Inquiry – mackaycartoons

Thursday January 30, 2025

January 30, 2025 by Graeme MacKay

January 30, 2025

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday January 30, 2025, and The Toronto Star

The Foreign Interference Inquiry – A Missed Opportunity for Action

January 28, 2025

As Canadians approach another federal election, concerns about foreign interference still hang over us, yet we lack clear answers. Despite the efforts put into the foreign interference inquiry and Justice Marie-Josée Hogue’s extensive report, we’re left asking the same questions since the 2021 election: What did the government know about foreign interference? When did they know it? And what actions were taken?

This inquiry, meant to protect our democracy, seems to have missed the mark in providing the answers and actions Canadians need. The report highlights some worrying attempts to influence politics, but it also criticizes the government for not taking the issue seriously enough or acting swiftly.

News: Five takeaways from the foreign-interference inquiry

August 2, 2024

The recommendations—such as changing laws and improving how we handle misinformation—are good on paper but seem unlikely to be put into action before the election. With Parliament on hold until March and the ruling party caught up in a leadership race, there’s little momentum for making these changes.

The opposition parties, while outspoken, haven’t pushed hard enough to make these reforms happen quickly. This leaves us vulnerable to further interference as we head into the election.

June 13, 2023

Rather than sparking real change, the inquiry risks becoming just another exercise in going through the motions. The lack of straightforward answers and immediate actions from this report disappoints Canadians who expect real protection against foreign meddling in elections.

Without clear steps forward, we might face the next election with the same weaknesses as before. It’s crucial for both the government and opposition to make Justice Hogue’s recommendations a priority. Only then can we start to restore faith in our democratic processes and ensure foreign interference is dealt with effectively. Until that happens, Canadians are left shortchanged by an inquiry that promised more than it has delivered.

In my latest editorial drawing, I illustrate the frustratingly slow political response to foreign interference in Canada, a concern that has persisted for years. A prime example is the inquiry led by former Governor General David Johnston, who was tasked with addressing this issue but ultimately saw his reputation sullied when his efforts were dismissed. That seems like dog ages ago, doesn’t it?

In the drawing, a race unfolds between a snail, embodying Justice Hogue, who hands over a report titled “Recommendations,” and a turtle resembling Trudeau, who dismissively says, “Great, I’ll pass it to my successor.” Meanwhile, a hare, representing Pierre Poilievre, races ahead exclaiming, “Time for a carbon tax election!” This scene highlights the government’s aloofness and the opposition’s feigned outrage, while critical questions about foreign interference remain unanswered. The finish line, ominously marked “FINISH of Prorogation,” leads into a threatening mouth and forked tongue labelled “2025 Election” underscoring the risks of inaction as we approach the next federal campaign for Canadians’ votes.

Please enjoy the January 30, 2025 making-of animated editorial cartoon below. Posts come out every Saturday as I summarize the week that was in my editorial cartoons. What you’re reading now is regarded as a “note”, which is used to help compose my weekly posts and showcase the animated versions of my daily editorial cartoons. If you like my editorial cartoons and animations, please subscribe to my Substack newsletter, if you haven’t already. A lot of work goes into these cartoons and commentary — Best of all, it’s free!

– The Graeme Gallery

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Wednesday May 8, 2024

May 8, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday May 8, 2024

Trudeau Government’s Failure to Act on Foreign Interference: A Critical Examination

September 13, 2023

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our democracy, valuing the integrity of our electoral process as sacrosanct. Yet, recent revelations regarding foreign interference in our elections cast a grim shadow over this fundamental democratic principle. Despite mounting evidence and repeated warnings from intelligence agencies, the Trudeau government’s response to this existential threat to our democracy has been nothing short of abysmal.

It is no secret that foreign actors, particularly those with ties to authoritarian regimes like China, have been actively attempting to undermine our democratic processes.

From spreading disinformation to manipulating nomination processes, these malign forces seek to sow division and erode trust in our institutions. Yet, instead of taking decisive action to confront this threat head-on, the Trudeau government has opted for a strategy of dithering and delay.

Toronto Star: Foreign meddling may not have swayed recent elections. But inquiry report provides good reason to worry

April 6, 2024

The recent interim report by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue serves as a stark reminder of the government’s failure to prioritize the security of our democracy. Despite troubling evidence of foreign interference at both the nomination and riding levels, the government has been content to twiddle its thumbs, offering little more than empty platitudes in response. This lack of urgency is not only negligent but borders on complicity in allowing foreign actors to subvert our democratic processes with impunity.

The consequences of this inaction are dire. With each passing day, the corrosive effects of foreign interference eat away at the very fabric of our democracy, eroding trust in our electoral system and undermining the legitimacy of our elected representatives. Yet, instead of mustering the political will to confront this threat, the Trudeau government seems content to bury its head in the sand, hoping that the problem will magically disappear.

January 30, 2024

But the truth is, this problem will not simply go away on its own. It requires bold and decisive action from our government to safeguard the integrity of our electoral process and protect our democracy from foreign malign influence. This means implementing robust measures to counter foreign interference, including the establishment of a foreign influence transparency registry and tougher criminal offences for those found guilty of meddling in our elections.

Moreover, it requires a proactive approach that anticipates and preemptively counters emerging threats to our democracy. This means investing in cybersecurity measures, enhancing intelligence-sharing capabilities, and working closely with our international allies to combat foreign interference in all its forms. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty on the part of our government and a betrayal of the trust placed in them by the Canadian people.

Opinion: The Liberals’ delays on foreign interference carry profound costs

April 15, 2023

In the end, the Trudeau government’s failure to act on the issue of foreign interference is not just a failure of leadership, but a failure of democracy itself. If we are to uphold the principles upon which our nation was founded, we must demand better from our elected representatives. The time for action is now, before it is too late to salvage what remains of our democracy. (AI)

he interference! They didn’t want to undermine their own support! The only reason we are here with the bill is because the Conservative opposition didn’t relent and future Order of Canada inductees Robert Fife and Stephen Chase dug up more ugliness on the Liberal corruption. In fact former GG David Johnson should have his order of Canada rescinded for his disgusting defence of the corrupt Liberals last spring with his useless report.

Tuesday January 30, 2024

January 30, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday January 30, 2024

Pierre Poilievre, Trump Parallels, and the Inquiry Tango

November 9, 2023

As Canada embarks on more inquiry investigating foreign interference in its electoral process, all eyes are on how Pierre Poilievre will navigate the proceedings and potentially cast doubt on the investigation. The ongoing comparative study, drawing parallels between Poilievre and Donald Trump, adds an intriguing layer to the unfolding political drama.

The Abacus Data poll, revealing that 48% of Canadians believe Poilievre would vote for Trump in the 2024 US Presidential election, contributes to the narrative. The perception of similarity between Poilievre and Trump is explored, with about 4 in 10 Canadians seeing them as similar, particularly on issues like the environment, climate change, social issues, worldviews, respect for democracy, and a mutual distrust of institutions and the media.

December 6, 2022

Poll: Do Canadians think Trump and Poilievre are similar? And if so, does it matter?

Trudeau’s attempt to link Poilievre to Trump in the ongoing political landscape faces challenges. The survey indicates a potential negative impact on Conservatives if more people perceive Poilievre as Trump-like, but the ongoing Conservative lead over the Liberals suggests that the strategy may have limited efficacy.

The recent editorial by Andrew Coyne in the Globe and Mail raises pertinent questions about Trudeau’s messaging strategy. While Operation Trump Card aims to position Poilievre as Trump, Coyne argues that the approach may be absurd since few genuinely view Poilievre as bad as Trump. However, the Conservative leader appears content if those who like Trump see a resemblance.

Opinion: Liberals are reaching in tying Poilievre to Trump. But it’s worth hearing how he responds

June 13, 2023

As the inquiry progresses, Canadians will keenly observe how Poilievre navigates the foreign interference narrative, especially considering the undeniable traits he shares with Trump. Poilievre’s potential efforts to cast doubt on the inquiry could be strategic, aligning with the mutual distrust for institutions and the media that both he and Trump share, as highlighted in the Abacus Data poll.

The ongoing political discourse points to the intricate dance between Poilievre and Trump associations. Poilievre’s role in shaping the narrative around foreign interference will likely be central to his political strategy as the elections approach. Canadians are poised to evaluate these dynamics and their impact on the political landscape, questioning whether the perceived similarities between Poilievre and Trump, including their overblown characterization of opponents as criminals, will be a pivotal factor in the upcoming elections. (AI)

Thursday October 27, 2022

October 27, 2022 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 27, 2022

Doug Ford can’t hide from the Emergencies Act inquiry

For the past 10 days Canadians have been watching as the closed doors that protect politicians and police from public scrutiny have been ripped from their hinges.

February 10, 2022

The inquiry into the federal Liberal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, headed by Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau, has been a gold mine for information junkies, with its fire hose release of documents, emails, handwritten notes and direct testimony into the fiasco that was the so-called Freedom Convoy in Ottawa last winter.

This inquiry has been illuminating, but it sure hasn’t been pretty. We have been offered an unfiltered look at clashing egos, duelling priorities and internecine rivalries. We have been privy to police infighting and dysfunction, charges of an “insurrection” against the former Ottawa Police Chief, Peter Sloly and repeated tales of intelligence and communications failures. We have heard from outgoing Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and await testimony from Sloly and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior ministers.

But if Ontario Premier Doug Ford gets his way, we won’t be hearing from him. Transparency and accountability are nowhere on his to-do list.

The decision of Ford and his former solicitor-general and now Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones to refuse to testify at the inquiry is indefensible. It is also displays an astounding level of arrogance and political ineptitude.

February 15, 2022

The inquiry has already heard that, according to notes from a Feb. 8 phone call between Watson and Trudeau, the prime minister thought Ford was “hiding” from his responsibilities for political reasons. Ford is now hiding in plain view, no notes required.

Testimony so far has cast the response — or more accurately the detachment — of Ford and his cabinet in an unsavoury light.

Watson testified he felt it was “disingenuous” that Queen’s Park had claimed it had sent 1,500 OPP officers to help police the occupation. Watson put the actual number closer to 50 or 60. He testified that Ford thought it would be a waste of time to join other levels of government to sit around a table “talking and making decisions,” and federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, according to notes of a meeting, thought Ford was “worried about being visible” and facing questions about his response.

Ford has also been disingenuous — if not wilfully misleading — when he told reporters last week that he hadn’t been asked to testify. Indeed, according to the letter released by commission counsel Monday, he and Jones had many times been asked and they had many times declined requests from the inquiry to sit down for interviews. Those interviews would have been the first step before public testimony.

February 19, 2022

According to a provincial spokesperson, Ford was being truthful when he said he had not been asked to testify, only to be interviewed, and that the request for testimony came after his public remarks. That can only be described as “parsing,” and Ontarians — and Canadians — deserve transparency, not a surgical semantic dissection.

Ford has been outmaneuvered on all sides. He is rightly being pilloried at Queen’s Park for his evasiveness, but Trudeau already has what he needs from the premier — a public declaration that a Progressive Conservative leader of the largest province stood “shoulder-to-shoulder” with his decision to declare the Emergencies Act. That gives the Prime Minister a shield against the convoy-friendly Conservative opposition in Ottawa and its friend-in-chief Pierre Poilievre.

On Tuesday, Ford’s lawyers filed a notice of application in Federal Court citing “parliamentary privilege” as the reason neither the premier nor former solicitor general Sylvia Jones should be compelled to appear.

August 27, 2019

“The applicants make this application for … quashing the summons to witness issued … to Premier Doug Ford (and) … Minister Sylvia Jones dated October 24, 2022,” the court documents say.

“The summonses were issued without jurisdiction, pursuant to an error of law, and must be quashed,” the legal action continues.

We don’t yet know whether the invocation of the Emergencies Act was required. But this is ultimately a political question, not a policing matter. Which makes the behaviour of Ford and Jones even more puzzling. Both ducked as the legislature reconvened Tuesday, leaving House leader Paul Calandra to declare, “this is a policing matter not a political one.” Just one more disingenuous statement from the Ford government. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial)

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 …

Thursday July 19, 2018

July 18, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday July 19, 2018

Doug Ford’s PCs launching inquiry into previous Liberal government’s spending

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is vowing to “clean up” the government’s finances, in part by launching an inquiry into the previous Liberal regime’s spending.

April 27, 2018

The PCs have created an Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry to probe Ontario’s past spending and accounting practices. The commission will be led by former B.C. Liberal premier Gordon Campbell, as well as Al Rosen, a forensic accountant, and Michael Horgan, a consultant with decades of public service experience.

“The commission will give you the answers about what went wrong,” Ford told reporters, from behind a podium bearing the slogan “Restoring trust.”

The commission’s findings will be made public, and Ford said the results should provide some advice about how to fix the situation.

December 11, 2014

“We go in there, we’re going to find additional waste, we’re going to find areas that we can drive efficiencies,” he said.

The premier is pledging that the inquiry would build on the work of the province’s auditor general, Bonnie Lysyk, who has been critical of government accounting standards that she said understate its deficits by billions.

“The office of the auditor general appreciates the government’s intent as part of the financial commission of inquiry to address the accounting practices we have previously expressed concerns about,” Lysyk said in a statement. (Source: CBC News)