Latest news with #Carra
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
As Calgary brings back fluoride, councillor urges Montreal to reconsider West Island decision
By As Calgary prepares to reintroduce fluoride to its drinking water later this month, one of their city councillors is calling upon Montreal to reconsider removing it from West Island faucets — and trust the science. Calgary took away fluoride from its water in 2011 as a cost-cutting measure. Dental health declined over the next decade, according to city councillor Gian-Carlo Carra, who has been involved in the fluoride debate throughout. In 2021, Calgarians voted in a municipal election to reinstate water fluoridation. 'We've had fluoride out of the water for over 10 years. That was 10 years we could track a against other cities. We could track a worsening in the condition of our kids' teeth and in our population's teeth,' Carra said in an interview Monday. As Carra reflects on Calgary's decision-making on fluoride, he's appealing to Montreal to learn from Calgary's missteps and to 'trust the data.' 'The data shows that it helps,' he added. A 2021 study on second-grade children in Calgary found that the proportion of children with dental caries rose from 56.6 per cent in 2011 to 64.8 per cent in 2018, seven years after the city stopped fluoridating its water. In November, Montreal's agglomeration council voted to end fluoridation of West Island drinking water, also to save costs. Although 87 per cent of the agglomeration council is made up of Montreal councillors who largely voted against fluoride, the 13-per-cent minority representing the suburbs — particularly West Island officials — fought to maintain it. Fluoridation at the Dorval and Pointe-Claire plants was set to finish by early 2025. Benjamin Blanc, a spokesperson for the city of Pointe-Claire, confirmed the practice actually stopped at the end of fall 2024. The Gazette contacted the cities of Montreal and Dorval for clarification but did not receive a response in time for publication. For Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson, Calgary's decision to bring back fluoride demonstrates it's not too late for Montreal to reconsider its own fluoride policy for the West Island. 'I'm not finished fighting this battle,' he said in an interview Tuesday, adding that he plans to raise the issue during Montreal's municipal election this fall and is prepared to challenge it in court if necessary. While Calgary residents were able to vote directly on the fluoride issue through a municipal election ballot, Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas said that's not an option for West Island residents, who cannot vote in the Montreal municipal election. He explained that under the current structure of the agglomeration council, decisions affecting the West Island are ultimately made by Montreal city councillors, who significantly outnumber suburban representatives. 'The point here is that we can't decide water for our own citizens with our own plant,' Thomas said in an interview. 'Our citizens, who paid for that plant, should have the option of deciding how it's used for them.' Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle said in an interview Monday that during the fall agglomeration council debates on fluoride, he pointed to Calgary as a cautionary tale. He is not hopeful Montreal will reinstate fluoride because of the way the agglomeration council is organized, which he described as 'undemocratic.' 'Politically, the worst thing that the provincial government did was to set up the agglomeration the way it is,' he said. Montreal's decision prioritized cost savings over public health, said Baie-D'Urfe Mayor Heidi Ektvedt. 'I personally don't even believe that this is about fluoride. I personally think that there was money to be saved by pulling it, and why spend it in the West Island for a population who doesn't even vote for (Montreal),' she said in an interview Monday. She added that several citizens have reached out to her about Calgary refluoridating its water. 'I'm happy for Calgary that they're putting it back into their water,' she said. 'But you know, Montreal is going to tell you, let's look at Sweden. They'll talk about the States — everybody's pulling out of fluoride in the States,' referring to possible examples cited by the city to justify not fluoridating. 'I like to look at Calgary and see that it was done in a democratic way.'
Calgary Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Gian-Carlo Carra not running for re-election after four terms on Calgary city council
Another of Calgary's veteran city councillors said he won't be seeking another term in office this fall. Article content Article content In his Ward 9 newsletter on Friday, Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra confirmed he won't run for re-election in this year's municipal vote, while also endorsing mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen and his Calgary Party. Article content 'It is with wistfulness, but also clear conviction and fierce pride, that I announce my decision not to seek a fifth term as Ward 9's city councillor this October,' he wrote. Article content Article content Carra was first elected in Ward 9, which includes several inner-city neighbourhoods that straddle both sides of Deerfoot Trail, in 2010. He is currently serving his fourth term, representing a diverse range of communities that include Inglewood, Bridgeland and Ogden on the west side of the freeway, and Radisson Heights, Dover and Forest Heights on the east side. Article content Article content He also touted his efforts to tackle historic injustices in the city, in areas such as systemic racism and gender equality. Article content Carra said championing the $180-million revitalization of International Avenue will be remembered as his favourite achievement as a councillor, while the failed bid for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Olympics was his biggest disappointment. Article content Article content 'I entered council representing east Calgary communities that I think have done an oversized job in building the city we live in today but were significantly underinvested in. I think I've significantly reversed that trend,' he said. Article content But he lamented the current state of politics and took aim at all three levels of government for descending into 'anger, fear and division.' Article content 'I was elected in a beautiful moment in time alongside Naheed Nenshi,' Carra said. 'It was an age of politics in full sentences. Article content 'I think unfortunately, more and more politicians are stepping up to play a game of politics rather than govern.' Article content Article content Carra joins a growing list of councillors who have confirmed they won't run this October, including fellow veteran Peter Demong, and first-term colleagues Evan Spencer, Jasmine Mian and Courtney Walcott. Article content He said he agreed with Mian who announced, during a council meeting, her decision to step down due to growing political gamesmanship, particularly when it came to the province's interference in the Green Line project.
Calgary Herald
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
After four terms on council, Gian-Carlo Carra calling it a day
Article content Another of Calgary's veteran city councillors said he won't be seeking another term in office this fall. Article content Article content In his Ward 9 newsletter on Friday, Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra confirmed he won't run for re-election in this year's municipal vote, while also endorsing mayoral candidate Brian Thiessen and his Calgary Party. Article content 'It is with wistfulness, but also clear conviction and fierce pride, that I announce my decision not to seek a fifth term as Ward 9's city councillor this October,' he wrote. Article content Article content Carra was first elected in Ward 9, which includes several inner-city neighbourhoods that straddle both sides of Deerfoot Trail, in 2010. He is currently serving his fourth term, representing a diverse range of communities that include Inglewood, Bridgeland and Ogden on the west side of the freeway, and Radisson Heights, Dover and Forest Heights on the east side. Article content Article content He also touted his efforts to tackle historic injustices in the city, in areas such as systemic racism and gender equality. Article content Carra said championing the $180-million revitalization of International Avenue will be remembered as his favourite achievement as a councillor, while the failed bid for Calgary to host the 2026 Winter Olympics was his biggest disappointment. Article content Article content 'I entered council representing east Calgary communities that I think have done an oversized job in building the city we live in today but were significantly underinvested in. I think I've significantly reversed that trend,' he said. Article content But he lamented the current state of politics and took aim at all three levels of government for descending into 'anger, fear and division.' Article content 'I was elected in a beautiful moment in time alongside Naheed Nenshi,' Carra said. 'It was an age of politics in full sentences. Article content 'I think unfortunately, more and more politicians are stepping up to play a game of politics rather than govern.' Article content Article content Carra joins a growing list of councillors who have confirmed they won't run this October, including fellow veteran Peter Demong, and first-term colleagues Evan Spencer, Jasmine Mian and Courtney Walcott. Article content He said he agreed with Mian who announced, during a council meeting, her decision to step down due to growing political gamesmanship, particularly when it came to the province's interference in the Green Line project.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Far-right member, Democratic socialist come together to pass bills in Michigan House
Lawmakers in the Michigan House passed a pair of bills Tuesday prohibiting themselves from entering into nondisclosure agreements, a practice that has come under scrutiny following lawmakers agreeing to keep secret details of large economic development projects that could receive state funding. House Bill 4052 introduced by Republican state Rep. Steve Carra of Three Rivers would prohibit members of the Michigan Legislature and their legislative staff from entering into a nondisclosure agreement "regarding any work done in that member's legislative capacity." It passed 80-28 in the Michigan House with bipartisan support. House Bill 4053 introduced by Democratic state Rep. Dylan Wegela of Garden City defines a nondisclosure agreement as one prohibiting the public release or discussion of the contract's terms. Wegela's bill passed 91-17. "This legislation is simple," said Carra in a speech on the House floor Wednesday. Lawmakers have a duty, he said, to be transparent when weighing how to spend taxpayers' money. Carra — part of the far-right House Freedom Caucus — and Wegela — a Democratic socialist — have both blasted corporate subsidies championed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to lure companies to Michigan. State lawmakers and economic development officials have approved state funding to prepare large manufacturing sites and awarded grants to companies that create jobs in the state. In recent years, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has shepherded deals with Ford and other companies to locate electric vehicle battery plant projects in Michigan. Carra and Wegela call the funding a corporate handout, and they teamed up on the nondisclosure legislation as a way to change the process the state uses to land deals with companies eyeing Michigan to locate or expand. "The current practice is that in order to learn about the full scope of a project legislators need to sign NDAs and then doing so traps legislators in a code of silence around said projects," Wegela said in a floor speech Wednesday. Michigan Policy: A guide to Michigan's new paid sick leave law Michigan Economic Development Corporation spokesperson Otie McKinley said the agency finds that those looking to invest in Michigan often require nondisclosure agreements to share financial and proprietary information. For years, lawmakers have called for greater transparency in the process used by Whitmer's administration for negotiating massive taxpayer-funded economic development deals, saying that by the time the projects come to them for a vote, they're little more than a rubber stamp. The bipartisan coalition that once supported Whitmer's economic development approach has fractured but competing plans for overhauling the current system failed to cross the finish line in the last legislative session. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan bills would ban nondisclosure agreements in Lansing
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bipartisan Michigan lawmakers unveil bills to prohibit legislative non-disclosure agreements
Rep. Steve Carra on Feb. 24, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols A bipartisan effort to prohibit legislators from entering into non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) was unveiled on Thursday by state Reps. Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers) and Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City). HB 4052 and HB 4053 would prevent lawmakers from entering into NDAs based on information they obtained in their official capacity, an issue that has become a political football over the past several years. 'Elected officials have a duty to be as open and transparent as possible,' said Carra. 'Lawmakers should not trade their silence for information or proximity, using this underhanded tool for the practice of developing corporate welfare schemes. Corruption like this has a proven track record of failure, but the real insidiousness comes from the practice being set up to, primarily and directly, benefit the politically connected.' Updated: Legislature passes sweeping business incentive bills, some lawmakers sign NDAs Although the bills are bipartisan, it's unclear what their fate will be in this legislative term with a GOP-controlled House and a Democratic-led Senate. The legislation has been referred to the House Government Operations Committee, where bills historically have gone to die, although House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) said Thursday that legislation will move from that committee this term. In late 2021, lawmakers seeking to create incentives for businesses to move to Michigan signed non-disclosure agreements, which followed GOP criticism amid reports earlier that year that the Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer administration used confidentiality agreements in severance agreements with top officials like former Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director Robert Gordon. More recently, the issue became a campaign talking point last year concerning the proposed electric vehicle battery plant in Mecosta County owned by Gotion Inc., the U.S.-owned subsidiary of Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion, which received more than $700 million in state tax incentives. Both then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and former U.S. Rep. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing) were accused of signing NDAs with Gotion, although reporting by The Detroit News found both had actually signed those agreements with the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), a quasi-governmental institution. Reporting also indicated that among state lawmakers who signed NDAs regarding economic development were several prominent Republicans, including Hall, former House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) and former Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake), as well as top Democrats, including former House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and former Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint). HB 4052, sponsored by Carra, would ban legislators from agreeing not to publicly disclose information pertaining to their duties as legislators. HB 4053, sponsored by Wegela, would establish the definition of an NDA for that purpose. 'Members of both parties, in both chambers, have signed these agreements to keep the development of these projects secret,' said Wegela. 'The signing of these NDAs has led to the transfer of billions of taxpayer dollars to corporations. Lawmakers learn about these agreements and regardless of whether or not they support the projects, it prevents them from speaking out against these deals. Legislators shouldn't be handcuffed by NDAs preventing them from speaking out against deals that are bad for Michigan.' While the bills wouldn't cover legislative staffers, Wegela said he was willing to expand the proposals' reach. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
