Liberals – mackaycartoons

Friday April 18, 2025

April 18, 2025 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Unpublished – Friday April 18, 2025

A Disservice to Canadian Voters

April 19, 2025

In the throes of an election cycle, Canadian voters find themselves navigating a landscape devoid of fully costed party platforms. As advanced polls open, the absence of detailed fiscal plans from major political players like the Liberals and Conservatives is not just a minor oversight; it’s a reckless disregard for the electorate’s right to informed decision-making.

Party platforms serve as a blueprint for governance, offering insight into priorities and fiscal strategies. They are essential for holding future governments accountable. Yet, here we are, mere weeks from casting ballots, and the fiscal blueprints remain elusive. The Conservatives have pledged to collaborate with the Parliamentary Budget Officer, while the Liberals promise a release before the advanced polls close. However, these assurances come too late in the game, leaving voters with little time to digest and debate the implications of proposed policies.

Opinion: Where are the Costed Party Platforms? The Clock is Ticking

The recklessness of this approach is underscored by the current economic climate. With Canada facing a third major economic shock in less than two decades—following the 2008 financial crisis, the 2020 pandemic, and now the 2025 US trade conflict—the need for transparent and credible fiscal planning is paramount. Proposals to cut taxes or increase spending should be weighed against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and potential deficits. The lack of detailed platforms raises questions about how these promises will be funded and whether they are fiscally responsible.

Despite this, the reality may be that the absence of costed platforms doesn’t significantly sway most voters. In an age where political campaigns often resemble theatrical performances, filled with grand promises and vague assurances, the specifics of fiscal policy may take a backseat to broader ideological alignments and emotional appeals. Many voters prioritize immediate concerns over long-term fiscal sustainability, trusting party rhetoric over detailed economic assessments.

Opinion: The hidden costs of Liberal and Conservative election promises

However, this complacency is a gamble. Without clear plans, voters are left to speculate on the sincerity and feasibility of campaign promises. It allows parties to make grandiose claims without accountability for their financial implications, potentially leading to governance that prioritizes short-term gains over sustainable economic health.

While the absence of costed platforms may not deter most voters, it represents a significant dereliction of political responsibility. It denies Canadians the opportunity to engage in meaningful debate about the future direction of the country. As citizens, we must demand more from our political leaders, insisting on transparency and accountability in their fiscal promises. The stakes are too high to accept anything less.

Thursday March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 27, 2025

Jagmeet Singh’s Leadership and the Fight for Relevance

February 29, 2024

As the 2025 federal election approaches, the New Democratic Party (NDP) finds itself at a critical juncture, reminiscent of its influential role in the 1960s under Lester Pearson’s government. Back then, the NDP, originally the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), championed transformative policies like universal healthcare and the Canada Pension Plan, leaving an indelible mark on Canada’s social fabric. Fast forward to today, the NDP under Jagmeet Singh has played a pivotal role in supporting the Liberal government, contributing to significant policy achievements such as expanded dental care, pharmacare, and child care. Yet, unlike the past, these legislative victories have not translated into increased voter support, leaving the party teetering on the edge of irrelevance.

October 17, 2023

Jagmeet Singh, a charismatic and seasoned leader, has steered the NDP through turbulent political waters since 2017. His staunch advocacy for ordinary Canadians, backed by endorsements from major unions, underscores his dedication to progressive values. However, Singh’s alignment with the Liberal government, while strategic, has blurred the NDP’s distinct identity. In the eyes of many voters, the party’s role as a key influencer has been overshadowed by the Liberals’ spotlight, leading to a perception that the NDP is merely a supporting player in a broader political drama.

News: Singh says NDP faces ‘massive challenges’ as voters look to Liberals, Conservatives to battle Trump

March 23, 2022

The current political climate, dominated by concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and sovereignty threats, has shifted voter priorities. Canadians are looking for strong leaders who can navigate these international challenges, resulting in a two-way race between the Liberals and Conservatives. Singh’s commitment to social justice and economic equality, though unwavering, must now contend with the reality of strategic voting and a media landscape that often sidelines smaller parties.

Critics argue that Singh’s leadership, marked by broken promises and perceived ineffectiveness, has led the NDP down a path of diminishing returns. Former leader Thomas Mulcair’s comments, suggesting that the NDP is an afterthought in this high-stakes election, echo a broader sentiment of skepticism. The party’s polling numbers, hovering near single digits, paint a grim picture of its electoral prospects and raise questions about its future viability.

News: Behind in the polls, NDP’s Singh says he’s not going to back down

October 23, 2019

Singh’s challenge is to reinvigorate the NDP’s narrative and demonstrate its relevance in today’s complex political arena. He must effectively communicate how the party’s policies address the pressing issues facing Canadians, from affordability to labor rights, while distinguishing the NDP from its Liberal counterparts. This task is crucial not only for the party’s survival but also for Singh’s leadership, which hangs in the balance as election day looms.

November 7, 2019

As the NDP stands at this crossroads, it must draw on its legacy of progressive change, including its past contributions to the Canada Pension Plan, and adapt to the evolving needs of its constituents. Whether Jagmeet Singh can lead this charge and secure a meaningful place for the NDP in Canada’s political future remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that without a compelling vision and renewed voter engagement, the NDP risks fading into irrelevance, leaving Singh’s leadership in jeopardy after April 28.

Conjoined leaders part and present

As we caravan through the current political landscape, it’s clear that both the NDP and the Conservative Party face significant challenges in addressing the pressing issues of our time, rendering them unelectable in the eyes of many. Despite the NDP’s role in influencing policy during the Trudeau years, historical patterns reveal a persistent struggle to convert this influence into electoral success. The party’s adherence to outdated pacifist views from the 1970s, especially at a time when rapid military reinforcement is crucial, leaves much to be desired.

On the other hand, the Conservative Party’s reluctance to fully embrace climate change initiatives and uphold Canada’s commitments to the Paris Accord is equally concerning. As a huge nation with vast natural resources and significant international responsibilities, Canada cannot afford to lag in either environmental stewardship or national security.

The inability of these major parties to adapt to the evolving realities of national and global priorities highlights a need for fresh voices and innovative ideas in the political arena. This situation presents an opportunity for emerging parties or independent candidates willing to address these gaps with pragmatic solutions. It also calls on voters and advocates to push for transformative changes within existing party structures, demanding policies that reflect the needs and values of Canadians today.

In the end, true leadership will come from those who can effectively balance the demands of security, environmental responsibility, and international collaboration, showing a readiness to lead Canada into a sustainable and secure future.

– The Graeme Gallery

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Monday June 25, 2018

June 25, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday June 25, 2018

The flip side of Ford’s content-free campaign: Unpleasant surprises may be in store

October 28, 2003

Starting next week, when they formally take over the levers of government, the Tories are going to have a real problem on their hands: the Liberals were historically unpopular by the time voters had to render a verdict on election day, but many of their policies weren’t. Indeed, the Liberal budget from the spring briefly seemed to make the pre-election period more competitive until voters remembered who had written the big-spending, big-deficit document. Liberal promises on child care, pharmacare, and transit spending were all extremely popular — it was the Liberals themselves that voters had tired of.

June 7, 2018

Now, Ford has promised substantial tax cuts — above and beyond the end of the cap-and-trade system — that will either (a) further burden a budget that’s already in deficit or (b) require substantial service cuts to bring the province’s books back into balance. So what’s going to give? The Tories spent years raising hell about the increase in the provincial debt under the Liberals, so big deficits are going to be awkward. But they’re not going to give up the tax cuts they promised.

That leaves service cuts. And to make cuts substantial enough to raise the billions of dollars Ford needs to find — without affecting front-line service in schools and hospitals — he will need to find lots and lots of small cuts.

June 21, 2018

(Well, technically, there’s also the possibility that the Tories will lose their promised challenge to the federal carbon tax and start receiving billions of dollars in federally imposed carbon revenues, but that would fill only part of the hole Ford’s promises have dug.)

Ford may have promised that there will be no layoffs under his tenure, but even if we don’t replay the labour unrest of the last Tory government, the fate of GreenON suggests that something else could emerge that would be difficult for him in a different way. Voters who planned major spending in their lives around the government they had at the moment — and were promised there would be no major changes to the level of service they receive — will be irritated by any serious efforts to alter its policies.

June 15, 2018

That prospect might not be enough to stop the Tories from making these kinds of cuts. It certainly wasn’t going to save cap and trade, something that, earlier this year, Ford and all of his leadership rivals unanimously promised to destroy. But public backlash to seemingly trivial cuts can sometimes surprise governments — as happened when the Liberals were caught flat-footed by mobilized parents opposed to cuts to autism therapy.

The Tories undoubtedly think they’ll do a better job than the Liberals did of running government. But changing the folks at the top doesn’t make the problems they need to solve any less complicated. (Source: TVO)

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Friday April 20, 2018

April 19, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 20, 2018

Wynne defends comparing Ford to Trump, says it’s not a campaign strategy

April 14, 2018

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending her comparison of Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford to U.S. President Donald Trump this week, saying she doesn’t think her remarks will undermine the province’s trade relationship with the U.S. in any way.

Wynne said comparing Ford to Trump is not a campaign strategy as Ontario heads to the polls on June 7th. She said she has been to the U.S. several times and has worked hard to secure trading deals for Ontario.

“I don’t know what Donald Trump’s reaction would or wouldn’t be. He may be fine with being compared with Doug Ford. That’s up to him and it’s up to Doug Ford. But what I have to do is I have to recognize behaviours for what they are, and name them.”

June 14, 2001

Wynne first compared Ford to Trump in remarks to a Toronto audience on Wednesday. “Doug Ford sounds like Donald Trump and that’s because he is like Donald Trump. He believes in ugly, vicious, a brand of politics that traffics in smears and lies. He will say anything about anyone at any time. Because just like Trump, it is all about him.”

Wynne told Metro Morning her comments were in response to a news release issued by Ford on Tuesday in which he suggested the premier would be in jail if she weren’t in politics.

Ford said: “If Kathleen Wynne tried to pull these kinds of shady tricks in private life, then there would be a few more Liberals joining David Livingston in jail.”

Livingston is a former Liberal aide who was recently sentenced to four months in jail for his role in the gas plants scandal when Dalton McGuinty was premier. (Source: CBC)

Tuesday January 17, 2017

January 16, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday January 17, 2017

Wynne gets cold shoulder from Trudeau on hydro costs

Feeling more heat over hydro bills — and a cold shoulder on the touchy topic from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — Premier Kathleen Wynne acknowledged her government has to do a better job curbing electricity costs.

October 29, 2015

Wynne was greeted Friday by protesters outside a luncheon speech in Oakville shortly after Trudeau was put on the defensive over hydro prices at a campaign-style stop in Peterborough.

“It is not enough,” the premier said of her Liberal government’s move to waive the 8 per cent provincial portion of the HST on electricity bills starting this month. ‎

While Wynne was taking responsibility for hydro rates that have skyrocketed in recent years and left many homeowners and businesses struggling, Trudeau, under fire for a Caribbean Christmas vacation on a “listening tour” of the country, made it clear electricity prices are Wynne’s cross to bear.

November 22, 2016

At a Peterborough town hall meeting, a weeping woman brandished her hydro bill for the prime minister, saying she earns “almost $50,000 a year and I am living in energy poverty.”

Trudeau, who has frequently campaigned with Wynne in a mutual support pact, praised the woman for speaking out publicly and tried to alleviate her concerns about the impact of looming carbon pricing on energy rates while insisting that “hydro bills are provincial.”

Speaking with reporters after that emotional encounter, the prime minister tried to dodge questions about Wynne’s electricity policies.

“As a Quebec-elected MP I have been trained to be very, very careful about weighing in on provincial areas of jurisdiction. It’s something that is important for positive working relationships with all provinces and I respect provincial rights and responsibilities to make determinations in their areas of jurisdiction,” said Trudeau.

Wynne took credit for the Liberal government’s upgrading of the electricity system since taking power in 2003 so “there are no more blackouts … no more smog days,” but admitted “the cost of the changes has burdened people.”

She told 440 people at an Oakville and Burlington Chamber of Commerce chicken lunch about a father of three who wrote to her at Christmas to say he had to scale back on presents for his kids. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Cartoon demeaned women and PM

Letter to the Editor, Hamilton Spectator, January 24, 2017 RE: Jan. 17 editorial cartoon

I feel Mr. MacKay crossed a line in his attempt at humour in this cartoon. His depiction of the prime minister rescuing the distraught woman during his cross country tour a lack of respect for this woman’s concern about her hydro bill and was demeaning both to her and Mr. Trudeau. Women do not need to be rescued by men nor do we deserve to be shown as weak and in need of this form of support from men.

Barb Howe, Hamilton