graveyard

Thursday October 31, 2024

Justin Trudeau, like a political zombie, refuses to depart, dragging his frightened followers toward electoral ruin as they lack the courage to put him down.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme’s MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 31, 2024

Zombie Trudeau: The Leader Who Refuses to Die

The federal government, led by Justin Trudeau, is making changes to its climate policy, which primarily benefit Atlantic Canada. These changes include increased rural rebates and exemptions for home heating oil from the carbon tax. This has generated mixed reactions and debates.

October 28, 2023

It’s Halloween season, and on Parliament Hill, the Liberals are living a nightmare. Their leader, Justin Trudeau, staggers forward like a political zombie—undead, unelected, and unwilling to depart. He lurches from caucus meeting to caucus meeting, dragging behind him the decaying remains of a once-powerful party. His followers, terrified but unable to escape, shuffle along in his wake, too paralyzed by fear to put him down.

Opinion: Liberal dissenters need to show some backbone

October 31, 2019

A letter demanding his resignation from 24 Liberal MPs was nothing more than a whimper in the wind. Trudeau let it pass, only to rise again the next day, grinning that ghastly, un-killable grin, proclaiming unity where none exists. Craig Wallace’s critique in The Hamilton Spectator slammed the MPs for their lack of courage, comparing them to bootlickers unwilling to lift the hammer of the Reform Act. Meanwhile, Campbell Clark in The Globe and Mail explained why Trudeau’s most feared foe is not Pierre Poilievre but a secret-ballot vote—where MPs, safely hidden in anonymity, might drive a stake through his leadership at last.

Opinion: Trudeau seeks to dodge the verdict of his own party

October 16, 2019

But this horror show lingers. Trudeau’s refusal to step aside leaves the Liberal caucus in a state of paralysis, wandering aimlessly, dragged toward electoral doom. Ministers insist the rebellion is over, but their words ring hollow, like survivors trying to convince themselves the monster won’t rise again. Every day that Trudeau clings to power, the Liberals rot from within, feeding the ravenous momentum of the Conservatives, waiting gleefully to feast on the remains. If MPs can’t muster the courage to take him down, they’ll shamble along beside him—another pack of the walking dead—until they all fall together, consumed by the inevitable.

Posted to SUBSTACK.  It’s at the early experimental stage (at the time of it’s posting,) and presented in the form of notes as I figure out how to integrate it into my daily routine. I’m not a fan of it’s presentation limits. Anyway, find out what’s swirling in my head as I come up with my ideas.  It’s free and will continue to be, as will this carefully curated WordPress website which I’ve maintained obediently since 2012… until the traditional structure that has sustained me a livelihood collapses on top of me as it has for so many of my peers. Please take a look, and if you want to continue following/subscribe to my work, please subscribe, and thank you! – Graeme MacKay

The Halloween Gag

On Tuesday, I received two letters to the editor from readers who were offended by my recent editorial cartoon. It depicted 24 MPs seated in the back rows of the House of Commons, all wearing “F*ck Trudeau” t-shirts. This sentiment, which gained traction during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa, has become a common refrain, visible on bumper stickers, flags fluttering on pickup trucks, and even hanging from front porches in neighbourhoods. Is it jarring? Yes. Is it offensive? Absolutely. Has it crystallized into a widespread sentiment against Justin Trudeau’s leadership? Without a doubt. Whether you love it or hate it, that’s the reality.

Interestingly, I can’t help but wonder: would those same readers voice their concerns about standards in a family newspaper if I depicted Donald Trump standing next to a toilet with a sign reading, “Flush twice if necessary”?

That was yesterday’s editorial cartoon.

It’s easy to deduce what I’m comparing Trump to.

The satire is clear, yet that piece generated no letters of protest.

As we approach Halloween, I anticipate that my upcoming portrayal of Justin Trudeau as a walking dead man will stir even more controversy. But let’s be honest—the editorial cartoon practically writes itself in this context. This isn’t the first time I’ve drawn zombies to represent politicians who have overstayed their welcome. I did it with Dalton McGuinty, and the depiction proved prophetic shortly thereafter. After Stephen Harper’s departure, I applied the zombie motif to a graveyard of Conservative candidates, all vying for leadership while clinging to outdated policies that contributed to Harper’s political demise. Here’s a graveyard version of note I drew in 2021.

This is the essence of what we editorial cartoonists do. Sometimes we have to lean on familiar gags when the opportunity arises, irrespective of which party holds power. Halloween, combined with a political crisis, equals satire. As the stars align, this Halloween 2024, it’s monster Justin Trudeau and his hesitant followers in the spotlight. And for those who find this distasteful, rest assured that when the pendulum swings, the ridicule will shift to your political adversaries.

In many ways, Justin Trudeau has become a political zombie, staggering through Parliament Hill, clinging to power, and dragging his party toward inevitable collapse. His MPs seem paralyzed, too afraid to leverage tools like the Reform Act or a secret-ballot vote that could finally end his leadership. Despite the growing dissent among his ranks, Trudeau brushes off their timid attempts to oust him, all while maintaining a facade of unity among his ministers. With each passing day that he clings to power, the Liberals sink further into decay, inadvertently strengthening the Conservatives. If these MPs can’t muster the courage to confront him, they may soon find themselves as doomed as the leader they fear to challenge.

This is the reality of our political landscape, and it is ripe for satire. Let’s embrace the humour and the critique—it’s what keeps our democracy vibrant.

– Graeme MacKay

Read on Substack

Wednesday October 13, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 13, 2021

Canada faces wave of terminations as workplace vaccine mandates take effect

Canada is facing a potential wave of terminations tied to mandatory workplace vaccine policies as a growing number of employers require workers to be fully inoculated against COVID-19 – or risk losing their jobs, legal experts say.

September 15, 2021

Governments, institutions and companies have spent months hammering out vaccine mandates in a bid to curb an unrelenting pandemic fuelled by variants.

As employer deadlines to be fully vaccinated approach, unvaccinated workers could soon be placed on unpaid leave or terminated altogether, lawyers say.

“We’ve been contacted by thousands of people from across Canada who all have these ultimatums in front of them saying they have to be vaccinated by a certain date or risk losing their jobs,” employment lawyer Lior Samfiru, a partner with Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, said in an interview.

“We’re going to see the biggest wave of terminations we’ve seen since the pandemic started,” he said, noting that his firm has been contacted by workers in a range of industries including health care, education, banks, construction and restaurants.

“It will be significant.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled Canada’s new mandatory vaccine policy on Wednesday. It requires the core public service, air travel and rail employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of October.

The federal vaccine mandate mirrors provincial policies, such as in Nova Scotia where all school and health-care workers are required to have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of November.

Private companies have also developed corporate vaccine mandates, with looming deadlines for staff to be fully vaccinated.

The situation has left legal experts grappling with the tension between protecting the rights of individual workers and ensuring employers meet their health and safety obligations toward staff, clients and the public. (CTV) 

 

Thursday September 24, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 24, 2020

Covid: US death toll passes 200,000

More than 6.8 million people are known to have been infected in the US, more than in any other country. 

September 15, 2020

The milestone comes amid an increase in cases in a number of states, including North Dakota and Utah. 

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the new death toll was a “horrible thing” and claimed China “should have stopped” the virus. 

He also defended his record, claiming that had the US not taken action, “you could have two million, 2.5 or three million” dead. 

JHU reported the new death toll of 200,005 on Tuesday. The university has been collecting US and global coronavirus data since the outbreak began late last year in China. The first case in the US was confirmed in January.

President Trump’s administration has been repeatedly criticised over its handling of the outbreak. 

August 26, 2020

“Due to Donald Trump’s lies and incompetence in the past six months, [we] have seen one of the greatest losses of American life in history,” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday. 

“With this crisis, a real crisis, a crisis that required serious presidential leadership, he just wasn’t up to it. He froze. He failed to act. He panicked. And America has paid the worst price of any nation in the world.”

But on the same day, Mr Trump said he and his administration had done “a phenomenal job” and gave himself an “A+” for his handling of the pandemic. 

He said the US was “rounding the corner on the pandemic, with or without a vaccine”. (BBC) 

 

Wednesday October 16, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 16, 2019

From Thanksgiving and Straight into Fear Season

Trudeau digs for NDP, Green votes, issues dire warning about ‘Conservative cuts’

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau aimed a pitch at NDP and Green voters today, warning darkly that a Conservative government would mean deep spending cuts, a lack of action on climate change and weak support for abortion services — and arguing that voting Liberal is the only way to prevent it.

October 25, 2016

“In terms of the NDP and the Greens, remember this: If you want progressive action, you need a progressive government, not a progressive opposition,” Trudeau said during a campaign stop in Fredericton.

“Voting Liberal is the only way to stop Conservative cuts. Liberals know that the way to grow the economy is by investing in people and we have the record to prove it.”

Questioned by journalists after his statement, Trudeau was asked bluntly if the current Liberal strategy is to drive votes away from the NDP and Greens by whipping up fear among Canadians.

“We have been very positive in the approach that we take and we will remain so,” he said. “I’m looking for a strong mandate to continue to invest in Canadians and I will be sharp in the policy differences between us and the Conservatives.” 

October 7, 2015

Asked about an abortion clinic in Fredericton that’s under threat of closure due to a lack of funding, Trudeau said if he’s re-elected he would meet with New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs to discuss the province’s obligation to fund abortion clinics. He said he would use all the tools at the government’s disposal under the Canada Health Act.

“A Liberal government, a Liberal prime minister, will always stand up to provinces who want to limit women’s rights to choose, something that the Conservatives, particularly under Andrew Scheer, will not do,” he said.

Trudeau also said he is best positioned to push back against Conservative premiers such as Alberta’s Jason Kenney and Ontario’s Doug Ford, “who don’t want to act on climate change.” (CBC)

Conservatives stoke fear of NDP-Liberal coalition as Scheer pushes for majority

Andrew Scheer is raising the spectre of a reckless, tax-and-spend Liberal-NDP coalition government to urge Canadians to hand the Conservatives a majority on Oct. 21.

October 31, 2017

The Conservative leader warned Monday that such a coalition would lead to out-of-control spending, “massive” new taxes and “endless deficits” that would drive away investment and throw thousands of Canadians out of work.

Scheer played the fear card even though Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau refused to contemplate forming a coalition and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh walked back his earlier speculation about joining forces with the Liberals to prevent the Conservatives from forming a minority government.

Scheer pounced on what he portrayed as Trudeau’s failure to rule out a coalition.

“Now, he’s even leaving the door open to coalition government with the NDP in a desperate attempt to cling to power, a coalition that will lead to even higher taxes, less jobs, more deficits and bigger household bills,” Scheer said during a campaign stop in Winnipeg.

“So my message to Canadians is this: only a Conservative majority government can prevent a government with Justin Trudeau as the spokesman but the NDP calling the shots.”

Scheer asserted that Canadians have “a crystal clear choice between a Trudeau-NDP coalition that will raise taxes, run endless deficits and make life more expensive and a Conservative government, a majority government, that will live within its means, lower taxes, put more money back in your pockets.” (CTV)