Hot Takes: 19 March 2024
What did I say on the radio today?
1. NDP motion re: Palestinian statehood is watered down. It’s very easy to advance impossible motions when there’s no chance you will ever form a government. Governments are held accountable for their actions. The federal NDP will never be. I think this motion has more to do with placating Jagmeet Singh’s base – some of whom have historically had very anti-Israel and antisemitic leanings. No doubt, they are demanding Singh do something. This is the something he did. It’s meaningless but will make them happy for a bit.
2. TDSB considers program cuts to balance budget. I should hope so. Just like everyone else in Canada, if you can’t afford to do everything you want to do, you have to cut back on some of the frills and “nice to haves.” The TDSB is notoriously fiscally incompetent. Despite more provincial cash and fewer and fewer students, they keep spending more than they bring in. That’s unsustainable. Fewer overnight trips to outdoor education centres – fewer outdoor education centres – isn’t the end of the Earth. Plus, when did local school boards take on responsibility for educating and amusing Seniors and teaching adults? That’s not what most citizens think their job is.
3. Teachers’ federation rejects more work for pensioners. I’m on the Teachers’ side on this one. The last thing my kids needed was a retired teacher coming back for the double-dipping cash. That’s not quality education. The big problem we have in education is teacher absenteeism. The average teacher takes 16 sick days a year – and their year is only 10 months long. That’s ridiculous. And that’s an average! Meaning some teachers are calling in sick way more often. Sure, teaching is stressful. I get that. But, clearly we need to hire healthier people. Or, find a way to motivate and inspire teachers to do better – not more than their job requires, but as much as their job requires.
4. Residents want compensation for tunnel troubles. This neighbourhood is regularly flooded so the city is spending tens of millions to fix it. Their tunnel machine hit an underground obstacle and got stuck. It took years to recover and begin again. That was, no doubt, stressful and horrifically annoying to residents. But, not more so than the St. Clair streetcar disaster or the Eglinton Crosstown debacle – and locals got nothing for that. I’m all for compensating actual losses – but not for annoyance. Suck it up, buttercup.
5. Hospitals using AI to improve ER service. Kudos for the innovation. These are tiny little pilot tests that aren’t making any big differences – yet. But, for sure AI can be part of the solution to anticipate and improve the throughput of patients in our hospitals and healthcare system. I want an app that manages doctor’s office appointments – when she’s falling behind, it would text me and say, “Your 3pm appointment won’t happen until 4:30, do you still want it or do you want to reschedule?” If I can’t afford the delay – because I don’t make money sitting in a waiting room and have other things to do, I can get out of the queue and someone else can take my spot.
6. Most teens feel happy without smartphones. But none would do without them. Tech is here to stay, but we need to have non-connected activities and time in our lives. We need to learn how to manage the tech, more than it manages us.