US STEEL Hamilton options poll. VOTE IN THE POLL

FROM STEEL MARKET UPDATE    (Please vote in the poll to the right)

The Canadian federal court system has allowed a government suit against U.S. Steel to continue with the main gist of the suit being U.S. Steel broken promises of full employment and production at certain specified annual tonnages as conditions of the purchase of the steel mill. The law suit brought by the Canadian government does not ask for the courts to take the properties away from USS. Our understanding is if USS loses the suit they are liable to pay fines of approximately $10,000 per day.
The local union in Canada is hoping the potential loss of the suit will prompt either U.S. Steel to sell off the former Stelco mill(s) or, that the Canadian government would seize the mill. The article by Mr. Livingstone and Mr. Wright spells out the four potential options for ownership of the mill should USS loses control:


1) “Further foreign takeover.”

2) “Repurchase by Canadian private capital.”                                

3) “Creation of a government-owned (or Crown) corporation.”

4) “Support for worker ownership.”

The first option, as laid out in the article Steel Market Update, is the premise U.S. Steel could be taken over by another foreign (non-Canadian) entity and they mention ArcelorMittal as a potential acquirer.

A second option would be for a Canadian based company to repurchase the Hamilton and Lake Erie steel mills. Lakeside Steel, a pipe and tube manufacturer in Canada, has filed a motion with the federal court of Canada to force U.S. Steel to sell the plants due to the violation of their purchase agreement with the government. The article reports Lakeside itself is not large enough to purchase the mill alone “…but has involved large institutional investors both inside and outside Canada in preparing a bid.”

The 3rd option is to create a “Crown” corporation, which means the Canadian government would purchase the company much like the U.S. government and Canadian government’s combined bailed out General Motors.

The 4th option is for the creation of a “union co-op” whereby the workers purchase the mills much the same as the co-operative which owns Mondragon International in Spain.
“Basic features of Mondragon worker ownership are the following: All workers have a share and a vote according to the principle of one worker, one vote; decisions on the direction of the firm are made in regular assemblies; the highest-paid manager worker is not paid more than six times the rate of the lowest worker; revenues are retained within the firm and the Mondragon co-operative system; the system is capitalized through its own co-operative bank; and retirees can cash out their shares but cannot sell them to outsiders for speculative profit taking.

Hamilton based plastic surgeon headed to Libya

Dr. Omar Bengezi

 (Article from the TORONTO STAR)
On Saturday evening, the Hamilton-based plastic surgeon and his longtime friend, Dr. Fathi Abuzgaya, an orthopedic surgeon from Pickering, will board a plane for Cairo.
Once they touch down, the doctors plan to use money raised by Canada’s Libyan community to fill a car with medical supplies like sutures, insulin, gloves, sterile dressings and anesthetic. After that comes an arduous 20-some hour trip to the Libyan-Egyptian border with a team of doctors from the U.S. and U.K. A third Canadian, Dr. Abdullah Shmesa from Windsor, is awaiting their arrival.

“I got some calls from my friends (in Libya) that are doctors and they asked me, ‘Please, please, we want you now. If you don’t come now we don’t want you at anytime,’ ” said an emotional Bengezi, 56.
“I have to go, they are human. . . . If somebody asks you personally to help as a doctor you shouldn’t say no. Nobody can say no.”


The team will travel to the city of Benghazi, in the eastern part of the country, currently believed to be controlled by pro-democracy protesters after violent clashes with pro-government forces left hundreds dead and wounded.

All eyes are on the capital of Tripoli, as strongman Moammar Gadhafi vies to maintain power as the country teeters on civil war. On Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner said thousands may be dead in a crackdown that is “escalating alarmingly.”
Bengezi and Abuzgaya told the Star of desperate accounts from doctors on the ground who say injuries — mostly from bullet wounds — are “tremendous”, that Libya’s hospitals are overburdened and that there aren’t enough supplies. The humanitarian crisis is only getting worse, they say.
Gadhafi “has shown his true face. He’s a madman that the world has to stop,” said Abuzgaya, 54, appealing to the international community to intervene.


Abuzgaya plans to assess the situation as soon as he arrives, hopefully paving the way for other doctors to follow. He said many physicians from Canada — Libyan and non-Libyan alike — want to come and help however they can.
Bengezi’s voice trembled as he spoke of violent images of the conflict now coming to light. He believes Gadhafi will stop at nothing to retain power and thinks as many as one million people could be killed if something isn’t done.

Yet, both doctors are leaving their worried families at home in Ontario and putting their lives on the line. There is simply too much at stake.
“It’s a feeling of sadness and anger and frustration, but also somewhat a feeling of hope that at the end of the day Libya is going to be a free and democratic society,” said Abuzgaya, who has lived and worked in Canada since 1984.

Bengezi, who moved to Canada in 1995, wants his countrymen in Libya to experience what he knows of this land.
“I love Canada. And I wish that one day I would see my country like Canada. . . . Democracy, freedom, respect, everything.”

Hamilton residents wanting to quit smoking? Check out the 60 essential links for quit smoking support

If you’re trying to quit smoking, you can use all the support you can get. Websites, communities, and more all offer a lending hand. Make use of these links to quit for your health, family, and life.

With a possible smoking ban coming to Hamilton, below are links to help you get rid of the habit. 

Resources & Advice

These sites can point you in the right direction for resources and advice that will help you quit smoking.

1. Smoking Cessation Health Center: WebMD’s health center will help you quit with tools, advice, and more.
2. Reasons and Resources for Quitting Smoking: Suite 101 offers some great ideas for quitting smoking.
3. Dealing with Urges to Smoke: Deal with your smoking urges by using these ideas.
4. Where to Get Help When You Decide to Quit Smoking: Here you’ll find out how you can get help when you want to quit smoking.
5. How Can I Quit Smoking?: Find out about quitting smoking as a teen on this site.
6. How to Quit Smoking: Read about the steps of quitting smoking here.
7. Quitting Tobacco-Talk With Your Doctor: This radiocast shares why it’s so important to discuss   tobacco use with your doctor.

     8. My Time to Quit: Get started with the how-tos of quitting on My Time to Quit


You can check out the rest of the links HERE<---- Masters of Healthcare

Hamilton approved by PAN AM/TO2015 for Ivor Wynne renovation

Its official ladies and gentleman, Hamilton’s application for the renovation of Ivor Wynne stadium for the PAN AM games has been approved. Hamilton met all of PAN AM’s priorities for the project to go forward, in a statement TO2015 CEO Ian Troop said “Ivor Wynne met all of the Games’ priorities, including site suitability, funding, FIFA-grade soccer features, timing and a long-term sports legacy”. Troop applauded Hamilton and added that “TO2015/PAN AM is looking forward to working closely with the City of Hamilton and its community partners to help ensure the soccer facility is delivered on time, on budget and on scope”.

Hamilton Police introduce NEW police cars.

New Hamilton Police Car

Three new black and white police cruisers will be on Hamilton streets starting today. Over the next 3 years, as new vehicles replace the old ones, this is the design that will eventually be the norm on Hamilton City streets.  The throwback design was voted in last year by a committee, 20 of the black and white cars were purchased from Ford for $700,000 last October. The new black and white colours have a similar resemblance to the OPP cars we see on the highway.  As more of these cars are introduced to Hamilton City streets over the next 3 years, this  will give residents of Hamilton a smooth transition period. 

Hamilton, Ontario electric bills to rise 6.2 percent March 1st

Residents in Hamilton already feeling the wrath from their electric bills are going to possibly prepare themselves for another increase on March 1^st. The 6.2 percent increase request by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is awaiting a ruling by the Ontario Energy Board.  The electricity crisis has gotten to the point that Hydro One is threatening to cut off power to people it knows are struggling to pay their bills.  “We recognize that some Ontario families are experiencing financial difficulties and having problems paying their utility bills,” wrote Hydro One’s manager of public affairs, Enza Cancilla, Jan. 27. “We encourage these customers in particular to contact our customer communication centre to discuss payment arrangements and avoid potential disconnection of service.” said Cancilla.  OPG says a 6.2 per cent increase for its regulated output from nuclear plants and large hydro stations would add about $1.86 to a typical homeowner’s monthly hydro bill, but talking to residents in the City, some of the bills are much higher than the $1.86 OPG assessment.  The government-owned utility originally asked for a 9.6 percent increase, but it was scaled back to the 6.2 figure due to pressures from the Liberal government who asked the OPG and Hydro One to keep costs at a minimum. With an election looming this is something for the general public to think about.  With the -20 weather out there, the last thing someone needs is to have their electricity cut.

Government of Canada funds demonstration of leading edge clean technology in Hamilton to help steel industry

 David Sweet, MP for Ancaster — Dundas — Flamborough — Westdale, and Maria Aubrey, Senior Vice President, Operations of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), will announce funding for the demonstration of a leading-edge clean technology that will help the steelmaking industry to reduce both its costs and its GHG emissions. The announcement will take place this morning at 10:30am at the Arcelor Mittal Dofasco building located at 1330 Burlington Street.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is an arm's-length foundation created by the Government of Canada which operates two funds aimed at the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions. The $550 million SD Tech Fund™ supports projects that address climate change, air quality, clean water, and clean soil. The $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund supports the establishment of first-of-kind large demonstration-scale facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels.

Game off? Hamilton City By-Law bans outdoor hockey rinks at public parks

Growing up, it was normal to go down to your local park and for there to be a man made hockey rink constructed by neighbourhood volunteers. A current By-law in Hamilton bans all outdoor skating rinks built by volunteers in your local parks.

Councillors blame society, which sues from everything from tripping or slipping on a city sidewalk that wasn’t shovelled. But can we really blame them? People nowadays are suing for the most ridiculous circumstances, and it seems that children or anyone seriously injured at one of these outdoor rinks is just something that the City wants no part of.  The mixing of recreational skating and hockey is another obstacle that needs to be addressed.  The city polices park rinks on a complaint basis, said Vince Ormond, manager of municipal law enforcement.“We have never been asked to enforce” the no-hockey bylaw, he said.

The City Department in Montreal builds their own skating/hockey rinks, complete with full regulation nets and boards.  There is a way to cover the issue legally and financially. In Montreal, to better meet families' needs for outdoor activities and offer them the best possible conditions for indulging in winter sports, the City creates two real sliding sport complexes at Raymond and Lefebvre parks. Each park has a large skating rink with boards and markings for hockey and a trail for public skating and crews maintain them as best as possible. Montreal has the right idea on how to balance out skating and hockey. Councillor Pasuta and Whitehead state that our “society has become more litigious” in a recent article in The Spec, but Montreal has found a way to control the situation, both legally and financially.   In Hamilton we have “bocce” clubs built by tax dollars. It seems a bit ridiculous that we can build private “bocce” courts with bathrooms, kitchens and fences around them, but building something that is truly Canadian hasn't been explored.  It's a matter of time before the City gets more involved in public outdoor skate rinks for both hockey and recreational skating.

Game ooooon!!!!!  (Witty Wayne’s World reference)  

Historic Victory for Hamilton Taxi Drivers

In a historic ruling, the Ontario Labour Relations Board has certified the Ontario Taxi Workers Union as a trade union and recognized it as a bargaining agent for drivers of Hamilton Cab Co.
It has been a lengthy legal battle with many roadblocks for Hamilton taxi drivers to form a union. The drivers first organized and founded the Ontario Taxi Workers Union in 2009, but have been waiting ever since for their efforts to be recognized by the OLRB.
The board certified the union this week.
"Today we are delighted to celebrate the unity of taxi drivers and their determination to make life better for all drivers," said Ontario Taxi Workers Union President Ejaz Butt.
The next step is to negotiate a first contract with Hamilton Cab Co.
"We hope our message is heard by the City of Hamilton and the brokers," said Faheem Shahid, Ontario Taxi Workers Union Vice-President. "Let's make it clear to them that we are united today and will remain united so that we can live and work with respect and dignity."