mackaycartoons

Graeme MacKay's Editorial Cartoon Archive

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

A Christmas Carol

Saturday December 21, 2024

December 21, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

In a Dickensian twist, Justin Trudeau is cast as Scrooge, haunted by the ghost of his father Pierre and other spirits, confronting the fading legacy of his leadership and the mounting pressure to step aside for the good of his party and country.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 21, 2024

In a Dickensian twist, Justin Trudeau is cast as Scrooge, haunted by the ghost of his father Pierre and other spirits, confronting the fading legacy of his leadership and the mounting pressure to step aside for the good of his party and country.

An Ottawa Christmas Carol

It was a bitterly cold night in Ottawa, and Justin Trudeau sat alone in the grand but lonely halls of Rideau Cottage, now more mausoleum than home. The once-vibrant optimism that had carried him to power now felt like a distant memory, replaced by whispers of discontent and the weight of eroding public trust.

January 12, 2007

As he gazed out the frosted window at the swirling snow, a chill not of winter but of something far deeper crept through the room. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sound of heavy chains clinking. Trudeau spun around to see a figure emerge from the shadows: his father, Pierre Trudeau, pale and spectral, draped in a cloak of memories and regrets.

“Justin,” the elder Trudeau intoned, his voice carrying the authority of a man who once weathered his own storms of leadership. “You walk a dangerous path, my son. You are blind to the discontent that grows around you, deaf to the advice of those who have warned you. Tonight, you will be visited by three spirits. Heed their lessons, or your legacy will wither as surely as your power has begun to fade.”

Before Justin could respond, Pierre vanished into the ether, leaving behind only the faint scent of buckskin leather and the echo of his famous walk in the snow.

News: 4 ministers get new portfolios, 8 Liberal MPs promoted in Trudeau cabinet shuffle

The Ghost of Christmas Past

December 21, 2017

The first spirit arrived in a golden glow, bearing the form of a younger, fresher Justin Trudeau—the teacher, the optimist, the champion of “sunny ways.” The ghost led him to a scene from 2015: a jubilant election night, Canadians cheering for change, hope, and progress.

“Remember this moment,” the spirit urged. “This was when your ideals inspired a nation. But where is that leader now?”

The vision shifted to 2020, when the challenges of the pandemic tested his resolve. The applause of 2015 gave way to murmurs of discontent.

“This was your chance to rise above politics, but pride and missteps have tarnished your promises. Reflect on who you were, Justin, before it’s too late.”

The Ghost of Christmas Present

The Liberal government’s GST holiday and $250 rebate expose fiscal recklessness, political desperation, and internal discord while failing to address Canada’s systemic economic challenges.

December 11, 2024

The second spirit appeared next: a towering figure wrapped in a cloak of red and white, carrying a scale tipped precariously under the weight of division and scandal.

It whisked Trudeau to the chambers of Parliament, where discontent brewed among his own caucus. MPs whispered in corners, their confidence in their leader eroded. In the homes of ordinary Canadians, families struggled with rising costs and waning trust in government.

“Do you see their struggles?” the spirit asked. “Your choices weigh heavy on them. They feel forgotten, even abandoned.”

The vision changed again to a cabinet table, where Dominic LeBlanc sat wearily holding the Finance portfolio and a growing list of crises. “Even your most loyal allies cannot bear this alone forever,” the spirit warned.

News: Justin Trudeau is facing a political crisis made worse by Donald Trump. Can he survive as Canada’s leader?

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

August 5, 2022

Finally, the room grew dark, and the third spirit arrived, cloaked in shadow. It showed no face, only a skeletal hand that pointed forward. Trudeau followed reluctantly, and the vision it revealed was stark:

An election defeat. A humbled Liberal Party, fractured and leaderless. A legacy remembered not for boldness but for indecision and squandered goodwill. The name “Justin Trudeau” etched into history not as a reformer but as a cautionary tale.

“Is this what must be?” Trudeau cried out. “Can this future not be changed?”

The spirit pointed silently to the snow-covered ground, where faint footsteps marked a solitary path.

Awakening with a start, Trudeau found himself back in his room. The echoes of the spirits still rang in his ears. The lessons were clear: the path forward demanded humility, decisiveness, and the courage to let go when the time was right.

As he looked out at the fresh snow, a thought occurred to him. Perhaps the time had come to take his own walk in the snow—one that might allow his party and his country to find new hope, even if it meant stepping aside.

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2024-23, A Christmas Carol, Canada, christmas, Justin Trudeau, leadership, parody, Pierre Trudeau, Scrooge, shuffle

Tuesday December 13, 2022

December 13, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 13, 2022

Premiers demand meeting with Justin Trudeau over health-care funding

Canada’s premiers are demanding more federal money from Ottawa for health care and they want a face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make their case.

August 24, 2022

The provincial and territorial leaders appealed to Trudeau on Friday for a first ministers’ meeting early in the new year to tackle the funding crisis in a pandemic-battered system.

While the federal government is willing to increase the Canada Health Transfer — the money Ottawa sends to the provinces on a per-capita basis for health care — it has repeatedly stated any commitment would come with strings attached to ensure the additional dollars go toward measurable, improved health outcomes for Canadians instead of flowing into provinces’ general revenues.

Responding to the premiers, federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos declined to say whether Trudeau would agree to convening the meeting.

December 21, 2016

“The prime minister will obviously do what he wants to do. What he has asked me to do is to work with my colleagues — health ministers — to agree on the results and (put) therefore the ends before the means,” Duclos told reporters in Ottawa.

But he said there are conditions that must be met to achieve that goal, such as supporting health-care workers and patients; investing in home care, mental health care and long-term care; and implementing a modern health data collection system.

Duclos said his provincial and territorial counterparts have agreed to those conditions “in private,” and that it is now up to “premiers to let us do our job and express publicly the type of outcomes and results that we need to achieve together.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford insisted provinces want the “flexibility to be able to move those funds around where they’re needed” since they deliver the front-line health services.

July 27, 2019

“We have no problem with accountability, transparency,” Ford said at the virtual meeting chaired by Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson.

“Well, we need a funding partner. We need that funding for long-term care, we need it for home care, we need it for mental health and addiction, we need it for HHR, health human resources, infrastructure,” he said.

Discussions on boosting health-care funding fell apart when Ottawa said it was open to the increase if provinces and territories promised to build a national data collection system and expand the use of common health indicators — measures that show how well a health-care system is performing.

The provinces said they didn’t expect those conditions to be tied to a funding boost, and never saw concrete details on what such an increase would look like.

Stefanson said Friday that Ottawa has yet to present a proposal since that meeting.

Duclos, meanwhile, continued to insist that specific outcomes from the additional money must be clearly determined before any dollar figures are discussed.

“The premiers refuse to speak about those results. Everyone else wants to, but not the premiers,” he said.

Beyond Ottawa’s insistence on tying additional money to improvements in the system, the federal-provincial impasse also hinges upon differing views on current funding.

The premiers say their jurisdictions pay 78 per cent of health-care costs, with the federal government ponying up the remaining 22 per cent. They want Ottawa’s cash contribution to jump to 35 per cent. (The Toronto Star)

 

Posted in: Canada, Ontario Tagged: 2022-42, A Christmas Carol, Canada, christmas, Doug Ford, fending, healthcares care, Hospital, Justin Trudeau, money, Ontario, Scrooge

Saturday December 24, 2016

December 23, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday December 24, 2016 Trump Tower failing to do its bit to Make Christmas Great Again At a Òthank youÓ rally in early December,ÊDonald TrumpÊpromised that he would Make Christmas Great Again. ÒWeÕre going to start saying ÔMerry ChristmasÕ again!Ó Trump told the crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Ê ÒHow about all those department stores?Ó he mused. ÒThey have the bells and they have the red walls and they have the snow. But they donÕt have ÔMerry ChristmasÕ.Ê ÒI think theyÕre going to start putting up ÔMerry ChristmasÕ.Ó Given this full-throated pledge, it might come as a surprise to learn that Trump Tower, the golden jewel in TrumpÕs property portfolio and the building where he is currently plotting his first term, has no signs saying ÒMerry ChristmasÓ whatsoever.Ê Not one. Visiting the Trump Tower on Wednesday, it was clear that holiday decorations have not been eschewed altogether. In fact, itÕs the opposite. The interior of the building is festooned with festive frippery. There is a 30ftÊChristmasÊtree. There are four-foot wreaths all around the entrance area. There are scores of golden boxes, tied up with ribbons, laid around the place, as if Santa Claus gave up on his way to the Trump residence and dumped the presents in the lobby. There are life-sized nutcracker statues, some holding trumpets. But no Christmas signs. The only mention of Christmas the Guardian could find in Trump Tower was in the gift shop, where a little Christmas tree bauble, which showed Santa Claus lying down on top of a yellow taxi, was described as a ÒChristmas ornamentÓ. The ornament had been made in China. Trump has promised that he will return Merry Christmas to common parlance before Ð most notablyÊin November 2015, when he was gearing up for the Republican primaries. It makes sense. The idea of a war on Christmas Ð that Americans are being forced to say Òhappy holidaysÓ instead of Òmerry ChristmasÓ because

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 24, 2016

Trump Tower failing to do its bit to Make Christmas Great Again

At a “thank you” rally in early December, Donald Trump promised that he would Make Christmas Great Again.

“We’re going to start saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again!” Trump told the crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“How about all those department stores?” he mused.

“They have the bells and they have the red walls and they have the snow. But they don’t have ‘Merry Christmas’.

“I think they’re going to start putting up ‘Merry Christmas’.”

Given this full-throated pledge, it might come as a surprise to learn that Trump Tower, the golden jewel in Trump’s property portfolio and the building where he is currently plotting his first term, has no signs saying “Merry Christmas” whatsoever.

 

Not one.

Visiting the Trump Tower on Wednesday, it was clear that holiday decorations have not been eschewed altogether. In fact, it’s the opposite. The interior of the building is festooned with festive frippery.

There is a 30ft Christmas tree. There are four-foot wreaths all around the entrance area.

There are scores of golden boxes, tied up with ribbons, laid around the place, as if Santa Claus gave up on his way to the Trump residence and dumped the presents in the lobby.

There are life-sized nutcracker statues, some holding trumpets.

But no Christmas signs.

The only mention of Christmas the Guardian could find in Trump Tower was in the gift shop, where a little Christmas tree bauble, which showed Santa Claus lying down on top of a yellow taxi, was described as a “Christmas ornament”. The ornament had been made in China.

Trump has promised that he will return Merry Christmas to common parlance before – most notably in November 2015, when he was gearing up for the Republican primaries.

It makes sense. The idea of a war on Christmas – that Americans are being forced to say “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas” because of political correctness – is a popular theory among some conservatives.

Trump has four years to force “merry Christmas” upon the American public, so perhaps change will eventually come to the US. He could certainly start by using the phrase in his own building.

But anyway. Happy holidays. (Source: The Guardian)

 

Posted in: USA Tagged: A Christmas Carol, christmas, Dickens, Donald Trump, Ebenezer, Jacob Marley, police, Scrooge, Trump tower

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...