legacy

Monday March 17, 2025

The closure of Hudson's Bay marks the end of a storied Canadian institution, reflecting globalization's impact and stirring nationalistic sentiments amid modern political tensions.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday March 17, 2025

Also published in the Toronto Star.

The End of an Era: Farewell to Hudson’s Bay, a Canadian Icon

As we bid farewell to Hudson’s Bay Company, we are not just witnessing the closure of a retail chain but the end of an era that has woven itself into the very fabric of Canadian history and identity. For over three centuries, Hudson’s Bay has been more than a shopping destination; it has been a symbol of exploration, innovation, and resilience.

Founded in 1670, Hudson’s Bay was at the forefront of the fur trade, playing a pivotal role in the exploration and mapping of vast stretches of North America. Its iconic trading posts served as the foundation for many Canadian communities, marking the beginning of settlements that would grow into thriving cities. The company’s history is a testament to the spirit of adventure and enterprise that has shaped our nation.

News: Hudson’s Bay returns to court to seek approval to begin liquidating its business

However, the trajectory of Hudson’s Bay took a significant turn in 2008, when it was acquired by NRDC Equity Partners, a U.S. equity group. This acquisition marked a new chapter for the company, reflecting the broader realities of globalization. We’ve become accustomed to seeing long-established Canadian institutions pass into foreign hands—from donuts to beer, and from steel companies to department stores. Many things Canadians have embraced as their own are now under the control of foreign corporations.

To Canadian nationalists, this trend can feel like an affront. The idea that the fate of a Tim Horton’s maple glazed donut rests with a board in Ohio or that a Molson Canadian beer is influenced by decisions made in Denver can be unsettling. Similarly, the sale of Hudson’s Bay to an American investment corporation might be dismissed with a yawn by some, but it’s emblematic of a larger shift.

What many, including myself, find intriguing and lamentable is how the story of the once mighty Hudson’s Bay Company ends like this. A company that ruled over vast, undeveloped lands in North America for centuries is now just another token of commerce, passed between owners with little regard for its historical significance. Chartered in 1670 by King Charles II, Hudson’s Bay built relationships with Indigenous peoples, mapped rivers and coastlines, and laid the groundwork for Canada as we know it today. It’s difficult to dismiss this as just another corporate transaction.

News: The fall of Hudson’s Bay Co., a Canadian retail icon

In the present day, the rub against Canadians is compounded by the rhetoric from the current President, who openly discusses the idea of annexation and making Canada the 51st state. This adds another layer of complexity and tension, as Canadians grapple with the loss of iconic brands and the broader implications of such political discourse.

Yet, amidst this change, there is a silver lining. The original documents, photos, drawings, and records of the Hudson’s Bay Company will remain in Canada, preserved in the HBC Archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This ensures that the legacy of Hudson’s Bay, its contributions to Canadian history, and its influence on the development of the nation will not be forgotten.

July 18, 2008

As we move forward, let us honour the legacy of Hudson’s Bay by supporting local businesses, fostering community connections, and celebrating the rich tapestry of Canadian history that it helped to create. The end of Hudson’s Bay is a loss, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be Canadian and how we can carry forward the values that have defined this iconic institution for centuries.

This editorial cartoon was adapted from one which was originally published July 18, 2008

As I think about the closure of Hudson’s Bay, I find myself reflecting on its significance in shaping Canada’s history. While I can’t recall the last time I visited one of their stores, my connection to Hudson’s Bay is symbolized by the iconic striped blanket that keeps me warm every night—a fun fact being that these blankets are actually made in the UK.

Today, I’m in Toronto for an event tonight, and plan to make a nostalgic stop this afternoon at the flagship store at Yonge and Bay. If its doors are still open, I’ll take a moment to appreciate the memories and legacy of this storied institution.

The transition of Hudson’s Bay into American ownership in 2008 was a moment I captured in a cartoon, and now, with the rise of e-commerce, it faces new challenges. Although the retail landscape has changed, the history and impact of Hudson’s Bay continue to resonate, reminding us of its enduring role in our national narrative.

This editorial cartoon was adapted from one which was originally published July 18, 2008 https://mackaycartoons.net/2008/07/18/july-18-2008/

– The Graeme Gallery

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Saturday January 25, 2025

As Canada awaits new leadership, a political vacuum has stalled vital policies like carbon pricing, highlighting the challenges of balancing political strategy with long-term governance.

January 25, 2025

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 25, 2025

Canada’s Leadership Vacuum and the Price of Political Machinations

Doug Ford's evolution from a controversial provincial leader to a national unifier fills a leadership void left not just by Justin Trudeau, but also Pierre Poilievre, as Canada faces economic challenges similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, while dealing with his lingering past controversies.

January 15, 2025

As Canada finds itself at a pivotal moment, grappling with international pressures and domestic challenges, there is an undeniable sense of stagnation and frustration.

With Parliament prorogued until March 25, the country is effectively on pause, waiting for the Liberal Party to select a new leader to replace Justin Trudeau. This leadership vacuum is not only delaying crucial decisions but also casting a shadow over the policies that have been the hallmark of the current government.

Justin Trudeau, once a dynamic force in Canadian politics, now appears to be more of a ceremonial figurehead, chairing meetings and facilitating discussions without the power to enact substantial change. His recent interactions with provincial premiers, who are arguably steering the national agenda in response to Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric, underscore the diminishing influence of the federal government. Trump’s threats of tariffs and even provocative suggestions about Canada becoming the 51st state have elevated the stakes, demanding robust leadership and decisive action.

News: Liberal leadership hopefuls distance themselves from carbon pricing

The Liberal Party's leadership race to succeed Trudeau faces internal chaos and external pressures from U.S. tariffs, with candidates like Carney, Freeland, and Gould competing to address these challenges.

January 16, 2025

Yet, instead of rallying Canadians to the polls for a national debate and a fresh mandate to confront these challenges, the Liberal leadership contest has taken precedence. This internal party struggle has sidelined pressing national issues, leaving Canadians without a clear direction. Doug Ford’s decision to send Ontario voters to the polls highlights a regional response to the national leadership void, seeking to secure a mandate amidst uncertainty.

The sidelining of carbon pricing—a hallmark of the Trudeau government’s climate policy—exemplifies how political motivations can overshadow good policy. Leadership hopefuls like Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould, and Mark Carney are distancing themselves from consumer carbon pricing, a move that seems driven more by electoral strategy than sound environmental policy. Carbon pricing was not just a tax; it was a strategic initiative designed to incentivize greener practices and reduce carbon footprints, while simultaneously providing rebates to help offset costs for most Canadians. This policy was a critical part of Canada’s climate action framework, intending to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility.

Justin Trudeau’s increasingly apparent political vulnerabilities, underscored by missteps with Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, and Dominic LeBlanc, suggest his leadership tenure is on shaky ground as party dissent grows and alternatives emerge.

December 20, 2024

The abandonment or softening of such policies reflects a troubling trend where political maneuvering takes precedence over long-term strategic goals. The candidates’ retreat from consumer carbon pricing appears to be an attempt to neutralize a potent Conservative critique, yet it risks undermining the credibility of the Liberal Party’s commitment to climate change mitigation.

This shift also highlights a broader issue within Canadian politics: the difficulty in sustaining complex, long-term policies amid changing political tides. Policies like carbon pricing require consistent public engagement and transparent communication to ensure their benefits are understood and appreciated. Without this, even the most well-intentioned policies can fall victim to political expediency.

News: Freeland says she’s abandoning capital gains tax change because of Trump

Many political leaders, once champions of carbon pricing, are now abandoning their principles and pandering to populist pressures for electoral gain, sacrificing crucial climate action in the process.

September 14, 2024

As Canadians wait for new leadership, the focus must eventually return to addressing the pressing challenges facing the nation. This includes not only navigating international pressures but also reaffirming commitments to effective environmental policies and economic strategies that reflect the values and needs of Canadians.
Ultimately, the leadership vacuum and the current political maneuvering underscore the need for a renewed commitment to principled governance. Canada’s future depends on leaders who can transcend short-term political calculations and prioritize policies that ensure sustainable progress and resilience in the face of both domestic and global challenges. The path forward will require not just new leadership, but a reinvigorated approach to policy that places the long-term wellbeing of Canadians and the environment at its core.

With the carbon tax facing backlash, Liberal leadership candidates are quickly distancing themselves from Trudeau’s policies. Even Steven Guilbeault seems to be stepping back, while Pierre Poilievre may struggle to paint the Liberals as the villains when they’re ditching unpopular policies.

And then there’s Chrystia Freeland. Her dramatic resignation before the Fall economic update raises eyebrows about her loyalty to Trudeau. If she were to lead, we could see a shake-up, especially if she scraps proposed capital gains tax changes, changes she actually proposed in the Fall economic update.

Consumer carbon pricing, once a key part of the government’s legacy, is being sidelined, and it’s frustrating to see good principled policy sacrificed for political games. With Parliament prorogued until March 25, it feels like Trudeau is just a figurehead, while provincial leaders scramble to address pressing challenges—especially with Trump’s rhetoric looming over us.

Please enjoy the making of my January 25 editorial cartoon.https://youtu.be/oPAUz8CjF5s

– The Graeme Gallery

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Thursday May 30, 2024

In the midst of awaiting the verdict in the Stormy Daniels affair, the resonance of past scandals underscores the daunting challenge for Donald Trump to navigate a political future already marred by a litany of controversies, including allegations of collusion with Russia, impeachment proceedings, and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 30, 2024

Awaiting an update to Trump’s Temple of Scandal

The trial of Donald J. Trump in Manhattan, marred by tawdry revelations and ratings-driven drama, underscores the erosion of decency in American politics while highlighting Trump's repeated flouting of the rule of law and disdain for accountability.

May 7, 2024

The waiting game for a verdict often feels like a slow-motion dance of anticipation and speculation. As the jury deliberates on the fate of Donald Trump in the Stormy Daniels affair, the echoes of past scandals reverberate through the corridors of power, underscoring the profound challenges of navigating a legacy already sullied by controversy and scandal.

Trump’s attempt to conceal his involvement with Stormy Daniels through hush money was a calculated move born out of the fear that revelations could torpedo his 2016 Presidential campaign. Now, as he gears up for another shot at the White House in 2024, the same scandal looms large on the public stage, exposed for all US voters to scrutinize.

News: At Trump Trial’s Closings, Lawyers Weave Facts Into Clashing Accounts

Donald Trump's recent remarks, cheering on aggression against NATO countries, and Canada's position as a buffer between Russia and potential U.S. instability, highlight the urgent need for a rethink on global security.

February 13, 2024

But this scandal is just one thread in the tangled tapestry of Trump’s political legacy. From allegations of collusion with Russia to impeachment proceedings and everything in between, Trump’s tenure as President was marked by a litany of scandals that would have sunk a lesser politician.

The spectre of Russian interference in the 2016 election continues to cast a long shadow over Trump’s presidency, with lingering questions about his campaign’s ties to Moscow and his efforts to obstruct the subsequent investigation. The impeachment proceedings in 2019 and 2021, stemming from allegations of soliciting foreign interference in elections and inciting insurrection, further tarnished Trump’s reputation and underscored the fragility of his grip on power.

June 19, 2018

And let’s not forget the family separation policy at the US-Mexico border, which resulted in the cruel and inhumane treatment of migrant children and sparked outrage and condemnation both domestically and internationally. The mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, characterized by a lack of leadership, misinformation, and failed response efforts, further eroded public trust and confidence in Trump’s leadership.

In the face of such damning revelations and controversies, one might expect Trump’s political ambitions to be dead in the water. Yet, amidst the chaos and turmoil, there exists a curious sentiment: the belief that Trump’s past behaviour may not hinder his political ambitions in 2024.

Opinion: What Trump Looks Like to Historians

March 26, 2019

It’s a notion that speaks to the peculiar dynamics of contemporary politics, where scandal and outrage seem to have a fleeting impact on the trajectory of political careers. In an era where the boundaries of acceptability are constantly being pushed and reshaped, Trump’s resilience in the face of adversity is both confounding and fascinating.

But as we await the outcome of the Stormy Daniels trial and ponder the implications for Trump’s political future, one thing is abundantly clear: the drama of American politics shows no signs of abating anytime soon. And Trump’s legacy, already sullied by scandal and controversy, hangs in the balance, awaiting the judgment of history. (AI)

Saturday June 18, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 18, 2022

Hence, Mike Pence

The fate of a sycophant is never a happy one.

July 21, 2020

At first, you think that fawning over the boss is a good way to move forward. But when you are dealing with a narcissist — and narcissists are the ones who like to be surrounded by sycophants — you can never be unctuous enough.

Narcissists are Grand Canyons of need. The more they are flattered, the more their appetite for flattery grows.

That is the hard, almost fatal, lesson Pence learned on Jan. 6, when he finally stood up to Donald Trump after Trump asked for one teensy favor: Help destroy American democracy and all we stand for.

Two new photos shown at a hearing of the House committee investigating Jan. 6 tell a shocking story — one of the most incredible in our nation’s history.

August 15, 2017

In one, Karen Pence is protectively pulling a gold-fringed curtain shut in the vice president’s ceremonial office in the Capitol, off the Senate floor, as Pence — sitting beneath a large gilt mirror — stares off into space, probably wondering where it all went wrong.

We learned this week that when the vice president fled down the stairs, followed by an Air Force officer carrying the nuclear launch codes, the marauding mob was a few feet from him.

In a second picture, taken after Pence was brought to a secure location in an underground garage, his daughter Charlotte is anxiously watching him. He is holding a phone to his ear as he stares at another phone showing a video of Trump professing love for the crowd, which included some who carried baseball bats and zip ties and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!”

July 18, 2016

In the early afternoon, as the crowd tore down barricades and fought police, White House staffers worried things were “getting out of hand,” as Sarah Matthews, a Trump aide, testified.

They thought that the president needed to tweet something immediately. At 2:24 p.m., they got a notification that the president had indeed tweeted. But it was not the calming tweet they had hoped for; it was one designed to drive the rioters into a frenzy.

“Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify,” Trump tweeted. “USA demands the truth!”

As Matthews recalled in her deposition, “The situation was already bad, and so it felt like he was pouring gasoline on the fire by tweeting that.”

Trump was still steaming from the contentious morning phone call when he failed to persuade the vice president to reject some of the states’ electors so they could be replaced with fake electors who supported Trump. He had railed at Pence with emasculating epithets.

January 20, 2017

As Trump recalled in a speech on Friday in Nashville, “I said to Mike, ‘If you do this, you can be Thomas Jefferson.’ And then, after it all went down, I looked at him one day and said, ‘I hate to say this, but you’re no Thomas Jefferson.’”

In the same speech, Trump had another line that was strikingly delusional, even for him. “For the radical left,” he said, “politics has become their religion. It has warped their sense of right and wrong. They don’t have a sense of right and wrong, true and false, good and evil.”

February 8, 2022

Trump sparked the mob to seek vengeance against Pence the same way Henry II sparked a crew to murder Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. According to legend, after Becket defied Henry by excommunicating bishops supportive of the king, Henry muttered something to the effect of, “Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” Four knights immediately rode to Canterbury Cathedral and sliced up Becket.

The line became a famous example of directing loyalists with indirection, cloaking an order as a wish. Who will rid me of this meddlesome vice president?

A Times video, showing how the Proud Boys breached the Capitol, underscored that within the confederacy of dunces, there was an actual organized conspiracy. The group began plotting even before the election to take up arms for Trump. When Trump barked “Stand back and stand by” about the Proud Boys during his debate with Joe Biden, the Proud Boys felt as though they had received a directive, like Henry’s knights.

The Bengal Levee, by James Gillray | The Marquess Cornwallis (1738-1803) was made British Governor-General of India in 1786 and a Marquess in 1792. He held a weekly levee at Government House, making a point of speaking to all those who attended. Here Cornwallis is standing in the inner room on the right, his right hand on his breast and his left in the pocket of his breeches, awaiting chat time with a following of sycophants. Not far off from the current parade of Republicans who gather for meet and greets at Mar-a-Lago.

With each hearing, it becomes clearer that Trump has no plausible deniability. He put the lives of the vice president and his family at risk, as well as the lives of lawmakers, by sending a crowd, stewing in lies, into a frenzy.

Pence did not have the power to do what Trump wanted, and it’s good that he resisted the insane, illegal and unconstitutional plan of the narcissist in the Oval. But Pence still wants it both ways. He has steered clear of the committee. He wants to become president by staying on the good side of Trump supporters, but they’re never going to forgive him.

January 6, 2022

At the end of the day of infamy, John Eastman, the nutty lawyer trying to help Trump overturn the election, sent an email imploring Pence to adjourn the congressional certification so sympathetic state legislators could help with Trump’s fairy tale of a rigged election.

When Greg Jacob, Pence’s counsel, showed the email to the vice president, Pence said, “That’s rubber room stuff.”

The fate of a sycophant is never a happy one. (Maureen Dowd – The New York Times) 

Letter to the Editor, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday June 23, 2022 

Pence did well

Letter to the editor

I really do appreciate Mr. MacKay’s daily offerings filled with wit, insight and hilarious satire, whether I agree with his message or not. I do however take exception with the depiction of Vice President Mike Pence as subservient lap dog to a delusional, narcissistic sociopath, his boss. Mike Pence displayed real courage, honour and dignity in the face of unpredictable violent behaviour and refused to comply with that megalomaniac’s demand to circumvent the peaceful transition of power. Whether you agree with his politics or not, when offered an escape from danger, Mike Pence refused, checking on the safety of staff instead, during perhaps one of the most dangerous moments in American history.

To quote the great Rudyard Kipling, “ if you can keep your head while all about you are loosing theirs and blaming it on you … yours is the world and all that’s in it And, which is more, you’ll be a man my son.” You did good Mike.

Claudio D’Amato, Stoney Creek

 

 

 

Wednesday October 27, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 27, 2021

That’s enough, Jean Chrétien

Jean Chretien Cartoon Gallery

The former Indian Affairs Minister has had decades to ponder his failings. It’s not clear he even understands what the residential schools were.

“This problem was never mentioned when I was minister. Never.”

This was Jean Chrétien’s response on Radio-Canada’s Tout le monde en parle Sunday night when asked about the abuse of Indigenous children at residential schools when he was minister of Indian Affairs from 1968 to 1974. It might even be true: Maybe none of his underlings bothered telling him. Alas, that can’t save 87-year-old Teflon Jean this time. If he didn’t know it, he bloody well should have.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission report records that in 1970, Jacques Serre, a child-care worker at the Anglican residential school in La Tuque, Que., advised Chrétien’s Indian Affairs ministry in writing that another employee had “taken liberties (with a student) in the presence of a third party.” The ministry asked its Quebec director to look into it, but no one even bothered tracking down the alleged victim, who had left the school.

A year later the La Tuque school’s administrator, Jean Bonnard, called the gendarmes over his suspicions that another child-care worker was conducting “certain ‘activities’ of a sexual nature” with his charges. Bonnard duly informed Indian Affairs of this. The police interviewed four boys, concluding the behaviour had “been going on for some time,” and then nothing happened.

June 2, 2021

Not only was the La Tuque school Chrétien’s responsibility as minister of Indian Affairs. It was in his riding.

In the early 1970s, Chrétien’s ministry received at least four complaints from the Catholic St. Anne’s residential school in Fort Albany, Ont., including of physical assault and of at least one teacher keeping “guns and live ammunition in class to scare the students.” This week, NDP MP Charlie Angus produced a letter from a teacher at St. Anne’s addressed directly to Chrétien, complaining of a “prejudicial attitude” among staff members to the Indigenous people of the community.

The Truth and Reconciliation report records the case of Harry Joseph, an employee at the Anglican residential school in Alert Bay, B.C., who in 1970 pleaded guilty to indecent assault after having been fired for having “interfered with two other girls by removing (their) bed covers and fondling them.”

November 9, 2018

Perhaps this news never made it down the telegraph to Ottawa. But it was the ministry itself that cashiered child-care worker Claude Frappier from his position at the Catholic residential school in Whitehorse in 1970 — though it didn’t bother informing the victims’ parents or the police. (Frappier was belatedly convicted in 1990 on 13 counts of sexual assault on boys aged eight to 11.)

The Truth and Reconciliation report records the case of Harry Joseph, an employee at the Anglican residential school in Alert Bay, B.C., who in 1970 pleaded guilty to indecent assault after having been fired for having “interfered with two other girls by removing (their) bed covers and fondling them.”

PM Merch

Perhaps this news never made it down the telegraph to Ottawa. But it was the ministry itself that cashiered child-care worker Claude Frappier from his position at the Catholic residential school in Whitehorse in 1970 — though it didn’t bother informing the victims’ parents or the police. (Frappier was belatedly convicted in 1990 on 13 counts of sexual assault on boys aged eight to 11.) (Continued: The National Post)