Duds 'N' Scuds: Political Cartoons

J.L. Granatstein is a history professor at York University and author of
War and Peacekeeping and For Better or For Worse.

Donato is the superb cartoonist of the Toronto Sun, and this collection
of editorial cartoons is his latest to appear. As the title suggests,
the cartoons are from the 1990-91 period and cover the emergence of the
NDP government in Ontario, the continuing troubles of the Tories in
Ottawa, and the Gulf War. Donato has the Prime Minister down perfectly,
most notably in one splendid panel where he portrays Mulroney as a
Japanese swordsman. The slashes are dazzling through five drawings
until, in the final one, our leader is shown still upright but with his
head on the floor and one foot firmly planted in his mouth. Another
shows Mulroney badly playing the “New National Unity Waltz” on the
cello and producing only a screechy “Mmmmoooorre Mmmmeeeecchh.”
Aficionados of political humor will cherish this collection.