collaboration

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 4, 2025

From Santa Carney to the Provinces: Canada’s New Unity

The recent premiers’ meeting in Saskatoon has ushered in a refreshing wave of optimism and collaboration that Canada hasn’t experienced in over a decade. With the transition from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney as Prime Minister, there’s been a noticeable shift in the dynamics between federal and provincial leaders. Ontario Premier Doug Ford captured the positive spirit of the gathering by likening Carney to Santa Claus, with a sled full of possibilities, ready to consider options that could benefit the entire nation.

News: Premiers express optimism after pitching major projects to Carney

Under Trudeau, the relationship between the federal government and provincial leaders, especially those from the Western provinces, was often fraught with tension. The interim period following his resignation only added to the uncertainty and lack of direction. However, Carney’s approach seems to have brought a new sense of unity and hope, with a focus on “nation-building projects” that aim to foster economic growth and national cohesion.

The meeting was marked by a commitment from Carney to fast-track approvals for projects deemed in the national interest, while keeping the door open for new ideas and initiatives. Key discussions covered areas such as trade, energy infrastructure, and critical minerals, laying the groundwork for potential progress.

News: ’Love is in the air’: Cautious optimism as premiers pitch major projects to Carney

Yet, challenges remain on the horizon. The proposal to build a pipeline through northern B.C. remains a contentious issue, as regional priorities differ. Alberta is pushing for new pipelines as part of its energy strategy, while B.C. emphasizes shovel-ready projects that are immediately actionable. Additionally, First Nations have expressed concerns about potential rights violations in the forthcoming “one Canadian economy” legislation, highlighting the need for meaningful engagement and dialogue.

Ford’s analogy serves as a reminder that while Carney can guide and support these initiatives, the real work lies with the premiers. They must collaborate and address the regulatory and infrastructure barriers that currently impede progress. Removing interprovincial trade barriers and boosting the economy will require technical expertise, political will, and cooperation across all levels of government.

Opinion: It’s easy to announce the end of internal trade barriers. Eliminating them is harder

This meeting in Saskatoon marks a hopeful shift in the relationship between the federal and provincial governments. While the federal government under Carney provides a vision and framework, it’s evident that the provinces will play a crucial role in executing these plans. The path forward will involve navigating challenges and differences, but the foundation for future cooperation seems more promising than it has in years. Both federal and provincial leaders have an opportunity to work together towards meaningful progress, making the potential for a stronger and more cohesive Canada more attainable than it has been in a long time.

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Premiers in Portrait

Wednesday June 4, 2025 – The recent premiers’ meeting in Saskatoon marks a hopeful shift in federal-provincial relations, with renewed collaboration and shared goals under Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The premiers’ gathering in Saskatoon has brought a fresh sense of hope and teamwork to Canadian politics, a welcome change from the tensions of the Trudeau era. With Mark Carney leading, federal and provincial leaders talked about big projects to boost the economy and unite the country. While challenges like pipeline disagreements and Indigenous rights remain, the meeting set a positive tone for cooperation. With everyone on board, real progress finally seems possible.

Let’s hope this isn’t just the usual burst of optimism that comes with a new government. We’ve been here before, where initial excitement fades and things return to normal. The real test will be whether Carney and his team can turn this positive energy into real actions and lasting change. Fingers crossed that this time, the momentum leads to real progress.

There’s some talk of the Premiers building up Carney as a kind of folk hero, ready to work wonders. Doug Ford’s comparison of the PM to Santa Claus plays into this idea and is the focus of today’s editorial cartoon.

Speaking of editorial cartoons, here’s how I approach drawing the Premiers. When I started as a cartoonist, I learned quickly that respect in this field means getting good at drawing group caricatures. As a kid, I drew funny classroom portraits, which made me popular and even helped me stand up to bullies. Drawing caricatures gave me a unique advantage.

As I got older and became interested in the news, I naturally gravitated toward satire. The patience I learned from those classroom scenes paid off when I saw professional cartoonists create group caricatures. These weren’t the usual amusement park portraits; they captured powerful people from all angles. I studied these cartoons closely and kept clippings in a journal. One of my favourites is by Tony Jenkins from the Globe & Mail, who cleverly mixed the 20th anniversary of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” with a meeting of Canadian Premiers. Jenkins turned unrelated news into a timeless classic, and he’s still a great cartoonist and friend.

Jenkins and others taught me early on that to succeed in editorial cartooning here, you must be able to draw the Premiers. I see it as a personal challenge to sketch a group shot of them occasionally, keeping my skills sharp. Here’s a look back at some of my past Premier group portraits:

Sketch studies of premiers (c1995) Pat Binns, Russell MacLellen, Frank McKenna, Glen Clark, Brian Tobin, Lucien Bouchard, Mike Harris, Ralph Klein.

Fathers of Confederation – illustrated in 1995. I’ve drawn various renditions of the premiers cast in this classic portrait, here in 2006, and  here in 2014.

Friday October 14, 2005 – The Alberta government announced a $10 million plan to distribute $400 cheques to residents as part of a $1.4-billion “resource rebate” initiative, funded by the province’s surplus from oil and natural-gas royalties.

Sunday June 17, 2007 – On occasion of Father’s Day, Prime Minister Harper’s aggressive tactics in the past federal-provincial dispute over the Atlantic Accord and equalization payments overshadowed the facts, with Nova Scotia’s demands to remove the fiscal capacity cap being seen as unreasonable and unfair.

Thursday November 22, 2012 – Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and other premiers criticized Prime Minister Stephen Harper for not attending a meeting to collaborate on a national economic strategy, viewing it as a missed opportunity to build on past federal-provincial cooperation during economic challenges. McGuinty had recently announced his departure from public life.

Wednesday October 12, 2016 – the federal government under Justin Trudeau announced a carbon pricing plan starting at $10 per tonne in 2018, rising to $50 by 2022, to reduce emissions and meet climate commitments, which provoked backlash from several provinces.

Thursday, July 25, 2013 – Kathleen Wynne chaired a historic Council of the Federation conference in July 2013, where women led the majority of Canada’s largest provinces, marking a shift from the traditional male-dominated leadership and focusing on collaborative discussions on national issues. In this cartoon I simply had to imagine what a carriage load of first husbands looked like.

Tuesday November 24, 2015 – Ahead of the Paris climate talks, Justin Trudeau and premiers aim to unify Canada’s climate message, balancing existing provincial leadership and economic growth with national climate commitments.

Tuesday February 7, 2023 – Justin Trudeau’s Liberals were struggling to regain momentum and hoped a health care deal would help them reset their agenda and address Canadians’ concerns.

This has been posted to Substack, which you can subscribe to. Substack is a great platform for me as a cartoonist. I’m mindful of the layoffs hitting many talented people, but I’m keeping a positive outlook. Take a look at the animation of my June 4, 2025, cartoon, and thanks for your support!