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Friday June 10, 2022

June 10, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 10, 2022

Easier to use than lose the monarchy

June 11, 2016

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations have come and gone in this country without a lot of the Canadian public even realizing they were ever even here. In the United Kingdom, a four-day feel-good holiday saw 2,000 street parties, rock concerts and thousands of jubilant Brits cheering the monarch outside Buckingham Palace. Our Commonwealth cousins, the Australians, enthusiastically kicked up their heels in four days of festivities, too, as landmarks across their antipodean nation were bathed in royal-purple lights, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lit a special Commonwealth beacon and an island was renamed in Elizabeth’s honour. But in Canada, the loudest sounds came from crickets.

The best you can say about the federal government’s underwhelming response is that it was a foolproof cure for insomnia. Yes, there was a three-day whirlwind tour in May of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, that saw them stop in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ottawa and the Northwest Territories but, strangely, get nowhere near any of the country’s very biggest cities. Ho hum. If the government had deliberately set out to stage a mainly invisible non-event, it could not have succeeded better, something John Fraser, of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada called “embarrassing.”

July 11, 2020

Fraser may be in the minority. An Angus Reid poll from April reported that 51 per cent of respondents oppose this country continuing as a constitutional monarchy, though most by far personally admired the Queen. Yet despite such ambivalent views, there are strong reasons to conclude Canada just missed out on several nationally-unifying opportunities. First — and whatever the future holds for the Canadian Crown — we squandered the chance to properly commemorate Elizabeth’s extraordinary achievement of being the longest reigning monarch in not just British but Canadian history. It was an ungenerous move on Ottawa’s part.

The beating heart of this jubilee is a woman who has committed her life to public service since 1952 and continues to make a few public appearances at the age of 96. As Canada’s head of state, she has done everything this country has asked of her for 70 years, ever since Louis St. Laurent was prime minister. To be sure, Canada has changed phenomenally since she ascended the throne; but she remains a living symbol of our shared traditions and values as well as a cornerstone of Canadian democracy.

January 13, 2020

That brings us to Point 2: Had Ottawa marked this jubilee with more than indifference it could have reminded Canadians that we remain a constitutional monarchy. The Crown is embedded in the warp and woof of our political fabric and speaks to the deliberate division between our Head of State (the Queen) and the head of government (Justin Trudeau). Power, legally speaking, resides in the Crown even though the Queen and her representative, the Governor General, use it rarely and only in urgent situations. But while the PM and his government wield the power, they do so only with House of Commons majority support. They are ephemeral. The Crown is permanent, or at least it has been throughout the 155 years of Canadian Confederation.

Time, of course, frays many traditional bonds. And with the ongoing reckoning with a colonial past that too often devastated Indigenous Peoples, the old bonds, symbols and ways are increasingly being questioned and, in some cases, tossed. But those who would criticize the monarchy in this country face an uphill slog if they want to dump it. For starters, we’d have to decide what should replace the monarchy. Do we elect a governor general in a nationwide vote? Sounds complicated. How about a republic, with an all-powerful president as head of state — someone who might turn out to be a Donald Trump? Oops.

July 24, 2019

And even if someone came up with a reasonable alternative, divesting ourselves of the Crown could never happen without the approval of the House of Commons, Senate, and every provincial legislature. That constitutional bar’s almost impossible to clear. And remember: When the changes proposed in the Meech Lake accord failed to achieve this in the 1990s, the result was a national unity crisis, a near-miss for Quebec separation and the destruction of the old Progressive Conservative party. Want to dance through this mine field again?

As a respected and, in some quarters, beloved monarch heads into her final years, perhaps we should have these discussions. But people should speak up with their eyes wide open. A little clear foresight might convince us to find new ways to use the Canadian monarchy rather than try to lose it. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2022-19, beaver, Canada, constitutional monarchy, crown, government, Jubilee, Monarchy, platinum jubilee, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II

Tuesday August 25, 2015

August 24, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday August 25, 2015 The Growing Power of the PMO In 2006, Stephen Harper rode into Ottawa with a mandate to clean up the ethical wreckage of the Liberal sponsorship scandal. The Conservative Party leader moved quickly as the prime minister of a minority government. He banned corporate and union donations, and lowered the individual donation limit to $1,000. He toughened federal lobbying rules, created the Parliamentary Budget Office and gave additional powers to the Ethics Commissioner. His goal, he said over and over, was to return accountability to Ottawa. And he did that, to a degree. His reforms have helped bring the federal government up to date on important issues of political financing and budget oversight. Not surprisingly, though, Mr. Harper failed to target the real source of OttawaÕs accountability crisis. As the trial of Mike Duffy has reminded us, the greatest threat to responsible government in Canada is none other than the Prime MinisterÕs Office. Over the past 40 years, the PMO has morphed into a parasite on the body of Parliament that prospers by sucking the democracy out of its host. The court-documented efforts by Nigel Wright, the former chief of staff to Mr. Harper, to control the Senate from inside the PMO are outrageous only because they have been exposed by Mr. DuffyÕs lawyer. The real scandal lies below the surface, where the PMO uses its toxic tentacles to neutralize every part of government that might compete with it for power, so that today we are ruled by an imperial prime minister, unaccountable to anyone or anything. Do not blame Mr. Harper alone for this. The expansion of the PMO began under Pierre Trudeau, and every prime minister since then has been responsible for increasing its malignant grip on Parliament. Brian Mulroney was the first to name a Òchief of staffÓ and elevate that person above the principal secretary who was, up till then, the highest unelect

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday August 25, 2015

The Growing Power of the PMO

In 2006, Stephen Harper rode into Ottawa with a mandate to clean up the ethical wreckage of the Liberal sponsorship scandal. The Conservative Party leader moved quickly as the prime minister of a minority government. He banned corporate and union donations, and lowered the individual donation limit to $1,000. He toughened federal lobbying rules, created the Parliamentary Budget Office and gave additional powers to the Ethics Commissioner.

His goal, he said over and over, was to return accountability to Ottawa. And he did that, to a degree. His reforms have helped bring the federal government up to date on important issues of political financing and budget oversight.

Not surprisingly, though, Mr. Harper failed to target the real source of Ottawa’s accountability crisis. As the trial of Mike Duffy has reminded us, the greatest threat to responsible government in Canada is none other than the Prime Minister’s Office.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013Over the past 40 years, the PMO has morphed into a parasite on the body of Parliament that prospers by sucking the democracy out of its host. The court-documented efforts by Nigel Wright, the former chief of staff to Mr. Harper, to control the Senate from inside the PMO are outrageous only because they have been exposed by Mr. Duffy’s lawyer. The real scandal lies below the surface, where the PMO uses its toxic tentacles to neutralize every part of government that might compete with it for power, so that today we are ruled by an imperial prime minister, unaccountable to anyone or anything.

Do not blame Mr. Harper alone for this. The expansion of the PMO began under Pierre Trudeau, and every prime minister since then has been responsible for increasing its malignant grip on Parliament. Brian Mulroney was the first to name a “chief of staff” and elevate that person above the principal secretary who was, up till then, the highest unelected authority in the PMO. Jean Chrétien relied on the protective coating of the PMO to shield himself from direct responsibility for the sponsorship scandal, just as Mr. Harper is now doing in the Duffy affair. (Continued: Globe & Mail)

Posted in: Canada Tagged: Brian Mulroney, Canada, crown, Democracy, imperialism, Jean Chretien, John Turner, Kim Campbell, Monarchy, Paul Martin, Pierre Trudeau, PMO, power, Prime Ministers Office, royalty, Stephen Harper

Friday April 17, 2015

April 16, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Friday April 17, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 17, 2015

Liberals will sell 60% of Hydro One to fund transit infrastructure

Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals will sell off 60 per cent of the province’s $16-billion Hydro One transmission utility to bankroll new transit infrastructure, the Star has learned.

Queen’s Park will retain a 40 per cent stake and minority shareholders will be limited to a 10 per cent ownership, sources say.

At the same time, Hydro One Brampton and Hydro One Networks’ distribution arm will be spun off into a separate company and sold outright for up to $3 billion.

The Hydro One changes — and a plan to allow the sale of beer in about 300 supermarkets — are key recommendations in a major report to be released Thursday by Wynne’s privatization guru Ed Clark, the former TD Bank CEO.

Insiders confide that Wynne will immediately accept Clark’s findings and move forward ahead of Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s April 23 budget.

All proceeds will go toward a 10-year, $29 billion infrastructure plan that includes $15 billion to build public transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Wynne defended the Hydro One partial privatization, saying it’s a “very different process” than the full sell-off the Progressive Conservative administration had planned in 2002 because Ontario will keep the largest single ownership stake and maintain regulatory and price control. (Source: Toronto Star)

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: corporation, crown, electricity, energy, generation, Hydro One, Kathleen Wynne, Ontario, pawn, privatization, shop, utility

Friday September 28, 2012

September 28, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Friday September 28, 2012

Justinmania raises prospect others will drop out

Federal Liberals are facing the prospect of a short list of candidates for their upcoming leadership race following confirmation Wednesday that Justin Trudeau will throw his hat in the ring.

Many Liberals have been practically giddy over the dream of Trudeau’s name being on the leadership ballot — a dream that will become reality when the 40-year-old MP officially announces his candidacy at an event in Montreal next Tuesday.

But it is also no secret a number of other prospective contenders have been waiting for him to lay his cards on the table before deciding whether they would pony up the $75,000 entry fee and challenge him for the job.

The question now is how many will opt to save their money and quietly fade out of the leadership conversation rather than face the celebrity star power that threatens to unleash a second iteration of Trudeaumania.

Trudeau, clearly enjoying the attention and excitement revelations of his pending candidacy had generated, refused to confirm the upcoming announcement when confronted by a horde of waiting journalists Wednesday morning.

“Thank you very much for all your interest,” he said at one point as he left a weekly meeting of Liberal MPs and senators.

“I’m pleased to hear all the buzz and all the interest in the Liberal Party’s fortunes, but I have nothing to announce today. I will let you know when I have something to announce.”

Fellow Liberal MP Denis Coderre, who will announce whether he will run for the leadership on Nov. 9, said he welcomed Trudeau’s entrance into the race. (Source: National Post) 

 

Posted in: Canada Tagged: biblical, Bob Rae, Canada, crown, Deborah Coyne, Denis Coderre, Jean Chretien, Justin Trudeau, leadership, Liberal, Marc Garneau, parting, red, sea

Thursday August 16, 2012

August 16, 2012 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday August 16, 2012

There have been secret talks about local casino

City staff say there’s “interest” brewing about building a casino in Hamilton — but not even council is allowed to know who’s behind it.

Tim McCabe, the city’s director of economic development and planning, said he has had “absolutely confidential” discussions about a new gambling facility in the city.

“I have had some discussions through a third party, and there is some interest in Hamilton,” McCabe said.

McCabe’s comments came about after Councillor Sam Merulla put forward a motion asking for a moratorium on any new gaming facility in the city until the public can vote in a referendum on the issue during the 2014 municipal election.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced a massive “modernization” earlier this year that includes plans for one casino in the Hamilton/Burlington area. It’s still not clear whether that means Flamboro Downs will remain open — council’s preference — or whether a new facility will be built.

Though Merulla’s argued that locating a new casino in the city would be as contentious as the Pan Am stadium debate, McCabe warned councillors that passing Merulla’s motion could potentially cut the city off from millions of dollars’ worth of investment. Councillors were divided about whether or not to approve the referendum.

Councillor Judi Partridge said the city’s role is “not to roll over or chase an elusive carrot” and criticized the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, arguing the city has “a chance to say no, and to be in the driver’s seat.”

Mayor Bob Bratina argued that the city should be open to all possibilities.(Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Posted in: Hamilton Tagged: anchor, Bob Bratina, carnival, casino, charity, Copps, crown, Gambling, Gore, Hamilton, innovation, Lister, spin, wheel

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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.

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