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Great Britain

Friday May 24, 2024

May 24, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

As the UK election looms, the political challenges faced by Rishi Sunak offer strategic lessons for Justin Trudeau, highlighting the precarious nature of incumbency and the rising popularity of opposition leaders like Keir Starmer and Pierre Poilievre.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 24, 2024

The Precarious Tightrope of Incumbency: Lessons from the UK for Canada

The heightened rhetoric against undocumented immigrants by global leaders, including Canada's Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, underscores concerns about the potential impact on compassionate immigration policies, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach that prioritizes both economic interests and humanitarian considerations.

Tuesday December 19, 2023

As the United Kingdom braces for its election on July 4th, 2024, the political dynamics unfolding in Westminster offer a timely and instructive case study for Canadian politicians. Despite the differing ideological spectra of their governing parties—Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives in the UK and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in Canada—both nations share parliamentary democracies grappling with similar societal challenges. These include public healthcare, housing, infrastructure, climate change, military commitments, and education.

News: Rishi Sunak announces UK general election for Thursday 4 July

October 20, 2022

Incumbency, often seen as a strategic advantage, has increasingly become a double-edged sword in modern politics. Leaders in both the UK and Canada are experiencing the harsh realities of this phenomenon. Rishi Sunak and Justin Trudeau, though ideologically distinct, face strikingly similar challenges as they navigate their respective political landscapes: economic pressures, public service strain, and the balancing act of climate and infrastructure commitments. Voters in both countries express growing discontent over the perceived failure of their governments to manage these issues effectively.

The popularity surges of leaders like Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre highlight the perilous tendency of voters to invest unrealistic faith in political figures, underscoring the importance of maintaining critical analysis and skepticism in democratic engagement.

April 13, 2024

The upcoming UK election is not just a national event; it serves as a strategic lesson for Canadian political parties and leaders. The Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak, faces an uphill battle against a resurgent Labour Party under Keir Starmer. The parallels to Canada’s political landscape are compelling. Sunak’s approach to economic management and public services will be scrutinized and judged by a weary electorate. In Canada, Trudeau’s handling of similar issues will likely face the same scrutiny in the next election. The ability to present credible, effective policy solutions is paramount. Starmer’s rise in popularity highlights the importance of presenting a clear, alternative vision that resonates with voters’ needs and aspirations. Similarly, Pierre Poilievre’s popularity surge in Canada suggests a similar dynamic, where opposition leaders can capitalize on public discontent by offering a fresh perspective and robust policy alternatives.

Analysis: Another Canada 93? Tory Sunak critics fear extinction-level election result

September 7, 2022

The effectiveness of campaign strategies in the UK will be closely watched by Canadian political strategists. Sunak’s ability to navigate his party’s internal divisions, communicate his policy achievements, and address voter concerns will provide valuable insights. Likewise, Trudeau must carefully craft his campaign to address both his government’s achievements and the criticisms levelled against it.

The metaphorical tightrope that Rishi Sunak walks—balancing policy promises and public dissatisfaction while facing an angry electorate—mirrors the precarious position Justin Trudeau finds himself in. The circus-like atmosphere of modern politics, with its high stakes and ever-present risk of a misstep, underscores the perilous nature of incumbency. In the months leading up to the Canadian election, Trudeau’s Liberals can glean several strategic lessons from Sunak’s experience: engaging the electorate proactively, articulating a coherent and compelling vision for the future, and being flexible and responsive to the changing political landscape and voter sentiment can help navigate the complexities of modern election campaigns.

Analysis: Why Labour’s drawn to a Canadian conservative

July 13, 2022

As Canadians observe the UK’s election, it’s essential to recognize the shared political realities and the valuable lessons they offer. The challenges of incumbency, the importance of strategic campaigning, and the necessity of addressing voter concerns transcend national borders. For Trudeau, Sunak’s tightrope walk offers a vivid illustration of the stakes involved and the potential strategies to employ. In this interconnected world of politics, the fate of one leader can indeed serve as a strategic lesson for another, highlighting the universality of the democratic struggle and the enduring quest for effective governance. The rising popularity of Keir Starmer and Pierre Poilievre underscores this point, showing how opposition leaders can effectively harness public dissatisfaction to present themselves as credible alternatives and potential shoe-ins for the highest office.

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2024-10, Canada, CapCut, circus, election, Great Britain, incumbency, Justin Trudeau, Keir Starmer, Pierre Poilievre, pitchfork, procreate, Rishi Sunak, tightrope, UK

Tuesday March 19, 2024

March 19, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Navigating the delicate balance between privacy and public duty, recent events involving Princess Kate highlight the necessity for strategic communication within the Royal Family to foster transparency and trust while fulfilling obligations to the public.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday March 19, 2024

Royal Responsibilities: Navigating Privacy and Public Duty

Monarchy placemat

In the recent discourse sparked by an article in the Hamilton Spectator titled “The PR silence around Princess Kate’s well-being fuels frenzy about photo mishap” by Terry Flynn and Alex Sévigny, the intricate balance between privacy and public obligation within the Royal Family has been brought to the forefront. As the world scrutinizes the events surrounding Princess Kate, it becomes evident that effective communication strategies are essential in maintaining transparency and trust while fulfilling the duties expected of royal figures.

Opinion: The PR silence around Princess Kate’s well-being fuels frenzy about photo mishap

May 6, 2023

The contrasting approaches to health disclosures within the Royal Family serve as poignant examples of this dichotomy. King Charles, confronted with a cancer diagnosis, opted for openness, employing strategic communication to provide updates and foster empathy among the public. His transparency not only garnered sympathy but also served a broader public interest by raising awareness of prostate cancer.

Conversely, Princess Kate’s decision to maintain silence regarding her health issues, coupled with the mishandling of a family photo, resulted in a vacuum ripe for speculation and sensationalism. The absence of official commentary exacerbated the media frenzy, eroding trust and fueling wild conjecture.

January 15, 2022

While the desire for privacy is understandable, it must be reconciled with the reality that transparency and communication are integral to royal duties. Joining the Royal Family entails surrendering a degree of privacy in exchange for the privilege and responsibility of serving the public.

News: Can royals move on from Kate photo media storm?

In an era marked by relentless media coverage and social media scrutiny, the need for effective communication within the Royal Family cannot be overstated. Sound counsel and strategic storytelling are indispensable tools in navigating the complexities of public life while safeguarding personal privacy.

March 9, 2021

The saga surrounding Princess Kate serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate dance between privacy and public duty in the realm of royalty. As the future queen consort, her experiences underscore the necessity of embracing transparency and communication, even in the face of personal challenges. Only through open dialogue and strategic engagement can the Royal Family fulfill its obligations while maintaining the dignity and respect befitting its esteemed position. (AI)

Posted in: Canada Tagged: 2024-06, beefeater, duchess of Cambridge, Great Britain, Kate Middleton, Monarchy, photoshop, Princess Kate, tourists, Tower of London, UK

Saturday January 7, 2023

January 7, 2023 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 7, 2023

The enduring anguish of being the royal ‘spare

September 30, 2022

“Wonderful. Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare, my work is done.” That was the conversation that Prince Harry claims marked the day of his own birth, with the then Prince Charles joking to the Princess of Wales about the arrival of their second son.

The story is told in Harry’s memoir, called Spare, and he says the term was often used to describe him, within his own family.

“They would say it without a spirit of judgement, but straight out. I was the shadow, the supporting actor, the plan B,” he writes, in a translation of the book’s Spanish edition.

“I was brought into this world in case something happened to Willy,” he writes, using the nicknames that saw Prince William as “Willy” and Prince Harry as “Harold”.

The saying “an heir and a spare” refers to aristocratic families needing an heir to inherit a title or an estate, and the “spare” as the younger sibling who could be the replacement if anything happened to the heir before he or she has their own children.

It clearly annoyed Prince Harry enough to use it as a title for his book, and it taps into the longstanding difficulty of this uncertain royal understudy role, where there’s wealth and privilege but no obvious sense of purpose.

March 9, 2021

“It’s a non-position,” says royal expert Professor Pauline Maclaran, from the Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy, Royal Holloway, University of London.

“There’s no clear role apart from shaking hands and being pleasant to people,” says Prof Maclaran.

A life of pointless luxury might have its decadent charms, but it also carries a heavy risk of unfulfillment and lack of direction.

So much so that Prof Maclaran says that a modern, slimmed-down monarchy should either find better defined roles for such individuals, or else release them from any royal expectations, once they’ve slipped down the pecking order of succession.

Royal historian Ed Owens says Sweden and Denmark are examples of where such an approach has been taken, “downsizing” the royal families, so that individuals who might have been marginal “spares” can have their own private lives “unfettered by royal responsibilities”.

Mr Owens says that Princess Margaret, younger sister to the late Queen Elizabeth II, is an example of the pressures put upon such siblings, in a way that remains relevant to the problems raised by Prince Harry.

January 15, 2022

Prince Andrew is another whose attempts at finding a role have not exactly ended well. Even before the scandal involving sex assault claims, which he denied, he had gained the nickname of Air Miles Andy for his many overseas trips.

But there have been positive outcomes. George VI, a shy and initially reluctant monarch, had been Edward VIII’s younger sibling but stepped up to the plate as King after his childless brother abdicated, and proved to be a leader in wartime.

Letter to the Editor, The Hamilton Spectator

His father, George V, had been another second son who came to the throne. His older brother had died at the age of 28 in an outbreak of flu in 1892.

There are also historical templates for the younger royal being cast in a negative light, accused of dissolute and disreputable behaviour or as a rival threatening to undermine the authority of the elder.

Think of Bad King John versus Good King Richard, in the 12th Century power struggle between brothers, that was depicted in a 1970s Disney movie. (BBC News) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …

https://mackaycartoons.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0107-NATshort.mp4

 

Posted in: International Tagged: 2023-01, Feedback, Great Britain, history, International, letter, Monarchy, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, Princess Margaret, procreate, royalty, spare, succession, United Kingdom, zoo

Friday October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay – The Hamilton Spectator – Friday October 21, 2022

Hasta la Vista? This Time, Boris Johnson May Say, ‘I’m Back.’

It seemed at once incredible and inevitable.

September 7, 2022

No sooner had Prime Minister Liz Truss of Britain announced her sudden resignation on Thursday afternoon than a familiar name surfaced as a candidate to succeed her: Boris Johnson, the prime minister she replaced a mere 45 ‘ days ago.

Mr. Johnson, who is vacationing in the Caribbean, has said nothing publicly about a bid for his old job. But the prospect of Boris redux has riveted Conservative Party lawmakers and cabinet ministers — delighting some, repelling others, and dominating the conversation in a way that Mr. Johnson has for his entire political career.

Nor is the idea of his return merely notional: Among those who are keeping tallies of the voting intentions of lawmakers, including some London news organizations, Mr. Johnson is only slightly behind his chief rival, Rishi Sunak. On Friday morning, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is currently the business secretary and served under Mr. Johnson, became the first cabinet minister to endorse his former boss.

September 6, 2019

Mr. Johnson received both endorsement and criticism as the contest to succeed Ms. Truss gathered pace on Friday. Penny Mordaunt, now a senior minister, became the first to publicly declare her candidacy. She is considered one of the leading contenders along with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Sunak.

The prospect of Mr. Johnson back in 10 Downing Street appalls many Conservatives, who argue that voters would never forgive the party for rehabilitating him after the scandals that brought him down in July, including illicit parties held during the pandemic and misconduct allegations against a lawmaker he promoted. Embracing such a polarizing figure, they say, would splinter the Tory ranks, perhaps irrevocably.

“Only a nation which was gripped by pessimistic despair and no longer believed that there could be a serious response to its unfolding tragedies would want to take refuge in the leadership of a clown,” Rory Stewart, who ran unsuccessfully against Mr. Johnson in 2019, wrote on Friday on Twitter. (NYT)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro …

https://mackaycartoons.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2022-1021-INTshort.mp4

 

Posted in: International Tagged: 2022-35, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Britannia, cemetery, circus, Great Britain, inflation, International, Liz Truss, mortgage, procreate, UK, United Kingdom

Thursday September 9, 2022

September 9, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Elizabeth was our Queen, too

The death of Queen Elizabeth at her Scottish residence of Balmoral Castle on Thursday has plunged the United Kingdom into mourning. Union flags at official buildings were immediately lowered to half-mast. Political foes suddenly spoke as one to extol her 70 unbroken years of service to their country in what was rightly celebrated earlier this year as the longest reign in British history. And a nation in which most citizens could not remember a time before Elizabeth sat on the throne was left pondering what the future — under King Charles, her oldest son — now holds.

June 10, 2022

But the passing of Elizabeth at the age of 96 was also immediately felt — and deeply so — on this side of the Atlantic by many, many Canadians. She was our Queen, too, and has reminded us of that over and over again ever since ascending the throne and becoming our head of state in 1952. The bond she forged with Canadians was more than ceremonial and more than symbolic; it was visceral, based on mutual respect, admiration and, quite arguably, love. And that was never because of the bejeweled headpiece known as the crown. It was because of the woman who wore it with grace, dignity and even humility.

June 4, 2012

As an institution in the U.K., Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms in which Elizabeth was head of state, the monarchy has had its ups and downs. Perhaps more downs in recent years. The odd behaviour — and misbehaviour — of some members of the Royal Family go a long way to explaining that. But the Queen herself was different and universally perceived as such. Yes, she represented the monarchy. Of course she embodied its highest values, devoted as she was to duty and acting more as a servant than ruler of the people. But on a personal level she was far bigger than this ancient, and in some minds, anachronistic institution.

June 11, 2016

While one of the most recognizable people in an era of history that is coming to a close, she was timeless. The Queen may have enjoyed fantabulous wealth. She certainly spent much of her time in the rarefied atmosphere of palaces surrounded by splendid objects d’art, with her needs met by an army of servants. But the way she lived each day often seemed as much middle-class as aristocratic. Indeed, during family vacations at Balmoral, Elizabeth was famous for doing the washing up. No wonder her name became synonymous with the term “work ethic.” Her steadfast commitment to making the performance of her job her highest priority could well be her greatest legacy.

Canada gained from that commitment, too. Her reign encompassed the tenures of 12 Canadian prime ministers. She made 22 official visits to Canada before the frailties of age convinced her to leave overseas travel to her children and grandchildren. And each visit offered in its own way a recognition of how Canada was changing, from a post-Second-World-War country still profoundly and uncertainly tied to its colonial past to one that was more confident, diverse and truly master of its own destiny. Canada prizes evolution over revolution. Elizabeth helped us evolve.

April 10, 2021

While she represented tradition, she was unafraid of change. And it was also her calling to provide something constant in the midst of that change, an anchor in often turbulent waters. She was here in 1959 to open the engineering marvel that is the St. Lawrence Seaway. She returned to celebrate Canada’s Centennial in 1967 and the start of the Montreal Olympics in 1976. But without doubt, Elizabeth’s most memorable moment in the life of this country came in 1982 when she arrived to sign the Constitution Act that introduced the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That stroke of the pen also gave Canada the lasting power to change its founding documents without the consent of the British Parliament. That was true independence.

In coming days there will be many discussions about the future of the Canadian monarchy, and that is appropriate. But this is a day to reflect on the passing of Canada’s Queen. And we mean Canada’s. In her last public statement, which was issued on Wednesday just hours before she died, the Queen proved how much this country meant to her. In that message she expressed her deep sympathy for everyone impacted by last weekend’s stabbing rampage in Saskatchewan, a place she knew from six personal visits. “I mourn with all Canadians at this tragic time,” she said. Now, all Canadians can mourn for their Queen. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Posted in: Canada, International Tagged: 2022-29, Buckingham Palace, Canada, death, Elizabeth, Great Britain, history, Monarchy, Obit, obituary, procreate, queen, Queen Elizabeth, UK
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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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