Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 22, 2005
Martin Promises Early Election Over Scandal
Prime Minister Paul Martin, grappling with the Liberal government’s worst crisis in a decade, promised on Thursday to call an election early next year once a probe into a cash-for-favour scandal is over.
But opposition parties, who seem likely to topple the minority government next month and trigger a June 27 election, reacted coolly to Martin’s offer and questioned how long they could continue propping him up.
The inquiry is to issue its final report in mid-December and Martin promised in a rare national televised address to call an election within 30 days of its release.
The commission has heard startling allegations that Liberals in Quebec demanded big kickbacks in return for lucrative government contracts.
“I commit to you tonight that I will call a general election within 30 days of the publication of the commission’s final report and recommendations,” Martin told Canadians, acknowledging he could pay a price for having set up the probe in February 2004.
The official opposition Conservatives, who only last month kept the Liberals in power by not opposing their budget, said the ruling party was now “tarnished beyond redemption.”
“I have some difficulty with a prime minister under a cloud picking his own election date,” Conservative leader Stephen Harper told reporters, but said he had not taken a final decision on whether to try to bring down the government. (CP)
*** Crisis and Circus ***
The April 2005 editorial cartoon sketches a revealing snapshot of Canadian Prime Ministers grappling with crises. Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, and Jean Chrétien faced challenges with seriousness and poise, while Paul Martin in his televised address, presided over a Liberal Party Sponsorship Scandal resembling a circus.
Trudeau confronted the October Crisis in 1970, displaying stoic resolve during a turbulent time. Mulroney navigated the Meech Lake Constitutional Crisis in 1990, portraying a leader facing complexities with determination. Chrétien’s composed figure in 1995 represented unity during the Quebec Referendum Crisis.
In stark contrast, Paul Martin is depicted in a clown costume, steering the Liberal Party Sponsorship Scandal. The accompanying news article details Martin’s promise to call an election after an inquiry, but skepticism arises from opposition leaders, questioning the sincerity of his commitment.
While Trudeau, Mulroney, and Chrétien addressed crises with statesmanship, Martin’s tenure is marked by a desperate attempt at self-preservation amid corruption allegations. The cartoon captures a shift from genuine crises to a political circus, with Martin as an uneasy ringmaster. The contrast underscores a moment when leadership seemed more focused on survival than addressing the nation’s needs. (Graeme MacKay – March 3, 2024)