mackaycartoons

Graeme MacKay's Editorial Cartoon Archive

  • Archives
  • DOWNLOADS
  • Kings & Queens
  • MacKaycartoons Inc.
  • Prime Ministers
  • Special Features
  • The Boutique
  • Who?
  • Young Doug Ford
  • Presidents

2022-41

Saturday December 10, 2022

December 10, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 10, 2022

Bill 23: Doug Ford’s gift to Hamilton

November 30, 2022

This holiday season, let’s consider the gift that just keeps on giving — Bill 23. Not giving to everyone, mind you. But to those who do benefit, the Ford government’s law to build more and faster is a real gem.

Like the development industry overall, and specifically developers with plans and money to build more sprawl development on lands that used to be protected by being in the Greenbelt. They’re thrilled. Especially those who, coincidentally, purchased some of that land in the not-too-distant past, who will see the value of that land go sky-high as soon as the first developments are approved.

Isn’t that a stroke of good luck? They bought Greenbelt land, and it happened to be soon before the government announced it would make it available for development.

December 18, 2019

And even more coincidence — some of them donated a lot of money to the Progressive Conservative party of Doug Ford. What a crazy world.

You would almost think those developers knew something was coming. But that would mean that someone in the government told them, and Ford assures us that isn’t the case. So nothing to see here, the premier says everything’s just fine. Mind you, he’s the same premier who said not long ago that he wouldn’t authorize development on the Greenbelt, so perhaps his earnest assurances should be taken with a grain of salt.

December 18, 2018

And how about the people of the lovely town of Erin, not far from Guelph? To their surprise, they learned recently that 7,000 acres of their town and region are being added to the Greenbelt, part of the government’s pledge to replace more than what it is taking. Of course, most of the land in the area is agricultural and is being used for that purpose, and it’s unlikely it would ever give way to development in any event.

Erin folks now have Greenbelt protection they didn’t need in the first place.

In addition to the town of Erin, the province will also add into the Greenbelt 13 publicly owned lands in so-called Urban River Valleys across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Consider the words of Kevin Thomason of the Greenbelt West Coalition, who said to Torstar: “This is already protected land … this land is already owned by the government — the areas around creeks and rivers that face no development threat and had no possibility of ever being developed.”

December 10, 2020

Anyone see a trend here? Take prime agricultural land from areas like Niagara and the Duffins Rouge Agriculture Preserve, which have some of the best farming soil in the country, and replace them in the Greenbelt with lands that are not development candidates to begin with. Then call it an even swap. Clever, non?

New Hamilton city councillor Ted McMeekin, also a former provincial municipal affairs minister, today delivers a cogent and impactful summary of what is wrong with Bill 23. It’s recommended reading.

As is the story by Spec journalist Teviah Moro about the impact of the legislation on Hamilton’s tax base. Because Bill 23 removes or reduces development fees from much new construction, Hamilton will forego revenue of between $14 million and $25 million each year. That revenue would typically go to pay for infrastructure such as sewers, roads, bridges and services to support new housing.

November 23, 2022

Here again, developers certainly win by paying lower or no development charges. They get improved profitability, while Hamilton and its taxpayers get — well — Scrooged.

Fortunately, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark says municipalities hit hard by revenue losses could be “made whole,” assuming the province agrees with their business case. Mind you, he was talking about Toronto especially, and also about getting the federal government to use its Housing Accelerator Fund to compensate municipalities.

So, the province changes the rules causing municipalities to lose millions, then it says it’s up to Ottawa to fix the revenue shortfall created by provincial policy. See how they did that?

There you have it — Bill 23, the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks Santa Doug. (The Hamilton Spectator) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.

 

https://mackaycartoons.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-1210-ONTshading.mp4

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2022-41, bill 23, builder, christmas, developer, Doug Ford, green belt, land parcel, Ontario, presents, procreate, Santa Claus

Friday December 9, 2022

December 9, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

December 9, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 9, 2022

Inflation is changing how Canadians do Christmas

A new poll by the Angus Reid Institute says more than half of Canadians – 56 per cent – say they will be spending less on Christmas, including presents and entertaining.

September 29, 2022

“When you look at the Atlantic Canadian data, among the highest numbers in the country in Nova Scotia, 57 per cent, say they’re worse off now,” said Dave Korzinski, the research director with Angus Reid Institute.

“In Newfoundland and Labrador, 54 per cent, in New Brunswick 53 per cent, all of those are higher than the national average of 50 per cent,” Korzinski said.

This is the first time the non-profit’s data has shown that more than 50 per cent of Canadians say they are financially worse off this year than this time last year.

“Seeing food banks across the country who are dealing with essentially budgets that are smaller and demand that is larger, which is a really tough recipe when you’re trying to keep your programs going,” Korzinski said.

“When it’s more expensive for your household, imagine buying it for 1,400 households,” said Alex Boyd,  the executive director Greener Village Food Bank in Fredericton.

May 10, 2022

“So, that’s what we do with milk and eggs, those are very seldom donated items,” Boyd said.

Charitable giving is also already down this holiday season, according to the poll.

“To see 37 per cent of Canadians say they’re cutting back on donations, including more than two-in-five who are older, who are 55+ who tend to be the most generous and the most consistent givers, has been really challenging for a lot of charities,” Korzinski said.

“It’s always a concern that we watch for, especially being an organization that relies heavily on November and December giving to make up for the leaner months earlier in the year,” Boyd said.

Eighty-seven per cent of Canadians say they have cut back on spending in some way recently – up from 80 per cent in August. (CTV) 

 

Posted in: Canada, Lifestyle Tagged: 2022-41, affordability, banks, christmas, Christmas tree, cost of living, inflation, Interest rates, mortgages, recession, utilities

Thursday December 8, 2022

December 8, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday December 8, 2022

Red states and blue states; the coming 2024 U.S. Presidential Election

November 17, 2022

Donald J. Trump’s unusually early announcement of a third presidential campaign was aimed in part at clearing the Republican field for 2024, but his first three weeks as a candidate have undercut that goal, highlighting his vulnerabilities and giving considerable ammunition to those in the G.O.P. arguing to turn the page on him.

Since emerging from the November election with a string of humiliating losses to show for his pretensions to be a midterm kingmaker, Mr. Trump has entertained a leading white supremacist and a celebrity antisemite at his South Florida mansion.

He has suggested terminating the Constitution — the one that a president swears to preserve, protect and defend — in furtherance of his long-running lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

Posted in: USA Tagged: 2022-41, 2024, Democrat, Donald Trump, donkey, election, Elephant, GOP, Hershel Walker, Joe Biden, Kanye West, procreate, Republican, tax fraud, Thomas Nast, USA

Wednesday December 7, 2022

December 7, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 7, 2022

Get’em while you can: Hamilton Christmas tree hunters scrambling amid shortage

Don’t dally, Christmas tree hunters: some local farms are already out of seasonal evergreens amid a chronic shortage exacerbated by inflation and extreme weather.

December 4, 2021

In the Hamilton area, several tree farms are warning their fields could be bare by next weekend — while a few are already sold out or not opening at all.

Jim Watson is selling only pre-cut evergreens this year — and only on weekends — because a series of “terrible, dry summers” wiped out fields of trees that might otherwise be open for the U-cut crowd.

But that didn’t stop eager tree hunters from flooding his Mount Hope farm the day it opened Nov. 26. “People are really trying to get a tree early,” Watson said, adding he would be surprised if he has enough pre-cut fir, spruce and pine to stay open beyond the Dec. 10 weekend.

Posted in: Canada, Lifestyle Tagged: 2022-41, affordability, car, christmas, Christmas tree, consumer, cost of living, supply chain, tree, xmas

Tuesday December 6, 2022

December 6, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 6, 2022

Pierre Poilievre’s self-imposed media vacuum is about to face its first test

October 20, 2022

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre believes the voters whose support he needs to lead his party to government in the next federal election will not be reached via the mainstream media.

His strategy is about to be tested.

On Dec. 12, the voters of the GTA riding of Mississauga-Lakeshore will be going to the polls to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Liberal MP Sven Spengemann last spring.

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2022-41, bitcoin, Canada, Conservative, convoy, freedom, Journalism, leader, media, party, Pierre Poilievre, press, procreate, transparency

Please note…

This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

  • The Hamilton Spectator
  • The Toronto Star
  • The Globe & Mail
  • The National Post
  • Graeme on T̶w̶i̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶(̶X̶)̶
  • Graeme on F̶a̶c̶e̶b̶o̶o̶k̶
  • Graeme on T̶h̶r̶e̶a̶d̶s̶
  • Graeme on Instagram
  • Graeme on Substack
  • Graeme on Bluesky
  • Graeme on Pinterest
  • Graeme on YouTube
New and updated for 2025
  • HOME
  • MacKaycartoons Inc.
  • The Boutique
  • The Hamilton Spectator
  • The Association of Canadian Cartoonists
  • The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
  • You Might be From Hamilton if…
  • Young Doug Ford
  • MacKay’s Most Viral Cartoon
  • Intellectual Property Thief Donkeys
  • Wes Tyrell
  • Martin Rowson
  • Guy Bado’s Blog
  • National Newswatch
...Check it out and please subscribe!

Your one-stop-MacKay-shop…

T-shirts, hoodies, clocks, duvet covers, mugs, stickers, notebooks, smart phone cases and scarfs

2023 Coronation Design

Brand New Designs!

Follow Graeme's board My Own Cartoon Favourites on Pinterest.

MacKay’s Virtual Gallery

Archives

Copyright © 2016 mackaycartoons.net

Powered by Wordpess and Alpha.

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial
 

Loading Comments...