illusion

Friday December 14, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 14, 2018

5 Takeaways About Theresa May’s (Sort of) Victory

Prime Minister Theresa May survived a revolt on Wednesday by the hard-line, pro-Brexit parliamentary faction of her Conservative Party.

November 16, 2018

That will give her some time to try to get her plan for leaving the European Union — the same one that spurred the revolt — through Parliament.

But the final tally in the no-confidence vote on Wednesday also showed just how difficult that will be.

To pass legislation, Mrs. May needs the votes of all her party’s lawmakers and more — her government relies on the backing of a small Northern Ireland party. In this ballot, which was restricted to Conservative members of Parliament, 200 lawmakers supported her and 117 voted to eject her from office.

June 22, 2016

More than a third of her own party wanted someone else leading the Brexit process. That was especially sobering because about half of Conservative lawmakers also hold paid government posts of some sort; Mrs. May’s critics were quick to argue that she would have lost handily without the support of this “payroll vote.”

The prime minister bargained away her long-term political future to ensure she would survive the no-confidence vote, promising Conservative lawmakers that she would step down before a general election set for 2022.

A vote against Mrs. May’s leadership was effectively a vote against her agreement on leaving the European Union. (Her government is doing little else at the moment.)

June 24, 2016

European leaders will greet any attempt to rewrite the 585-page, legally binding withdrawal agreement with a resounding no. They refuse to abandon a so-called backstop arrangement that at least temporarily keeps Britain in a customs union with Europe to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and Ireland, which is a member of the European Union.

If Parliament does nothing before March 29, Britain’s relationship with the European Union will rupture overnight. Banking, trade, travel, food, medicines, the fluid border between Ireland and Northern Ireland — all would be thrown into flux. (Source: New York Times) 

 

Wednesday August 19, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday August 19, 2015 The back and forth continues at the Mike Duffy Trial As the leaders of CanadaÕs three main political parties continue on their respective campaign trails, Stephen HarperÕs former chief of staff and the lawyer for disgraced senator Mike Duffy were expected to continue their sparring in an Ottawa courtroom on Tuesday. Duffy, who was appointed to the Senate in 2008 by Harper, has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges in connection with his Senate office, living and travel expenses. DuffyÕs lawyer, Donald Bayne, spent much of Monday trying to show that it was not Duffy who demanded money and set conditions to rectify the matter but the Prime MinisterÕs Office. Kerry Kolodiazny, a member of the public following the trial, left, uses his laptop to film himself with Nigel Wright, as he leaves the courthouse in Ottawa on Monday. We see Kolodiazy dressed in a flowered sports coat right out of the 1960s with a hat to match, holding his computer as he leans in to address Mr. Wright, who, as usual, is dressed in a fancy, dark suit and tie. Mr. Wright is smiling broadly. Bayne pressed Nigel Wright, who served as Prime Minister HarperÕs chief of staff from 2010 to 2013, to explain a ÒscenarioÓ co-ordinated between top aides in HarperÕs office and Duffy that included having the senator publicly admit he made a mistake with his expenses and promise to repay them. The initial plan was to have the party cover the bill, as well as DuffyÕs legal expenses and Wright has said he told Harper shortly afterward that Duffy would repay the expenses. Wright wound up writing a $90,000 cheque to Duffy to cover the expenses, telling several people in HarperÕs office as well as some Conservative Party leaders. Wright repeated that he never told Harper about the check. Meanwhile, the campaigns roll on. (Source: Radio Canada) http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/08/18/the-back-and-forth-continues-at-the-mike-duff

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 19, 2015

The back and forth continues at the Mike Duffy Trial

As the leaders of Canada’s three main political parties continue on their respective campaign trails, Stephen Harper’s former chief of staff and the lawyer for disgraced senator Mike Duffy were expected to continue their sparring in an Ottawa courtroom on Tuesday.

Duffy, who was appointed to the Senate in 2008 by Harper, has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges in connection with his Senate office, living and travel expenses.

Duffy’s lawyer, Donald Bayne, spent much of Monday trying to show that it was not Duffy who demanded money and set conditions to rectify the matter but the Prime Minister’s Office.

Kerry Kolodiazny, a member of the public following the trial, left, uses his laptop to film himself with Nigel Wright, as he leaves the courthouse in Ottawa on Monday. We see Kolodiazy dressed in a flowered sports coat right out of the 1960s with a hat to match, holding his computer as he leans in to address Mr. Wright, who, as usual, is dressed in a fancy, dark suit and tie. Mr. Wright is smiling broadly.

2011-2015

2011-2015

Bayne pressed Nigel Wright, who served as Prime Minister Harper’s chief of staff from 2010 to 2013, to explain a “scenario” co-ordinated between top aides in Harper’s office and Duffy that included having the senator publicly admit he made a mistake with his expenses and promise to repay them.

The initial plan was to have the party cover the bill, as well as Duffy’s legal expenses and Wright has said he told Harper shortly afterward that Duffy would repay the expenses.

Wright wound up writing a $90,000 cheque to Duffy to cover the expenses, telling several people in Harper’s office as well as some Conservative Party leaders.

Wright repeated that he never told Harper about the check.

Meanwhile, the campaigns roll on. (Source: Radio Canada)

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