Canada as we knew it
Graeme MacKay's selected work from 2024
Graeme Gallery 2024: Canada (December 27, 2024)
The year 2024 was anything but dull for Canada, with big challenges and defining moments shaping the nation’s story. From the growing homelessness crisis and debates over mental health care to political maneuvering on climate policies and leadership struggles, the headlines reflected a country grappling with complex issues. Internationally, Canada faced pressures on defence spending and foreign interference, while scandals and setbacks in sports and politics added unexpected twists. Through it all, editorial cartoons captured these events with humour and insight, shining a light on both our successes and shortcomings.
Thursday December 21, 2023: As Christmas lights twinkle, encampments of unhoused Canadians shiver in the cold while Trudeau, Ford, and city councils stay cozy indoors. Blame flies, but housing solutions remain frozen.
Tuesday January 16, 2024: The expansion of MAID for mental illness finds clarity where waitlists for mental health care, primary care, and social housing remain as muddled as ever. The irony is sharp and tragic..
Friday February 9, 2024: Pierre Poilievre screeches toward Danielle Smith’s approval with his support for Alberta’s controversial transgender policies, leaving rubber marks on vulnerable youth in the process..
Wednesday February 14, 2024: Valentine’s Day politics: Trudeau gifts Ford $3.1 billion in healthcare cash while Jagmeet Singh sulks, holding out for his national drug plan. Love is complicated in Ottawa.
Friday March 1, 2024: After splurging on domestic priorities, Liberal ministers awkwardly avoid eye contact with NATO’s defence spending collection plate. The global stage is calling, but their wallets seem shy.
Saturday March 2, 2024: Brian Mulroney ascends to celestial peace, while below, Canada’s current political leaders turn Parliament into a boxing ring. The contrast between dignity and dysfunction couldn’t be starker.
Wednesday March 6, 2024: Measles makes an unwelcome return, greeted with open arms by anti-vaxxers in Montreal. Vaccines work, but conspiracy theories seem to work faster.
Tuesday April 2, 2024: Big Oil pigs gorge on $5 billion in subsidies while Trudeau hands taxpayers crumbs disguised as carbon rebates. The green transition sure is lucrative—for some.
Saturday April 6, 2024: Canada’s open inquiries into foreign interference attract dark stares from global adversaries. Transparency is noble, but the eyes of India, Iran, Russia, and China suggest it might also be risky.
Saturday June 22, 2024: Justin Trudeau channels Joe Strummer in a punk-rock existential crisis: “Should I stay or should I go now?” With plummeting popularity, the decision is far from clear.
Thursday July 25, 2024: Canada’s women’s soccer team crashes spectacularly at the Paris Olympics, with a drone espionage scandal deflating their reputation like a soccer ball kicked into the Eiffel Tower.
Saturday September 14, 2024: “Axe the Tax” fever sweeps the country as unlikely allies Crombie, Singh, and Eby join Poilievre in pandering to populist demands. Climate action, once a rallying cry, is now a whispered regret.
Thursday December 12, 2024: Trump obsesses over Canada’s snow globe, ignoring other global crises on his toy shelf. Trudeau must decide whether to shake things up or wait out the storm.
Tuesday December 17, 2024: Chrystia Freeland storms off, leaving Trudeau abandoned on the dance floor of his political career. The cracks in his leadership grow into gaping chasms.
As we look ahead to 2025, the lessons of 2024 remain fresh. Canada faces hard decisions on leadership, the environment, and the state of our democracy. While the challenges are significant, the past year has also reminded us of the resilience and determination needed to move forward. With humour, humility, and a clearer view of what’s at stake, we step into the new year ready to face whatever comes next.
Graeme Galleries: Canada 2023 | Canada 2022 | Canada 2021 | Canada 2020
Hello, friends!
As 2024 winds down, I’m excited to share my editorial cartoons through The Graeme Gallery, my Substack newsletter inspired by a cherished Hamilton Spectator tradition. For 28 years, I’ve used cartoons to recap the year’s big stories—locally and globally—with humour and insight.
These annual retrospectives are the inspiration for what I now offer weekly on Substack: newsletters delivered every Saturday, summarizing the week’s events through my cartoons. Subscriptions are free while I remain a staff cartoonist with legacy media.
This year-end series kicks off December 26 with four special posts:
* Dec. 26: Ontario’s key moments.
* Dec. 27: Canada’s ups and downs.
* Dec. 28: The cost-of-living crisis.
* Dec. 29: Donald Trump’s 2024 antics.
Thank you to the 100+ subscribers who’ve already joined—your support keeps this art form alive. Please spread the word, and let’s celebrate satire together.
Happy holidays and here’s to a bright 2025!
—Graeme