Scrooge – mackaycartoons

Saturday December 24, 2016

December 23, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 24, 2016

Trump Tower failing to do its bit to Make Christmas Great Again

At a “thank you” rally in early December, Donald Trump promised that he would Make Christmas Great Again.

“We’re going to start saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again!” Trump told the crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“How about all those department stores?” he mused.

“They have the bells and they have the red walls and they have the snow. But they don’t have ‘Merry Christmas’.

“I think they’re going to start putting up ‘Merry Christmas’.”

Given this full-throated pledge, it might come as a surprise to learn that Trump Tower, the golden jewel in Trump’s property portfolio and the building where he is currently plotting his first term, has no signs saying “Merry Christmas” whatsoever.

Not one.

Visiting the Trump Tower on Wednesday, it was clear that holiday decorations have not been eschewed altogether. In fact, it’s the opposite. The interior of the building is festooned with festive frippery.

There is a 30ft Christmas tree. There are four-foot wreaths all around the entrance area.

There are scores of golden boxes, tied up with ribbons, laid around the place, as if Santa Claus gave up on his way to the Trump residence and dumped the presents in the lobby.

There are life-sized nutcracker statues, some holding trumpets.

But no Christmas signs.

The only mention of Christmas the Guardian could find in Trump Tower was in the gift shop, where a little Christmas tree bauble, which showed Santa Claus lying down on top of a yellow taxi, was described as a “Christmas ornament”. The ornament had been made in China.

Trump has promised that he will return Merry Christmas to common parlance before – most notably in November 2015, when he was gearing up for the Republican primaries.

It makes sense. The idea of a war on Christmas – that Americans are being forced to say “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas” because of political correctness – is a popular theory among some conservatives.

Trump has four years to force “merry Christmas” upon the American public, so perhaps change will eventually come to the US. He could certainly start by using the phrase in his own building.

But anyway. Happy holidays. (Source: The Guardian)

Friday December 18, 2015

December 17, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 18, 2015

OPP charge two former McGuinty aides in connection with gas plants scandal

Ontario Provincial Police laid criminal charges Thursday against two top aides to former premier Dalton McGuinty in a gas plants scandal that cast a cloud over his final days in power.

David Livingston, McGuinty’s former chief of staff, and Laura Miller, the deputy chief who went on to work for British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, are each charged with breach of trust, mischief in relation to data and misuse of a computer system to commit the offence of mischief.

The charges stem from the destruction of thousands of government emails about the Liberals’ decision to cancel planned gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga prior to the 2011 election. The province’s auditor found the move will cost ratepayers up to $1.1 billion.

March 21, 2013

McGuinty’s lawyer, Ronald Caza, issued a statement Thursday saying the OPP had made clear last June that the former premier was not the subject of their investigation.

“Today’s events again confirm there was no wrongdoing on the part of the former premier,” Caza said.

Miller issued a statement announcing she had stepped down as executive director of the B.C. Liberal Party, and accused the OPP of having a bias against her because of a complaint she filed with the Ontario Independent Police Review Director.

December 18, 2013

The director ordered the OPP commissioner to hold a police misconduct hearing for Det.-Const. Andre Duval, but the commissioner “resisted” this finding by appealing it to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, said Miller.

“Officers involved in a substantiated complaint should not have been allowed to continue investigating,” she said in her statement as she vowed to vigorously defend herself against the charges in court.

“Every Canadian expects and deserves impartiality and fairness in police charging decisions. I do not believe that to be the case here.”

Both Livingston and Miller are scheduled to make their first court appearances in Toronto on Jan. 27. Like Miller, Livingston’s lawyer has also denied he did anything wrong. (Source: Canadian Press)

Friday December 11, 2015

December 11, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 11, 2015

CHCH TV cancels tonight’s newscast; station future uncertain

CHCH news staff is waiting to find out the fate of their station after being told there will be no 6 o’clock newscast tonight.

An announcement to staff is expected at 4 p.m., by email, sources inside the CH newsroom say. The fear is the station is shutting down or being dramatically reduced.

Employees began asking questions this morning after money was unexpectedly deposited in some employees’ bank accounts. One staffer — who does not want to be identified — says the amount was equal to about two paycheques.

The station is owned by Channel Zero in Toronto.

One staffer, who didn’t want her name used because she was clinging to the hope she might still have a job on Monday, said the mood is “awful.”

As of 2:45 p.m. people were still optimistically working to file stories, she said. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

December 18, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Canada Pension Plan reform stalls without Ottawa’s support

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty insists economy too fragile for premium increases

Ontario is ready to go ahead with pension reform on its own after Ottawa blocked a consensus on Canada Pension Plan reform.

At a news conference following a meeting with his provincial counterparts in Meech Lake, Que., federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said now is not the time to move on the pension issue . Flaherty said there was a “frank discussion” about CPP changes, but he believes the economy is too fragile.

“We believe that CPP payroll taxes can hurt the economy and distract from what truly matters for all Canadians — keeping our economy strong and our finances in a strong fiscal footing is the plan of this government,” Flaherty said.

“Now is the time for fiscal discipline. And that is why all governments must focus on encouraging job growth and getting their fiscal houses in order. Now is not a time for CPP payroll tax increases,” Flaherty said.

Two hours later, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa issued a press release saying the province would implement a made-in-Ontario solution to the pension conundrum.

“Given today’s unfortunate stall tactic by the federal government, we will move forward to implement a made-in-Ontario alternative to protect Ontario workers in their retirement,” Sousa said.

He laid blame for the lack of consensus squarely at Flaherty’s door, saying the federal minister was stalling what could have been an agreement among the provinces.

“Doing nothing is not a solution to this problem and will not give Ontarians the security they need to retire. We have to act and that’s what Ontario will do,” Sousa said. (Source: CBC News)

Saturday, November 30, 2013

November 30, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, November 30, 2013

The Top Christmas Holiday Specials

In 2011, the website What To Do With The Kids polled its followers and asked them to give their list of the top Christmas or holiday movies or television sShows that the whole family can watch. The list was well-received and judging by the feedback, very popular.

Two years later, however, they decided to go to their followers again and there has been a shift in popularity of some of those classic movies.

Available for purchase

It seems that black and white movies are now out. Many parents suggested that once the movie started, the kids would complain about the color, or lack of it. Many families have said that although they enjoyed watching the old black and white movies in past years, they tend to agree with their kids that it has very little appeal today.

The Frank Capra classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” dropped from second to third place while “Miracle on 34th Street” went from a tie in fifth to a tie for eighth place. “Miracle on 34th Street” fell off the list.

Animated features are as popular as ever but many adults commented that they were not able to watch them on regular television as they normally would because of their busy schedules so they opted to purchase a copy on DVD. Many parents commented that they had purchased DVD or Blue Ray versions of their favorites but made an effort to only bring them out during the holiday season.

Ron Howard’s “The Grinch” went from honorable mention to a tie for number six faster than a runaway sled pulled by a little dog while “A Christmas Story” was shot off the list (by a BB gun) all together.

Most respondents however had said that they still do get the family together to watch at least one holiday movie.

With over 1,400 entries, What To Do With The Kids® presents the updated Top 10 Family Christmas/Holiday Movie or Television Shows:

1. “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966 – Animated) – (#1 in 2011)
2. “The Polar Express” (2004 – Animated) – (#8 in 2011)
3. “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946) – (#2 in 2011)
4. “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” (1964 – Animated) – (#6 in 2011)
5. “Elf” (2004) – (Not ranked in 2011)
6. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965 – Animated) – (#4 in 2011)
“The Santa Clause” (1994) – (Not ranked in 2011)
“Frosty the Snowman” (1969 – Animated) – (#7 in 2011)
7. “The Grinch” (2000) – (Not ranked in 2011)
8. “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947) – (#5 in 2011)
9. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989) – (#8 in 2011)
10. “A Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992) – (#10 in 2011)

Movies that are no longer on the list: “A Christmas Story (1983) – (#3 in 2011); “A Christmas Carol (1951) – (#5 in 2011); “White Christmas” (1954) – (#7 in 2011); “Home Alone” (1990) – (#9 in 2011) (Source: Staten Island Advance)