Every year at this time the Spectator graciously devotes a couple pages showing off my favourite cartoons from the last 12 months. Here’s last year’s. Below are some cartoons from the first selection covering non-local issues…
The divide among Canadians over the issue of Afghanistan became very apparent this year as the mission took on a more combative role. The above cartoon is one of several I drew zeroing in on Jack Layton’s softer approach towards dealing with the Taliban. Some didn’t appreciate my views on Jack Layton and the NDP as expressed in letters, (another) and even an article.
Harper is shown in this cartoon as an imperial general newly dispatched to liberate Afghanistan with a poorly equipt army.
This past year witnesses the final chapter of the long reign of Alberta’s King Ralph Klein. This isn’t the first time I’ve parodied the famous painting by Robert Harris of the Fathers of Confederation and given it a modern day twist. In this version I show the Premiers of Canada as panhandlers, begging the wealthy Ralph Klein for some of his oil lucre.
In this cartoon I show Iran’s cookey President as one source of instability behind this past years spike in oil prices. Ralph Klein owes a lot to the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for keeping oil at an all time high and consequently feuling Alberta’s Treasury.
U.S. cyclist Floyd Landis enjoyed basking in the glow of victory for a day or so after winnig the Tour de France. Then tests came back showing high levels of testosterone. Following this came some embarassing press conferences filled with denial, confusion, and eye rolling. My knock against his manhood provoked more feedback than usual, equally split between those who were offended and those got big laughs. To me, that combination a good indication that a cartoon has done what a cartoon is supposed to do.
Rona Ambroze hadn’t become a household name when I drew this cartoon in the Spring showing her burning the Kyoto Protocol with a spray of burning Ethanol. Pundits have mildly praised the Conservative government for efforts to advance Ethanol as an alternative energy source. When it comes to plans to tackle climate change and initiating alternatives to Kyoto, the Conservatives have been universally panned, and as we close out 2006, it’s just as universally expected that Rona Ambroze won’t be Environment Minister for much longer.