London

Friday August 3, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday August 3, 2012 Women claim CanadaÕs second Olympic silver in rowing The night before they went for gold, the Canadian womenÕs eight met and made a solemn pledge. Others might measure their success by a different standard. But as long as they maintained their trust in each other, as long as theyÊperformed as a team, and as long as they expended every last joule of energy in their beings, they would be satisfied with their race. On Thursday, they met every one of their goals. The silver medals that hung around their necks was just a happy by-product of all that. ÒI had so much trust in the work weÕve done,Ó said RichmondÕs Darcy Marquardt, one of the boatÕs leaders and a medalist, finally, in herÊthird Olympics. ÒWeÕve been so consistent day after day in training and racing this season. We laid it all on the line today and thatÕs anÊOlympic silver. We canÕt be upset with that.Ó Which was both an honest and realistic assessment of their race. As much as the Canadian crew did everything in their power at Lake Dorney, they ran into a monster boat in the gold-medal crew fromÊthe United States. The Americans, who were the defending Olympic champions, were last defeated in international competition in 2005Êand returned six of the nine crew members from Beijing. They also looked every inch the favourite at the Eton College rowing basin. In a wire-to-wire win, the Americans beat back an early challenge from the Dutch and a late challenge from the Canadians but neverÊseemed particularly concerned about either boat. The Canadians made a bit of a move over the final 500 metres but still finished almost aÊsecond and a half behind the Americans.Ê(Source: National Post) http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/02/canada-claims-another-olympic-silver-in-rowing-with-womens-eights/ International, London, UK, England, Olympic, rowing, rings, violence, women, medalists

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday August 3, 2012

Women claim Canada’s second Olympic silver in rowing

The night before they went for gold, the Canadian women’s eight met and made a solemn pledge.

Others might measure their success by a different standard. But as long as they maintained their trust in each other, as long as they performed as a team, and as long as they expended every last joule of energy in their beings, they would be satisfied with their race.

On Thursday, they met every one of their goals. The silver medals that hung around their necks was just a happy by-product of all that.

“I had so much trust in the work we’ve done,” said Richmond’s Darcy Marquardt, one of the boat’s leaders and a medalist, finally, in her third Olympics. “We’ve been so consistent day after day in training and racing this season. We laid it all on the line today and that’s an Olympic silver. We can’t be upset with that.”

Which was both an honest and realistic assessment of their race.

As much as the Canadian crew did everything in their power at Lake Dorney, they ran into a monster boat in the gold-medal crew from the United States. The Americans, who were the defending Olympic champions, were last defeated in international competition in 2005 and returned six of the nine crew members from Beijing.

They also looked every inch the favourite at the Eton College rowing basin.

In a wire-to-wire win, the Americans beat back an early challenge from the Dutch and a late challenge from the Canadians but never seemed particularly concerned about either boat. The Canadians made a bit of a move over the final 500 metres but still finished almost a second and a half behind the Americans. (Source: National Post)

 

Wednesday April 25, 2012

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator,Ê Wednesday April 25, 2012 Bev Oda apologizes for swanky hotel stay International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said sorry Tuesday for charging taxpayers with an expensive hotel stay in London, EnglandÊlast year, but her apology failed to satisfy critics. "The expenses are unacceptable, should never have been charged to taxpayers," Oda said in the House of Commons in response to aÊquestion from interim Liberal leader Bob Rae. "I have repaid the costs associated with [the] changing of hotels and I unreservedlyÊapologize." Oda's travel expenses caused controversy on Monday when it was revealed that she was originally booked to stay at a hotel where she wasÊattending a conference last June, but had her staff rebook her at the swanky Savoy hotel, where her stay cost her about $665 per night. TheÊtotal bill for her three-day stay including the room and room service was $1,995. The room charges included an orange juice that cost $16. Oda also hired a car and driver, at a cost of about $1,000 per day, to bring her to the hotel she was originally supposed to stay at andÊincurred a cancellation charge for refusing to stay at the Grange St. Paul's hotel. After the Canadian Press broke the story on Monday, Oda's office said she would personally cover the tab for the difference in costÊbetween the two hotels, the cancellation fee, and the orange juice. In total, she repaid $1,353.81. "She only did this because she got caught," NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said Tuesday. (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bev-oda-apologizes-for-swanky-hotel-stay-1.1169374

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator,  Wednesday April 25, 2012

Bev Oda apologizes for swanky hotel stay

International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said sorry Tuesday for charging taxpayers with an expensive hotel stay in London, England last year, but her apology failed to satisfy critics.

“The expenses are unacceptable, should never have been charged to taxpayers,” Oda said in the House of Commons in response to a question from interim Liberal leader Bob Rae. “I have repaid the costs associated with [the] changing of hotels and I unreservedly apologize.”

Oda’s travel expenses caused controversy on Monday when it was revealed that she was originally booked to stay at a hotel where she was attending a conference last June, but had her staff rebook her at the swanky Savoy hotel, where her stay cost her about $665 per night. The total bill for her three-day stay including the room and room service was $1,995. The room charges included an orange juice that cost $16.

Oda also hired a car and driver, at a cost of about $1,000 per day, to bring her to the hotel she was originally supposed to stay at and incurred a cancellation charge for refusing to stay at the Grange St. Paul’s hotel.

After the Canadian Press broke the story on Monday, Oda’s office said she would personally cover the tab for the difference in cost between the two hotels, the cancellation fee, and the orange juice. In total, she repaid $1,353.81.

“She only did this because she got caught,” NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said Tuesday.

(Source: CBC News)

March 16, 2007

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Well, this cartoon might have had the shortest shelf life on record. This morning the Liberals launched its Green Plan.

Oh well.

Anyway, this is the first St. Patrick’s Day editorial cartoon I’ve ever drawn. With all the talk of green this and green that over the past 3 or 4 months I’ve been waiting for the arrival of this day to feature some politician dressed up as a leprechaun. This is the second time within 6 months… the last (and probably first ever leprechaun I’ve drawn since probably grade 4) was in this cartoon related to Toronto’s Simcoe Day.

Many people think that because I’ve got a pretty celtic name… my middle name is Patrick, by the way, I’m one of those Celtic-philes. Especially one of those North American ‘celts’ who try hard to understand their heritage by scoffing at the notion of green beer and acting like they really enjoy stout beer… and not necessarily Guiness, but one of those micro brewed Irish stouts. Scottish wannabes will act like haggis is the greatest delicacy on Earth. And of course extreme Celtic-philes will listen to obscure celtic music and set aside time on Saturday mornings to watch television highlights of British and Irish soccer… I mean, football. Every few years they’ll go over to the old country and wander around cemetaries looking for long lost relatives just to assure themselves that their backgrounds go beyond their large suburban garage doors in Blandville, North America.

I’ve been to both Scotland and Ireland on a couple of occasions. I lived in London for nearly two years in the 1990’s. I was one of those Celtic-philes, and my life in the U.K. gave me enough exposure to the ways of life over there that I’m more than happy to be back here. I think it was the aftermath of downing 7 pints of Guiness in a row at that St Patrick’s night party at the Irish Club in Sloane Square 14 years ago when I realized Celticmania wasn’t all the ‘craic’ I had been lead to believe.

My grandfather, the MacKay one, emigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1885. That’s 1885. He’d be 129 if he were still alive. Needless to say I’m pretty far removed from the Celtic world. So if we ever bump into each other in person don’t be surprised when you don’t see me in a gaelic kilt and speaking with a heavy Scottish brogue.