John Bowker
@johnbowker.bsky.social
590 followers 480 following 190 posts
Policy researcher, retired record & book peddler. Transit, housing, land use, energy, infrastructure & misc #onpoli wonkery. #ONDP. Tweets my own (he/him)
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
johnbowker.bsky.social
It sure looks like the Ford government decided to stop enforcing the Employment Standards Act, which is supposed to protect workers from things like wage theft, unpaid overtime and stolen tips tparkin.substack.com/p/ontario-wo... #onpoli
johnbowker.bsky.social
Labour Minister David Piccini attended the Parisian wedding of a lobbyist after his office awarded the lobbyist’s clients millions of dollars through a training fund program the province’s auditor general described as “not fair, transparent or accountable” www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic... #onpoli
Ontario labour minister attended lobbyist’s wedding after granting his clients millions in training funds
Two clients of lobbyist Michael Rudderham have received more than $8.5 million in Skills Development Fund grants, records show
www.thetrillium.ca
Reposted by John Bowker
lukelebrun.ca
To be clear, every declared NDP leadership candidate is offering prospective donors tax credits

Engler is the only one who is not (albeit he's the only one soliciting funds for a leadership campaign without actually being registered as a leadership candidate)
Avi Lewis campaign website:

"Every contribution counts

Help Avi Lewis lead an NDP that's proud to fight for transformational change" Heather McPherson campaign website:

"Donate today! Help make Heather McPherson the next leader of the NDP" Rob Ashton campaign website:

"Give working people a voice

Help Rob Ashton put workesr and families at the heart of Canadian politics" Yves Engler campaign website:

"Donate by Interac e-Transfer:

To donate through Interac, please make the donation through your financial institution to yvesenglerndp@gmail.com.

Important: In order for us to accept these funds as required by Elections Canada, you must also complete the form below (the maximum donation amount is $1,750):

* Donations are not tax-deductible."
Reposted by John Bowker
lukelebrun.ca
Yves Engler is explicitly soliciting funds for his NDP leadership campaign citing Elections Canada rules yet includes an asterisk: "*donations are not tax deductible"

Why would funds for a leadership campaign collected under Elections Canada rules *not* be eligible for tax deductions?
Yvews Engler campaign website:

"Donate by Interac e-Transfer:

To donate through Interac, please make the donation through your financial institution to yvesenglerndp@gmail.com.

Important: In order for us to accept these funds as required by Elections Canada, you must also complete the form below (the maximum donation amount is $1,750):

* Donations are not tax-deductible."
johnbowker.bsky.social
"The federal government’s annual cheque for Ontario’s spending on labour skills training – $923 million this year – comes with elaborate agreements between Queen’s Park and Ottawa that govern how the money is supposed to be used" www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... #onpoli #cdnpoli
Ottawa pledges ‘full due diligence’ after audit of Ontario skills fund
Auditor-General report found province’s Skills Development Fund was not fair, transparent or accountable
www.theglobeandmail.com
Reposted by John Bowker
johnbowker.bsky.social
“Ontario’s justice system is failing its basic promises of fairness, timeliness & public safety. If there are no consequences to offenses, if there are no consequences to crimes committed, we become a land of lawlessness” said NDP’s @kristynwongtam.bsky.social www.cp24.com/local/toront... #onpoli
johnbowker.bsky.social
This was during regular driving hours, including morning rush hour. This was not in the middle of the night. There would have been several other drivers on the road #onpoli
isaaccallan.bsky.social
NEW: A vehicle assigned to a Ford cabinet minister has been recorded at stunt driving speeds 12 times.

The premier's office suggested it was the same driver each time, and implied they still work for the government. #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...
Ford government vehicle recorded at stunt driving speeds on Ontario highways | Globalnews.ca
At least one cabinet-assigned vehicle was recorded driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit multiple times in the past three years, according to documents.
globalnews.ca
Reposted by John Bowker
johnbowker.bsky.social
"Clients of lobby firms connected to premier, his nephew given tens of millions in training funds. Groups represented by a lobbying firm owned by the premier’s campaign manager got more than $100 million in grant money, a Trillium analysis has found" www.thetrillium.ca/news/politic... #onpoli
Clients of lobby firms connected to premier, his nephew given tens of millions in training funds
Groups represented by a lobbying firm owned by the premier’s campaign manager got more than $100 million in grant money, a Trillium analysis has found
www.thetrillium.ca
Reposted by John Bowker
alexbozikovic.bsky.social
These Toronto Police officers could have used the adjacent parking spot, but instead are blocking a busy bike lane in rush hour.

A stream of cyclists bumping over the curb to get around the SUV.

Two officers watching this happen.
johnbowker.bsky.social
“But Ontario would need to stop listening to people who see energy as one front in the culture war, not to mention Enbridge’s well-compensated lobbyists, and actually press forward the electrotech revolution here in Ontario,” writes @jm-mcgrath.bsky.social www.tvo.org/article/anal... #onpoli
TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts
www.tvo.org
Reposted by John Bowker
Reposted by John Bowker
bikewaysto.bsky.social
Claims that people are being ticketed for going one or two km over speed limit lack one thing ... any actual evidence.

Thanks to the TO Star's Donovan Vincent for testing the claims, which amount to no more than "someone told me."

www.thestar.com/opinion/publ...
Donovan Vincent: Are drivers really getting speed camera tickets for going a few km/h over the limit?
Part of the contentiousness of speed cameras is confusion about when exactly drivers are ticketed.
www.thestar.com