Green Party

Wednesday May 31, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday May 31, 2017

B.C. NDP and Greens to release details of their power-sharing deal

B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan held a triumphant meeting of his MLAs at the legislature Tuesday, as his party prepares to overthrow the governing Liberals and take power with the help of the B.C. Greens.

March 11, 1999

Horgan arrived to a standing ovation and a flurry of desk thumping as NDP MLAs and party staff crowded into the Opposition board room at the legislature to hear details of a power-sharing agreement announced Monday with the Greens.

“Wow, what a race, what a contest, what an election campaign, and how excited are we today?” Horgan said to applause.

“We’ll have the opportunity as a caucus of 41 New Democrats to ratify an agreement that will bring stability to the legislature and allow us to focus on the things we campaigned on, allow us to ensure we can make life more affordable for British Columbians, that we can protect the services people care about, and most importantly we can make sure the economy works for everybody.

“That’s what we campaigned upon, that’s what we’re going to deliver. I’m very excited to have you all here, and I’m very excited about the prospect of forming the next government of British Columbia.”

Combined, the NDP and Greens hold 44 seats in the legislature, compared to 43 for the Liberals.

Horgan said the NDP will release a copy of the agreement with the Greens at 2 p.m. Tuesday. He mentioned it will allow an NDP government to improve housing affordability, improve health care, defend the coast from pipelines and improve the education system. (Source: Vancouver Sun)

 

Thursday August 18, 2016

2016-08-18Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 18, 2016

Elizabeth May could quit as Green Party leader this month

Elizabeth May says she could step down as Green Party leader later this month if her party doesn’t reconsider its decision to endorse a movement that calls for the boycott of Israel.

At its policy convention last weekend, Green Party members voted in favour of a resolution which, in part, said the party “supports the use of divestment, boycott and sanctions (BDS) that are targeted to those sectors of Israel’s economy and society which profit from the ongoing occupation of the OPT [occupied Palestinian Territories.]”

“I would say as of this minute I think I’d have real difficulties going not just to an election but through the next month,” May said in an interview with CBC Radio’s The House, set to air this Saturday morning on CBC Radio One.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay Ð Monday August 22, 2016

 August 22, 2016

“There are a lot of issues I want to be talking about with Canadians, and this isn’t one of them.”

May is headed to Nova Scotia for a family vacation, where she will seek their advice on her future as leader.

“I need to talk to my family and ask them what they think I should do,” May said. “You’re talking to a broken-hearted person who is trying to figure out the best way forward.”

After Green Party members endorsed the BDS movement, several prominent Jewish organizations denounced the move, with one leader saying he was “irate” with the party.

But another Jewish group was enthusiastic about the resolution brought forward by the Green Party’s justice critic, Dimitri Lascaris.

May — who opposes BDS — said she has been criticized as both a Zionist and an anti-Semite since it was adopted as official party policy.

“It’s horrible. You are caught between two very strong loud voices,” she said.

“I think it is wrong-headed for the party. It’s a very polarizing and divisive campaign.” (Source: CBC News)

 

Wednesday October 14, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday October 14, 2015 LetÕs be frank: the Green Party movement in Canada would be all but dead without Elizabeth May as its leader. Through her boundless energy and passion, May has achieved the near- impossible by keeping the Greens in the public eye during the current election dominated by the front-running Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats. Excluded from most leadersÕ debates, she uses Twitter and Facebook to reach voters, appears on TV and radio every chance she gets, talks with reporters at length, travels across Canada on behalf of Green candidates and meets constantly with university students and seniors groups. Indeed, she is possibly the hardest-working federal leader in the campaign, committed to protecting the environment, energetic, funny, personable and dedicated. Despite all her hard work and eternal optimism, though, the Green Party appears headed for an election nightmare, sliding backwards with fewer votes than in the previous two elections. At best, the Greens may elect just two MPs, including May in her B.C. riding of Sannich-Gulf Islands. May told the Toronto Star editorial board on Thursday she ideally would like to win 12 seats to become an official party in Parliament. At worst, the Greens could suffer their second straight decline in voter support nationally and lose the only other elected seat they hold in Parliament. If that occurs, the Greens would be on the verge of irrelevance on the political scene, doomed to be a fringe party with no clout, no money and few friends. It would be a sad outcome for May who has made the Greens a part, albeit tiny, of the political conversation in Canada since she became party leader in 2006. Polls consistently show the Greens with barely 3-4 per cent support nationally, including in Ontario and B.C. where the party likes to claim it has the most support. (Continued: Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentar

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 14, 2015

Green Party on the verge of irrelevance

Let’s be frank: the Green Party movement in Canada would be all but dead without Elizabeth May as its leader.

Through her boundless energy and passion, May has achieved the near- impossible by keeping the Greens in the public eye during the current election dominated by the front-running Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats.

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist - Saturday September 26, 2015 During a testy phone call, Justin Trudeau dismissed David SuzukiÕs views on the Liberal climate change policy as Òsanctimonious crap,Ó according to Suzuki. Suzuki revealed the contents of the conversation during an interview on SiriusXMÕs Everything is Political with Evan Solomon. Suzuki says he fired back, calling Trudeau a Òtwerp.Ó The renowned scientist, broadcaster and activist says Trudeau called him personally June 28, 2015 to talk about the Liberal platform on climate change that was to be revealed the next day. ÒI didnÕt call Justin, he called me,Ó Suzuki said. ÒHe wanted an endorsement and he wanted to tell me exactly what his program was.Ó For the record: Justin TrudeauÕs speech on the environment: June 29, 2015 The program includes support for the Keystone XL pipeline, a rejection of the Northern Gateway pipeline and a commitment to work with the provinces to establish a cap-and-trade system. ÒI said, ÔJustin, stop it, youÕre just being political, you just want to make headway in Alberta,ÕÓ Suzuki says he told Trudeau. ÒYouÕre for the development of the tar sands, youÕre for the Keystone pipeline, but youÕre against the Northern Gateway, youÕre all over the damn map!Ó MacleanÕs explains: Where the leaders stand on the environment Suzuki went on to advise Trudeau that taking the target of a 2 degree rise in temperature seriously means 80 per cent of the oil sands has to stay in the ground. Suzuki believes stopping oil sands development will mean Òno debate about pipelines or expanding railways or shipping stuff offshoreÑnone of that comes into it.Ó Suzuki says this is when the exchange turned nasty. ÒHe said, ÔI donÕt have to listen to this sanctimonious crap. I proceeded to call him a twerp.Ó (Source: MacLean's) http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/why-david-suzuki-called-justin-trudeau-a-twerp/ Canada, Justin Trudeau, environment, climate change, Liberal, Mother Nature, Davi

Excluded from most leaders’ debates, she uses Twitter and Facebook to reach voters, appears on TV and radio every chance she gets, talks with reporters at length, travels across Canada on behalf of Green candidates and meets constantly with university students and seniors groups.

Indeed, she is possibly the hardest-working federal leader in the campaign, committed to protecting the environment, energetic, funny, personable and dedicated.

Despite all her hard work and eternal optimism, though, the Green Party appears headed for an election nightmare, sliding backwards with fewer votes than in the previous two elections.

At best, the Greens may elect just two MPs, including May in her B.C. riding of Sannich-Gulf Islands. May told the Toronto Star editorial board on Thursday she ideally would like to win 12 seats to become an official party in Parliament.

Tuesday May 12, 2015At worst, the Greens could suffer their second straight decline in voter support nationally and lose the only other elected seat they hold in Parliament.

If that occurs, the Greens would be on the verge of irrelevance on the political scene, doomed to be a fringe party with no clout, no money and few friends.

It would be a sad outcome for May who has made the Greens a part, albeit tiny, of the political conversation in Canada since she became party leader in 2006.

Polls consistently show the Greens with barely 3-4 per cent support nationally, including in Ontario and B.C. where the party likes to claim it has the most support. (Continued: Toronto Star)

January 19, 2007

I came across a discussion on a messageboard where Green Party supporters were weighing in their thoughts on above cartoon featuring their leader Elizabeth May:

Soumis par Gareth Davies le 25 Janvier, 2007 – 21:41

I love it! Thank Camille. Where did she see it?

Soumis par Neil Adair le 25 Janvier, 2007 – 23:51

Not sure but here’s the link:

http://www.old.mackaycartoons.net/2007/huh2007-01-19.html

This one too!

http://www.old.mackaycartoons.net/2007/huh2007-01-18.html

Soumis par Erich Jacoby-Hawkins le 26 Janvier, 2007 – 03:05

If I didn’t know that was supposed to be EFM, I wouldn’t recognize her. The nose is too long & pointy, the cheeks should be round (not flat). And of course, she should be smiling.

But I suppose the caricaturists will get better with practice. As proof, Harper and Layton are very recognizable above, Dion not so much.

I look forward to ‘seeing’ more of EFM in the cartoons!

Erich Jacoby-Hawkins
Barrie, ON

p.s. And to recognize us for a non-enviro issue – yay!

Soumis par Brian Smallshaw le 26 Janvier, 2007 – 11:16

Glad to see the cartoonists feel we are a worthy subject, but is the implication here that we stand for poverty? Is it that you have a choice, between an unsustainable, environmentally degraded world, or poverty? Hope not.

Brian Smallshaw
Saanich-Gulf Islands EDA

Soumis par Erich Jacoby-Hawkins le 26 Janvier, 2007 – 14:24

I thought it was pretty clearly expressing that our party is now leading the way on addressing poverty – in a comprehensive, ‘fix for a generation’ style via GAI rather than a patchwork of expensive-to-administrate programs which still leave gaps.

The timing is in relation to the policy conference we just had on that topic in BC last weekend. When was the last time a gray party, even the NDP, had a conference on how to end poverty, rather than just demand more money to expand the programs that don’t work now?

The cartoon says that EFM and the GPC are staying ahead of the grays – we were onto climate change while they ignored it, now we are also on poverty and they’ll have to catch up. We’re ahead of the curve. (Standing on the poverty island does not mean we want or will create poverty any more than standing on the climate change island implies we support climate change – in fact, the opposite).

This is a pretty amazing statement from a political cartoonist – very Green-positive, and in a way we want (breaking out of the one-issue-party meme).

Erich Jacoby-Hawkins
Barrie, ON

Soumis par Brian Smallshaw le 26 Janvier, 2007 – 15:26

Yes, I thought it should be taken that way; just wondered if anybody might read it wrong.

Brian Smallshaw
Saanich-Gulf Islands EDA