entitlement

Thursday February 9, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 9, 2017

Hamilton city staff broke rules at Washington Trump protest

A group of city of Hamilton employees who took part in the massive anti-Trump women’s march in Washington last month were in breach of city policies.

The staffers used a city van without permission to get to Washington and conducted out-of-country city business without proper authorization.

Joe-Anne Priel, general manager of community and emergency services, was the ranking staffer among the seven employees.

Priel should have gotten authorization for the travel and use of the van from city manager Chris Murray. She didn’t.

In an email to Murray and councillors, Priel explained the group used the city van because they were conducting business while in Washington, specifically visiting community hubs and picking up “ideas which we are keen to implement.”

The question is, did they book the hub visits before or after the decision to take part in the Washington march?

The answer is a muddy as the optics. (Source: Andrew Dreschel, Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Wednesday December 2, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday December 3, 2015 Trudeau children's nannies being paid for by taxpayers Canadian taxpayers are paying the wages of two nannies hired to care for the children of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie GrŽgoire-Trudeau, according to cabinet orders posted online. The hirings were approved late last week, with cabinet authorizing the appointment of the two women under the Official Residences Act as "special assistants at the prime minister's residence." They will be paid between $15 and $20 an hour during the day and $11 to $13 an hour for night shifts effective Nov. 4 Ñ the day Trudeau and his cabinet were sworn in. The disclosure comes after an election campaign where Trudeau repeatedly attacked the Conservatives' enhanced universal child care benefit, or UCCB, and income splitting for families, arguing rich families like his and former prime minister Stephen Harper's didn't need taxpayers' help. "In these times, Mr. Harper's top priority is to give wealthy families like his and mine $2,000," Trudeau said in reference to the Conservatives' income-splitting tax credit. "Let me tell you something: We don't need it. And Canada can't afford it." Trudeau is also entitled to collect annual UCCB payments of about $3,400 for his three children. He promised to give the money to charity. One of the women hired was with the Trudeaus this past week on the prime minister's foreign trip that wrapped up Monday at the UN climate change conference in Paris. She posted photos online of the couple's two children who came on the trip. There were also shots of her with the Trudeaus' youngest child on Facebook visiting museums and at the hotel where they stayed in Paris. The prime minister's director of communications, Kate Purchase, said in an email that the two women who have been hired are doing more than childcare. "Like all families of prime ministers, a small number of staff provide assi

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 2, 2015

Trudeau children’s nannies being paid for by taxpayers

Canadian taxpayers are paying the wages of two nannies hired to care for the children of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, according to cabinet orders posted online.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday January 12, 2007 Is Justin Trudeau set to run as MP? Justin Trudeau is about to enter federal politicsÑwell, according to everyone but him, that is. While the 35-year-old school teacher and academic is remaining coy about his intentions, a report published in MontrŽalÕs French-language daily La Presse on Tue, Jan 9, claims that the eldest son of former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau is planning on running as a Liberal candidate in the next federal election in Outremont, a riding located in the centre of the Island of MontrŽal that is home to wealthy Francophone families and a sizeable Jewish community. Outremont is considered to be an extremely ÒsafeÓ riding for the partyÑsince its creation in 1933, the Liberals have failed to win the seat only once, in 1988Ñand the areaÕs current MP, former Transport Minister Jean Lapierre, has indicated that he does not plan to run in the next election. Despite his denials and deflections (ÒI have no comment to make at this time,Ó Trudeau wrote in an email to the MontrŽal Gazette), the increasing likelihood of TrudeauÕs entrance into the House of Commons has set political pundits and journalists abuzz. A recent article in MacleanÕs magazine headlined ÒHis SecretÕs OutÓ claims that Trudeau hinted in an interview that he would make an announcement regarding his future in politics sometime after Christmas, while a close friend of the supposed star candidate reportedly told the magazine ÒOff the record, I think heÕs pretty much there.Ó (Source: Vue) editorial cartoon, 2007, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Trudeau, Colm Feore, politics, Outremont, trudeau

Friday January 12, 2007

The hirings were approved late last week, with cabinet authorizing the appointment of the two women under the Official Residences Act as “special assistants at the prime minister’s residence.”

They will be paid between $15 and $20 an hour during the day and $11 to $13 an hour for night shifts effective Nov. 4 — the day Trudeau and his cabinet were sworn in.

The disclosure comes after an election campaign where Trudeau repeatedly attacked the Conservatives’ enhanced universal child care benefit, or UCCB, and income splitting for families, arguing rich families like his and former prime minister Stephen Harper’s didn’t need taxpayers’ help.

“In these times, Mr. Harper’s top priority is to give wealthy families like his and mine $2,000,” Trudeau said in reference to the Conservatives’ income-splitting tax credit. “Let me tell you something: We don’t need it. And Canada can’t afford it.”

Trudeau is also entitled to collect annual UCCB payments of about $3,400 for his three children.

He promised to give the money to charity.

April 25, 2012

One of the women hired was with the Trudeaus this past week on the prime minister’s foreign trip that wrapped up Monday at the UN climate change conference in Paris. She posted photos online of the couple’s two children who came on the trip.

There were also shots of her with the Trudeaus’ youngest child on Facebook visiting museums and at the hotel where they stayed in Paris.

The prime minister’s director of communications, Kate Purchase, said in an email that the two women who have been hired are doing more than childcare.

“Like all families of prime ministers, a small number of staff provide assistance. Given the nature of the prime minister’s responsibilities and his young family, the Trudeaus employ two household employees who, in addition to performing other duties around the house, act as secondary caregivers to the three children,” Purchase said. (Source: CBC News)

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Regina Leader-Post, December 3, 2015

Regina Leader-Post, December 3, 2015

Thursday March 10, 2011

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 10, 2011

Council’s free lunch letdown

It’s not so much about the money. In the context of the city’s annual operating budget of about $1.3 billion, $33,000 a year in lunch money is not really a huge amount.

It is more about the sense of entitlement that seems to plague our elected officials, who, by the way, earn $80,000 plus expenses.

In workplaces across the city, people bring their lunches to work. Sometimes, they may order in — pizza, subs, Chinese, whatever — and they dig into their wallets to pay for that food. There is no free lunch for regular working Hamiltonians.

Why, then, is it OK — in their own minds at least — for our city councillors to spend our tax money on their working lunches? And why do they not, but for the odd exception, have the smarts to avoid sounding insensitive to the feelings of average citizens when asked about the lunch tab.

We know that wiping out the expense of the free lunches, as other municipalities have, will not magically fix our city’s budget woes or hold the line on property taxes. But, as is the case with a household budget, the little savings add up. The big question is: If Hamilton taxpayers are forking out $33,000 a year for lunches, what else might there be that we really shouldn’t have to pay for? (Source: Hamilton Spectator editorial) 

Wednesday February 12, 1999

Reflecting on the ever-changing currents of politics, I am reminded of the editorial cartoon I drew 25 years ago. It accompanied an article urging calm during a time of political turbulence. Looking back, it feels like peering through a foggy window into the past, as time has a curious way of reshaping our perspectives.

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 12, 1999

Skipped funeral uproar: Too little time to fly to Jordan: PMO

If Jean Chretien had 90 minutes more warning he could have made the state funeral of King Hussein of Jordan, officials said yesterday. Chretien received 221/2 hours notice of the funeral, not the 24 hours required to get from Whistler, B.C., to Amman, Jordan, said a spokeswoman in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Rather than be late for the service, which was attended by a who’s who of global power politicians, Chretien continued his ski vacation and returned to Ottawa late yesterday.

“The prime minister had every intention of going to the funeral, ” said spokeswoman Jennifer Lang. “Logistically, it became impossible to get him there on time.”

Elias Haddad, 33, was one of many Jordanian-Canadians who were offended and deeply hurt. The Hamilton resident plans to send an angry letter to Chretien denouncing his move.

There are about 150 Jordanian families in the Hamilton area.

“He should have gone for us as Canadians, ” said Haddad, who owns a Dundas retirement home. “I think it’s very bad. I’ve been very upset about it. If he doesn’t respect other people, he shouldn’t be prime minister.”

Haddad noted that even Russian President Boris Yeltsin made it to the funeral, climbing out of his sickbed and ignoring the advice of his doctors.

“All over the world, they show their respect, ” added Haddad, whose home on Veevers Drive was adorned with Jordanian and black flags to note the passing of the beloved monarch.

Opposition critics and foreign affairs observers slammed Chretien for missing the most significant state funeral since that of Israel’s peacemaking prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, in 1995. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

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Shifting Sands: Navigating the Evolving Political Landscape

Reflecting on the ever-changing currents of politics, I am reminded of the editorial cartoon I drew 25 years ago. It accompanied an editorial urging calm during a time of political turbulence. Looking back, it feels like peering through a foggy window into the past, as time has a curious way of reshaping our perspectives.

March 23, 2005

The cartoon, a satirical take on then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s choice to go skiing instead of attending King Abdullah’s funeral, now seems almost quaint. In 1999, I might have detected a hint of arrogance in Chrétien, but Canadians hadn’t, and he went on to secure another majority in 2000. The storm of Shawinigate and the Sponsorship Scandal had yet to hit, and Chrétien’s political career still had four years left before he retired in 2003. Today in 2024 , he’s still alive and kicking at the ripe old age of 90.

At the time, the editorial criticized Chrétien’s absence as a diplomatic blunder rather than a deliberate snub. The cartoon depicted Chrétien with skis strapped to the roof of his limo, heading towards Parliament Hill. A bumper sticker humorously declared, “I’d Rather Be Skiing.” The subtle wordplay on the skis and the ski tow leading up to the Centre Block added layers of commentary.

Little did we know that more political dramas would unfold, with different leaders facing unique challenges. Boris Yeltsin, briefly mentioned in the editorial, continued to be in power until 2007. In January 1999, Yeltsin was increasingly viewed as a drunken buffoon, and a few months later, he passed the reins to Vladimir Putin, a name now notorious for global crisis.

November 22, 2016

Fast forward to 2016, and an Op-Ed by Thomas Walkom critiqued Justin Trudeau for skipping Fidel Castro’s funeral.  The piece lamented Trudeau’s decision, highlighting the evolution of political landscapes and the complexities of international relations. It invoked the historical context of Canada’s relationship with Cuba and emphasized the importance of recognizing the complexities of the Cuban Revolution.

What strikes me most is how political landscapes change over time. The editorial recalled Pierre Trudeau’s visit to revolutionary Cuba in 1976 and the path to reconciliation with realism and respect. It contrasted this with Justin Trudeau’s decision and the criticism he faced for not explicitly mentioning Castro’s dictatorship in his eulogy.

The 2016 piece also touched upon the dynamics of international relations, noting that other leaders, like François Hollande and Theresa May, chose not to attend Castro’s funeral, possibly due to the shifting stance of the incoming U.S. president, Donald Trump.

November 16, 2022

There have been broader discussions on political snubs, referencing instances like Yasser Arafat’s funeral, Prince Charles’s civil ceremony, and Boris Yeltsin’s notable no-show on the tarmac. These discussions contemplate whether these actions are genuine snubs or mere political posturing, acknowledging the fine line between bluster and substance in diplomatic relations.

Regarding the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the subject of the snub, it has endured as one of the most stable states in the troubled Middle East over the past quarter-century. Despite some worries during the Arab Spring, King Abdullah II has reigned without the calamities faced by neighbouring Iraq, the civil war in Syria, or the war-ravaged Israel/Palestine conflict.

Looking back on that cartoon and its accompanying editorial, I see it not just as a snapshot of a moment in time but as a lens through which to view the ever-changing currents of politics. The perceived arrogance of one leader in 1999 became a mere ripple in the ocean of subsequent political waves. It serves as a reminder that, in the grand scheme of things, even the most pointed critiques and satirical cartoons are just fragments of a much larger narrative. (Graeme MacKay January 15, 2024)