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Tuesday June 4, 2019

June 4, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 4, 2019

Trump toasts to alliance with U.K., insults London mayor as visit to Britain begins

Donald Trump and the Queen toasted to their shared alliance on Monday during an elaborate state dinner at Buckingham Palace in honour of the U.S. president and his wife.

July 13, 2018

“Tonight we celebrate an alliance that has helped to ensure the safety and prosperity of both our peoples for decades, and which I believe will endure for many years to come,” the Queen said, speaking in front of about 170 guests in London.

She told Trump security and a shared heritage link the U.S. and U.K. On his first state visit to the U.K., the president acknowledged the common values he said will unite the two countries long into the future, including freedom, sovereignty and self-determination.

It was one of many moments marking the president’s largely ceremonial visit to Britain, which also included tea with Prince Charles and a royal gun salute from Green Park and the Tower of London, one of the highest honours Britain can bestow on a foreign leader.

June 27, 2016

The ceremony took place under clear blue skies on the spacious garden next to the 775-room palace that is the official residence of the Queen. Trump and Charles inspected the Guard of Honour formed by the Grenadier Guards wearing the traditional bearskin hats.

Trump and his wife paid their respects at the grave of an unknown British warrior, at Westminster Abbey. They were greeted inside the abbey by Prince Andrew and clergy.

They stood silently at the tomb of the British soldier, whose body was brought from France to be buried at the abbey in November 1920. The grave contains soil from France and is covered by a slab of black marble.

The president and his wife prayed and bent down to touch a colourful wreath, which had red and white roses, and bright blue and pink flowers. (CBC) 

 

Wednesday November 28, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday November 28, 2012

A British Take on Mark Carney

Mark Carney, the new Governor of the Bank of England, is a remarkable man. He studied economics at Harvard, racked up a Master’s and a doctorate at Oxford, and, for the past four years, he’s been governor of his national bank – all before the age of 50. Carney is married to a glamorous British economist and has four lovely daughters. According to Time magazine, he’s one of the 25 most influential people in the world.

But – wait for it – there’s something even more remarkable about England’s new top banker. He’s a Canadian! Carney, he of the snappy suits and slicked-back hair, hails from the nation affectionately known as “America’s attic”. What’s more, he’s proud of it. He’s a maple syrup-drinking, poutine-loving, moose-spotting, beer-swilling ice-hockey fan, who once dreamed of playing for his local team, the Edmonton Oilers.

A couple of decades on, his selection for the coveted BoE job has raised a few eyebrows – not least because of his nationality. “Canadians have a reputation for being the boring good guys,” says Oxford academic (and bona fide Canadian) Margaret MacMillan. “If you want to say something is really tedious, you say ‘as dull as a Sunday in Canada’. We’ve never been loudly patriotic, probably because we live next to the US. As a result, people think we’re dull and quiet all the time.”

You see, even Canadians admit it: their country has an image problem. It has long been subjected to stereotypes – perpetuated by South Park and Due South – and rather than deny them, Canadians have simply got used to being the butt of bad jokes. “A Canadian,” goes the gag by the author Pierre Berton, “is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe.” (Source: The Telegraph) 

 

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)