parking revenues in 2024, minus costs related to parking. The city's largest hospital, The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), took in the bulk of parking revenue at its multiple campuses — totalling $25.5 million in 2024 (with parking expenses of $7.6 million) compared with $20.8 million in 2023 (with parking expenses of $5.5 million). That is an 18 per cent increase in parking revenue over one year. Parking rates at TOH increased by 3.9 per cent last fall for patients and visitors and by three per cent for staff. The hospital's parking revenue is likely to increase further with the construction of a multi-story parking garage at the new Civic campus, which is scheduled to open in the next year – years before the hospital itself is set to open. The new garage, which is located across from Dow's Lake at Carling Avenue and Prince of Wales Drive, will have 2,900 parking spots. It is currently a concrete shell built on top of the LRT tracks. The parking garage has been controversial among some residents, particularly because of its presence on the edge of some of the most widely prized green space in the city and because of its size. Earlier drawings showed the finished parking garage mostly hidden by grass berms and trees with a park on top. It is unclear whether that has changed. It is one of two large hospital parking structures built in Ottawa in advance of the hospitals they will serve. At CHEO, construction on the new 1,050-space parking garage began long before ground was broken for the new Children's Treatment Centre. The Ottawa Hospital has said that the parking garage was built first to make sure construction workers on the new campus had a place to park and to ensure parking was available as soon as it was open. To some, the fact that the parking garages come first is a symbol of how inextricably tied parking is to healthcare in Ontario. Individual hospitals and their umbrella body – the Ontario Hospital Association – say they understand that some patients, families and health care workers have concerns about hospital parking fees. 'We know that many Ontarians are currently on limited budgets or fixed incomes and may also be facing health care challenges,' said Marina Bozic, a spokesperson for the Ontario Hospital Association. Hospitals are working to address some of those concerns, she said, including policies to help cases 'where parking costs may pose a significant concern.' But hospitals also rely on the revenue, they acknowledge. 'Unfortunately, Ontario hospitals are managing many financial pressures, and they are often faced with challenging budgetary decisions aimed at containing costs while meeting the increasing service needs of patients. The OHA (Ontario Hospital Association) and its members remain in close contact with the Government of Ontario on these matters as the financial and operational stability of hospitals and the provision of high-quality care for patients is our paramount priority,' Bozic said. Rebecca Ableson, spokesperson for The Ottawa Hospital, called parking a 'long-standing challenge' at TOH and across the province. Parking funds, she said, support key capital projects at the hospital, help pay for new medical equipment and help build new patient care environments that are not funded by the government. At Queensway Carleton Hospital, proceeds from parking help to pay for things such as medical equipment, which are not funded by the government, said spokesperson Natasha Curley. In 2024, Queensway Carleton's parking revenue was $4.88 million, up from $4.16 million the year before. And at Montfort Hospital, parking is managed by the Montfort Foundation. In 2024, parking revenues were just over $2 million and were almost entirely invested in education and research at the hospital's research institute Institut du Savoir Montfort, said spokesperson Martin Sauve. CHEO's parking revenue was $4.2 million dollars between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. The revenues are invested in programs, services and medical equipment such as MRIs. CHEO and other hospitals offer frequent user passes and long-term passes at a discounted rate. Replacing that hospital revenue is one challenge, but eliminating hospital parking fees also comes with other challenges.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Actress Recalls 'Crazy' Run-In With Taylor Swift: 'I Hate Myself'
—she's just like us! The 10 Things I Hate About You star detailed the "crazy" run-in she once had with in the Wednesday, May 21 episode of the podcast How to Fail, where she begrudgingly opened up about meeting the superstar at a 'game night party' they were both invited to. Stiles, 44, joked, 'God, I hate myself right now," as she dove into the tale. "The biggest name-dropping I could do—but it happened and it's awesome.' Swift, she said, just "has that presence" where you "could just feel" her entering the room. She wasn't planning on bothering the Eras Tour artist that night, but as she was getting ready to leave, someone intervened, letting her know that Swift was interested in saying hi to her.'...he was like, 'She really likes your work,'" the actress recalled, adding that she "blacked out" as they shook hands. "I don't remember, actually, what happened after that—but she said something very nice to me.' Stiles further 'dissociated for a second' while the two chatted, but eventually "worked up the courage" to praise the musician. "You're amazing; this is crazy," she told her, recalling the way she "looked like she genuinely appreciated it." While "there used to be a part of [her]" that insisted she "play it cool" when crossing paths with another actor or artist that she admired, more recently she's "discovered that everybody that's a performer wants to know people are listening to their music or watching their movies or care at all." Now, she's "totally, unselfconsciously ready to say" how fantastic she thinks somebody is. 'Even somebody like Taylor Swift, who is the biggest star on the planet, seems humble enough or just positive enough to be like, 'Yeah, I'm glad that bazillions of people like to listen to my music,'" she pointed out. "They don't take it for granted.'
