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Thursday November 5, 2015

November 4, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday November 5, 2015 (James Mennie column) When you consider weÕve just come through a federal election campaign where the selfie proved itself a legitimate and highly effective political tool, it wasnÕt surprising this weekend to see Justin Trudeau, the undisputed winner of that campaign, proving once again he is the most photogenic prime minister designate in recent Canadian history. If you missed it, the Trudeau familyÕs trick or treat theme on Saturday night was rather eclectic, Mom and Dad going with a generic Star Wars look while the two older children opted for your standard Disney princess and sword toting bird ensemble while the youngest (the choice presumably made for him) was led from door to camera-crew-surrounded door as a Ninja Turtle. Given that Trudeau had already tweeted a Happy Halloween message and family portrait to his 932,000 followers, the images flooded social media and the comments seemed for the most part to be positive, many of them expressing delight at the countryÕs being led by so down to earth and happy looking a family. And when you consider that even the crustiest, most hard bitten political analysts have acknowledged that TrudeauÕs message of hope and positiveness pretty much cut Stephen HarperÕs campaign to ribbons, itÕs a pretty safe bet the optimistic glow engendered by the Liberal victory on Oct. 19 will continue beyond the swearing-in ceremony for Trudeau and his first cabinet scheduled for Wednesday. That said, IÕm not entirely sure that glow will still be around by, say, Christmas. And the reason I suspect TrudeauÕs national honeymoon wonÕt survive 2015 is that the selfie taking, Star Wars loving, YouTube dancing, drama teaching, musketeer mustachioed candidate- the guy who actually won this thing Ð will, by sheer political necessity, cease to exist once the words ÒSo help me GodÓ have left his lips on Wednesday. The transformation wonÕt be due to pr

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 5, 2015

No more selfies, but way more drama

(James Mennie column) When you consider we’ve just come through a federal election campaign where the selfie proved itself a legitimate and highly effective political tool, it wasn’t surprising this weekend to see Justin Trudeau, the undisputed winner of that campaign, proving once again he is the most photogenic prime minister designate in recent Canadian history.

If you missed it, the Trudeau family’s trick or treat theme on Saturday night was rather eclectic, Mom and Dad going with a generic Star Wars look while the two older children opted for your standard Disney princess and sword toting bird ensemble while the youngest (the choice presumably made for him) was led from door to camera-crew-surrounded door as a Ninja Turtle.

Given that Trudeau had already tweeted a Happy Halloween message and family portrait to his 932,000 followers, the images flooded social media and the comments seemed for the most part to be positive, many of them expressing delight at the country’s being led by so down to earth and happy looking a family. And when you consider that even the crustiest, most hard bitten political analysts have acknowledged that Trudeau’s message of hope and positiveness pretty much cut Stephen Harper’s campaign to ribbons, it’s a pretty safe bet the optimistic glow engendered by the Liberal victory on Oct. 19 will continue beyond the swearing-in ceremony for Trudeau and his first cabinet scheduled for Wednesday.

That said, I’m not entirely sure that glow will still be around by, say, Christmas. And the reason I suspect Trudeau’s national honeymoon won’t survive 2015 is that the selfie taking, Star Wars loving, YouTube dancing, drama teaching, musketeer mustachioed candidate- the guy who actually won this thing – will, by sheer political necessity, cease to exist once the words “So help me God” have left his lips on Wednesday.

The transformation won’t be due to pressure from any opposition in the House of Commons. The Tories are far too busy trying to figure out how to re-invent themselves and disinfect their party of the political agenda they spent 11 weeks defending during the campaign to effectively hound the new government any time soon. And the NDP is (I suspect) still preoccupied doing a slow burn over how they managed to let a principled stand on a wedge politics issue like the niqab sink their shot at governing while the same stand had no effect whatsoever on the Trudeau Liberals.

No, in the end, I think that Trudeau the prime minister will say good-bye to Justin the candidate because, just like anyone else who’s trained in drama, Trudeau knows when it’s time to change roles. And it’s becoming clear that the role of Justin the candidate has served its purpose. (Continued: Montreal Gazette)


 

Letter to the Editor

Spec’s Trudeau endorsement seems suspect

RE: Editorial cartoon (Nov. 5)

I find this cartoon disrespectful and lacking in humour. Especially two days before our new government is sworn in.

Considerable effort is already underway to live up to the promise of getting 25,000 refugees in by the end of the year. Numerous groups across Canada are hard at work, our armed forces are looking at ways to implement the plan and other initiatives are under evaluation.

It might be mentioned that the actual number of Syrian refugees taken into Canada, after a few years, is shockingly less than 5,000.

We did not honour our initial promise to take in 1,300 by the end of 2014.

Just another reminder that the Spectator’s endorsement of Justin Trudeau continuous to seem suspect.

Richard Ring, Grimsby

Posted in: Canada Tagged: cabinet, Canada, Carolyn Bennett, Catherine McKenna, Chrystia Freeland, Dominic LeBlanc, government, image, John McCallum, Justin Trudeau, Marc Garneau, Ralph Goodale, Scott Brison, selfie, Stephane Dion

September 29, 2006

September 29, 2006 by Graeme MacKay

Today’s cartoon, along with this week’s takes on the Joe Volpe issue ends a gap of several months when I did nothing related to the Liberal leadership race. Compared to other events in the news the race really never registered anything that needed to be commented on. Before the race there was speculation that big time players would enter the race like John Manley, Frank McKenna, and even Sheila Copps. But then they decided not to run so up to now the race has been very dull, with the more interesting news centering on who’s the latest candidate to drop out. While we’re hearing from the polls and pundits on who is best qualified for the job, here’s how I see who would fit the job from a cartoonist’s point of view:

Scott Brison – Don’t know much about him. Never drawn him. He’s got potential for cartoonists. I see him as a weasley turncoat who preceeded Belinda Stronach by being lured to the Liberals during the stormy sponsorship scandal fallout days with a cabinet job. There’s no chance he’s going to win, but surely he’s weasling himself into a possible cabinet job.

Stephane Dion – They say Ken Dryden bores an audience to sleep when he stands up and makes a speech. What about Dion? Man, is he ever tiresome… and humourless. As annoying as Jean Chretien was with his choppy English at least he could be funny. Dion is just painful to listen to. I’m all for the Liberals alternating between anglophone and francophone leaders… and the party is due for a french speaking leader if tradition dictates… but pick one who can speak both languages elegantly, like Trudeau, or Ste. Laurent (I suppose).

Ken Dryden – The hockey great who’s the resident Liberal expert on childcare and other social things. His hockey background alone has been nice fodder to combine in editorial cartoons. That distinction seems to have run its course and now there’s not much left remarkable in the guy. He’s not a tremendously cartoonable guy.

Martha Hall Findlay – One point against her is her long name. Too many words to fit on lapels and briefcases as a cartoon means to identify people who aren’t recognizable. Since I knew right from he outset that she doesn’t have a chance of winning I’ve never really bothered to find out much about her. I still don’t know who she is, in the same way I don’t know who the MP Maurizio Bevilacqua was before he dropped form the race. She’s an attractive woman, which makes her no good to caricature.

Michael Ignatieff – Known best as the egg head Harvard professorial – second coming of Pierre Elliot Trudeau – whose lived in the United States for the last 30 years candidate. He seems pretty right wing on a lot of matters which suggests to me he’s running for leader of the wrong party. ‘Iggy’ is the nickname bestowed on him by other large brained intelligensia friends. Now the name has found its way into editorial cartoons in the same manner ‘Dubya’ identifies George W. Bush. For this reason alone I dread Ignatieff becoming Liberal leader. I’ve only recently learned how to properly pronounce ‘Ignatieff’ after calling him ‘Igni-eff” for months. He does have a pretty cartoonable look about him, and his large brain can be the source of great satire.

Gerard Kennedy – When he jumped into the race he left Ontario provincial politics as, arguably, Dalton McGuinty’s most competant cabinet minister (Education). His intelligence doesn’t seem to be an asset in the same way Bob Rae’s horrible record of governing should be a hinderance. If I were a left of centre Liberal delegate I’d be voting for this guy, despite how choppy his French is, and no matter how lacking in energy his speeches have been lately. It’s exactly for reason that he carries so little baggage that I’d hate to see him win. Drawing him day in and day out would be a huge challenge.

Bob Rae – The former Ontario premier would be my first choice to win the Liberal leadership for cartooning reasons. It would be very difficult for him to lead without being reminded every day of his disasterous record as a head of government. He seemed to be doing a fine job patching up his personal legacy by mediating, heading public inquiries, and issuing reports since he was Premier, obviously putting his Rhodes Scholarship marinated brain to good non-political use. So now it seems he wants to redeem his political legacy, a legacy that not even the most anti Harris/Eves Ontarians will easily forget.

Joe Volpe – The former Martin cabinet minister has signed up more delegates than any other candidate in the race, which experts say will make him a big power broker on convention day. Still, with all the bumbling, coincidently related to signing up new members, Volpe carries enough potential delegate weight which may guarantee him a cabinet post in a future Liberal government so long as it’s not Michael Ignatieff leading it. I see him as the most old fashioned Liberal Party candidate, where you know little about what the guy stands for despite his ability to gladhand himself into the party’s power inner sanctum. This, along with his fuzzy hair, droopy eyes and big honker of a nose makes him ideally cartoonable. Thankfully, he’ll never be Prime Minister.

Posted in: Canada, Ontario Tagged: Bob Rae, commentary, Dalton McGuinty, Frank McKenna, Gerard Kennedy, Joe Volpe, Ken Dryden, Liberal Party of Canada, Martha Hall Findlay, Michael Ignatieff, Scott Brison, Sheila Copps, Stephane Dion

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This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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