Lucien Bouchard

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Tuesday, September 2, 2014Illustrations by Graeme MacKay (all 4 originally drawn in 1995) – Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Parizeau used Bouchard in 1995, Chantal Hébert’s new book shows

They don’t make sovereignist leaders like they used to. It’s hard to imagine any candidate for the Parti Québécois leadership matching the combination of Jacques Parizeau and Lucien Bouchard in the 1995 sovereignty referendum.

Jacques ParizeauThat referendum wouldn’t have been held without Parizeau’s single-minded pursuit of sovereignty. And the sovereignists wouldn’t have come within fewer than 55,000 votes of winning if it hadn’t been for Bouchard’s ability to gain voters’ trust.

Yet, as a forthcoming book shows, Bouchard did not trust Parizeau — and with reason.

Not only did Parizeau, who was premier, unscrupulously use Bouchard to deceive voters about his intentions, he intended to shove Bouchard aside after a Yes vote so he could make a unilateral declaration of independence.

The book is The Morning After, written by widely respected Ottawa journalist Chantal Hébert. It’s to be published early next month.

It’s based on recent interviews by Hébert and commentator Jean Lapierre (my fellow CTV Montreal political panellist) with political leaders of the day about what they would have done after a Yes vote in 1995.

Lucian Bouchard as NapoleonIt describes a “power struggle” among the three party leaders on the Yes side before the vote, with Mario Dumont of the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec siding with Bouchard of the Bloc Québécois against the PQ’s Parizeau.

Bouchard and Dumont had forced Parizeau to promise that after a Yes vote, he would offer the rest of Canada a new partnership, political as well as economic, with a sovereign Quebec.

And in the mid-campaign turning point for the Yes side, Parizeau handed its de-facto leadership to the more popular Bouchard by naming him Quebec’s chief negotiator after a Yes vote.

Bouchard told Hébert and Lapierre he might have settled for something less than outright sovereignty and wanted a second referendum to ratify the results of negotiations — admissions likely to confirm some sovereignists’ lingering distrust of him.

Parizeau, however, would accept nothing less than sovereignty. (Continued: Montreal Gazette)

1995 Referendum Fleur de Lys

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Saturday, October 5, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, October 5, 2013

Former PQ Premiers voice opposition to Quebec Charter of Values

Another former premier and prominent separatist has come out swinging against the proposed Charter of Quebec Values.

Lucien Bouchard sat down with a La Presse columnist and outlined his views on the charter, saying he had previously not wanted to intervene, but that he found the divisive discourse troublesome.

Bouchard largely echoed the opinions put forth by another former premier in another newspaper Thursday.

In a letter, Jacques Parizeau called the charter extreme, divisive and unnecessary. In his interview, Bouchard said his predecessor had the right idea when it came to the proposal.
“What Mr. Parizeau wrote, it makes sense, it brings us back to real values of the tolerance and openness of Quebec society, but highlights the fundamental principle of secularism, developed around rules,” he said.

Bouchard said religious symbols should be banned for public employees in positions of power, such as judges and police officers, and that those who provide and receive government services should not be able to cover their faces.

He also said the time is right to take down the cross in the National Assembly. Although the charter would ban “ostentatious” religious symbols, the PQ has argued the cross in the legislature is a reminder of Quebec’s heritage and should stay put. (Source: CTV News)

August 20, 2007


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Continuing with some memories of a cartoon I drew 18 years ago for the University of Ottawa student paper, The Fulcrum, which was my first foray into getting my stuff printed on a regular basis (Part I). The above cartoon was the first Alas & Alack strip to be published. It set the foundation for a series which would focus in Brian Mulroney and his cabinet. The main figures included Finance Minister Michael Wilson (dubbed Earl Mike, Minister of Pelf and Filthy Lucre), Joe Clark (Erstwhile king in charge foreign things), John Crosbie, (Sir John of Foundling), Lucien Bouchard – who wore a Napoleonic outfit (Baron Lucien, Minister of Nature), and Barbara McDougall, who as Minister for the Status of Women, who was known in the strip as Lady Barb the Dougall, ye minister of Shrews and Wenches. That’s right, Shrews and Wenches — they were different times in 1989 — political correctness was on the verge of getting traction in the universities at the time but hadn’t quite made it to my school yet. The Barbara McDougall character carried a coat hanger which I suppose had some reference to the abortion issue at the time. For whatever reason, it’s a head scratcher to me now, and probably not the sort of symbolism I’d depict in a cartoon these days.


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Referring to Sheila Copps as “Damn Sheila Witch Bitch” is also an indication of how permissive editors and readers were in the pre-PC period of the student press. Even worse, it serves as an indication of how perhaps nobody bothered to read my cartoon. I don’t remember any complaints, afterall. I like the little blurb from David Suzuki who explains the activities of the Diefenbeaver, and the reference to Pierre Trudeau who at the time was speaking out against the Meech Lake Accord is a nice touch to a bygone period of Canadian history.


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I’m guessing Jesse from the Beachcombers, or even the long running CBC series is becoming more and more forgotten from the collective memory banks of Canadians. Pierre Trudeau was a featured fixture in this 1990 strip. It just goes to show how influencial the former Prime Minister was even as Mulroney’s term was winding down. Trudeau had been out of office over 6 years when he was campaigning against the Meech Lake Accord. It was just the beginning of Jean Chretien’s reign as Liberal leader.


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And there is a nice segue between Trudeau and Chretien, with David Suzuki presiding over.


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The late Governor-General Ray Hnatyshyn featured here. While living in Ottawa I had the opportunity to see some of these characters in real life. Parliament Hill was only a 10 to 15 minute walk from my residence so occasionally I would venture down and sit in on Question period to see them in action — if you want to call it action. With Ray Hnatyshyn I witnessed some aspect of his coronation or induction or swearing in or whatever they call it when you become Governor-General. Admittedly, I don’t remember much except for him wearing a top hat and being lead on and off Parliament Hill in a horse drawn landau on a dreary overcast day and only a few people interested enough to watch the events. A few other guys in this cartoon continued on to other functions of administration. Michael Wilson, portrayed as Minister of Pelf and Dirty Lucre, is now Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. He holds the severed head of Jean Charest, (I guess he was demoted while in Mulroney’s cabinet). He went on to become Tory leader and is now Premier of Quebec.


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A couple international cartoons done in 1990. Above with Saddam Hussein, and below around the time Margaret Thatcher was hoisted out of office.


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Wednesday January 14, 2004

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday January 14, 2004 Peter MacKay, Leader No More Former Tory leader Peter MacKay is taking a pass on the Conservative Party leadership race, but isn't bowing out of politics. MacKay said he made his decision in "the last 24 hours" and called it the toughest of his political career. "While my heart said 'go,' my head said 'no,' " he said. However, he added he will seek the nomination for his Nova Scotia riding in the next federal election. MacKay said he's not yet prepared to throw his support behind a leadership candidate. MacKay, Peter , 1966Ð, Canadian politician, b. New Glasgow, N.S. A lawyer who briefly worked (1992Ð93) in Germany, MacKay returned to his native Nova Scotia in 1993 and became a crown attorney. Elected to the federal parliament as a Progressive Conservative in 1997, he became Tory House leader, a position he held until 2002, when he resigned to run for the party leadership. In 2003, the youthful MacKay was chosen to succeed Joe Clark as leader of the Progressive Conservative party, winning in part because he agreed not to seek a merger with the Canadian Alliance. A few months later, however, he led his party into a merger with the Alliance to form the Conservative party of Canada, and subsequently became the new party's deputy leader. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Canada, Peter Mackay, Progressive Conservative, leader, leadership, Audrey McLaughlin, Alexa McDonough, Michel Gauthier, Stockwell Day, Lucien Bouchard, pantheon, opposition

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday January 14, 2004

Peter MacKay, Leader No More

Former Tory leader Peter MacKay is taking a pass on the Conservative Party leadership race, but isn’t bowing out of politics. MacKay said he made his decision in “the last 24 hours” and called it the toughest of his political career. “While my heart said ‘go,’ my head said ‘no,’ ” he said. However, he added he will seek the nomination for his Nova Scotia riding in the next federal election. MacKay said he’s not yet prepared to throw his support behind a leadership candidate.

MacKay, Peter , 1966–, Canadian politician, b. New Glasgow, N.S. A lawyer who briefly worked (1992–93) in Germany, MacKay returned to his native Nova Scotia in 1993 and became a crown attorney. Elected to the federal parliament as a Progressive Conservative in 1997, he became Tory House leader, a position he held until 2002, when he resigned to run for the party leadership. In 2003, the youthful MacKay was chosen to succeed Joe Clark as leader of the Progressive Conservative party, winning in part because he agreed not to seek a merger with the Canadian Alliance. A few months later, however, he led his party into a merger with the Alliance to form the Conservative party of Canada, and subsequently became the new party’s deputy leader. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Monday January 27, 1997

Monday January 27, 1997 – By Graeme MacKay

Team Canada versus the Rest of the World

Canadians have once again witnessed the passing of another “Team Canada” Asian trade mission.  It’s an event that was initiated a couple of years ago by Prime Minister Jean Chretien in an effort to get out of the dismal city of Ottawa and appear as though some sort of concerted effort was being made to drum up business for Canada.  It was also an obvious attempt by Chretien to draw attention to other parts of the world rather than relying solely on the benefits of a young and wide reaching trade agreement with a friendly and rather powerful neighbour to our south.  While the intentions are good in these non-NAFTA nations, the amusement in the whole event is knowing that the delegation of provincial premiers and Jean Chretien is officially called “Team Canada.”  This has to be one of the most divided periods of federal-provincial relations.  The idea of Canadian politicians getting together like a united hockey team is a joke.  Having Premiers from three different political persuasions is difficult, but not unusual, however having a committed separatist premier accompanying the delegation is nothing short of bizarre, (but indeed, uniquely Canadian.)

This recent trade mission included stops to South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.  Lucien Bouchard surprisingly accepted the invitation to join the other provincial premiers and we all waited for the Quebec Separatist leader to blurt something out that would piss everyone off except for a collection of Canada-bashers in a much anticipated republic of Quebec.  But, after two weeks of hanging around a bunch of notorious guys like Ralph Klein, Mike Harris, and Brian Tobin, nothing rude was uttered, no feet were stepped on, in fact, the whole lot of these politicians looked like they were having a great time together, and even Lucien Bouchard was cracking smiles.

If any feet were stepped on it was brought about by Chretien, who, while in Manila waded into a constitutional debate concerning the length of time a Philippine President is allowed to keep.  Chretien, a veteran career politician himself for some 30 odd years, questioned the injustice that Fidel Ramos can only serve 2 terms.  By now our PM should well understand that it is not a good idea to mess with any country’s constitutional affairs, judging by his own sloppiness in past dealings with our own.

Frank McKenna, the long serving Premier of New Brunswick stepped on toes by pawning off provincially produced peanut butter.  He was being anything but a team player when tried to compete against other provinces to get contracts of course this isn’t the first time McKenna has treated other provinces like business foes.  His excuses for his actions resemble closely with those of a particular fictional character out of Sherwood Forest.

These trade missions are great for photo opportunities as well.  We’ve seen the leaders walking along the Great Wall of China, stand and gawk in front of the Taj Mahal, and mill about stern faced soldiers carrying machine guns in Korean no mans land.  Jean Chretien wobbles along on a bicycle in Beijing, and goofs around with the architect of the Tiannamen Square massacre following a treaty signing.  We’ve all become used to these sort of things, and in all honesty, it allows us news buffs to escape the regular on-goings in the legislatures, and committee rooms where these people usually hang out.  Maybe Mr. Chretien is on to something when it comes to national unity…because here in Canada, Canadians are its biggest critics.  When we step outside and see just how messed up other countries are we tend to pay a little more respect for our own land.  I’m sure the premiers get this sense.

As for Craig Keilburger, the 13 year old child rights activist who goes on about child labour injustices in these trade nations, someone ought to put him over their knee for good hard spanking. (Posted to thinkfastech.com)

Asia Pacific Trade Mission. Graphite rendering by Graeme MacKay (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Illustrated in 1997.