Everybody and his dog knows that I am no fan of Trump or the Irving Clan but to be fair I must ask how on earth was the De Adder "cartoon" remotely funny? I would not wish to be associated with the arsehole and would have fired him too
Michael de Adder released this cartoon on June 26 of Donald Trump next to the bodies of a father and daughter who died trying to cross the border into Texas. (Michael de Adder)
Cartoonist Michael de Adder has been let go from Irving-owned Brunswick News Inc. just days after his cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump playing golf next to the bodies of two migrants went viral.
The cartoon, released on Wednesday, shows Trump looming over Oscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his young daughter, Valeria, who drowned while trying to cross into Brownsville, Texas.
The original image of the Salvadoran father and daughter made headlines early last week, bringing to light once again the issues around migrants risking their lives to enter the U.S
"All they had to do was tell me why I was fired. They didn't tell me," de Adder said.
"No matter how hard I pressed there were no answers given … I don't know if it's about Trump, really. I think it's about Trump. It's the most logical answer."
When he asked his editor whether it was a cost-cutting measure, or his online social media or even "gross incompetence," de Adder said, he was told no.
"I really wasn't interested in playing the role of disgruntled former employee."
Michael de Adder says he was never explicitly told why his contract with BNI was ending. (Mairin Prentiss/CBC)
BNI denies the claim that the reason for terminating its freelance contract with de Adder was the cartoon.
"This is a false narrative which has emerged carelessly and recklessly on social media. In fact, BNI was not even offered this cartoon," said the company in a tweeted statement on Sunday.
"The decision to bring back reader favourite Greg Perry was made long before this cartoon, and negotiations had been ongoing for weeks."
But de Adder disputes BNI's reasoning and said he was told by the company that they would not run cartoons about Trump.
"It got to the point where I didn't submit any Donald Trump cartoons for fear that I might be fired," he said on Twitter, adding that in the past two weeks he drew three viral Trump cartoons.
"And a day later I was let go. And not only let go, the cartoons they already had in the can were not used. Overnight it was like I never worked for the paper. Make your own conclusions."
This was scheduled to appear today. Donald Sutherland receives the Order of Canada. He was born in New Brunswick. It was based upon a cartoon I did years ago for a book I did on the province. The fact that they didn't even run it is telling. All ties had to be cut ASAP.
On Twitter, de Adder also said that every Trump cartoon he submitted for the past year was axed.
This raised some red flags for Wes Tyrell, president of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists.
"This is a smelly circumstance," Tyrell said. "Trump cartoons have been the bread and butter for just about every publication out there since 2016, 2015. Why are they not running them?"
He said it's especially concerning to see editorial influence creeping up on cartoonists.
"To me, that's a form of censorship. And it's unacceptable."
Wes Tyrell, president of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists, said the timing of BNI letting go of Michael de Adder "was no coincidence." (CBC)
But de Adder said he doesn't believe it was entirely censorship.
"They wanted to manipulate the content," he said.
"The Irvings don't want Justin Trudeau re-elected and they will not print a cartoon that's slightly pro-Justin Trudeau. And they won't [print] a cartoon that's slightly against Andrew Scheer."
He also said the paper wouldn't run cartoons he drew of the province's premier, Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs, a former Irving Oil executive.
'Disturbing' trend
Editorial influence over cartoonists is not just a trend in Canada.
Starting this month, the New York Times will stop running daily political cartoons in its international edition altogether.
Last year, staff cartoonist Rob Rogers was fired from his job at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for his depictions of Trump.
De Adder works in his home studio on Monday. (Mairin Prentiss/CBC)
"I think it's really a terrible thing for a newspaper to start getting involved in micromanaging the cartoonists," said Rogers, who noted the trend was "disturbing."
"The president is dictating very negative attacks on the media. He's calling us the enemy of the people. And I believe that that is something that a newspaper publisher should be fighting against."
Rogers said in his case, the company was willing to sacrifice the following he had built around his local cartoons "just to satisfy something that they felt about the president. And I thought that was really tragic."
According to his website, de Adder freelances for the Chronicle Herald of Halifax, the Toronto Star and Ottawa Hill Times.
The hardest part in all of this,I have a mother with dimentia in NB who has a hard time remembering her family at times.But she knows her son draws cartoons. Part of her daily routine is to open the @TimesTranscript and see her son's cartoon.A cartoon that won't be there anymore.
In an emailed statement from the Ottawa Hill Times, editor Kate Malloy said the paper will continue to work with de Adder "for many years to come."
"He's one of the most talented editorial cartoonists in the country. He pushes the envelope, but that's what a great editorial cartoonist does," Malloy said.
Tyrell said who BNI chose as their new cartoonist is telling.
"No disrespect to this other cartoonist at all, but this is an inoffensive, non-provocative, run-of-the-mill individual, cartoon-wise. Mike de Adder is an entirely different level," Tyrell said.
"He's undeniably the voice of New Brunswick."
But de Adder said he doesn't regret sharing the Trump cartoon.
"I regret that I won't have cartoons in newspapers in my hometown that friends and family can see."
I have a million texts, emails, dms, tweets, status updates, replies and phone messages. I just don't know where to start. I apologize to every reporter, news organization and television station that may have been under deadline and waiting for me to reply. No reception.
Emma Davie is a reporter, web writer and videojournalist in Halifax. She loves listening to, and telling stories from people in the Maritimes. You can reach her at emma.davie@cbc.ca.
WIth files from Megan McCleister and Olivia Stefanovich
5157 Comments Commenting is now closed for this story.
Earl Higgins
The cartoon deserves an award not a firing.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Earl Higgins: I strongly disagree
If you were to imagine those were your loved ones in the water, I bet you would change your opinion.
Lori Patrick
The truth is often sad and tragic. This cartoonist captured what I was feeling.
Patrick Martin
Reply to @Lori Patrick: Most media outlets in Canada are owned by Billionaires and US Hedge Funds. Why do you think there is an agenda to cozy up to Trump, get behind Harper and trash Trudeau and Singh?
It is pretty obvious why.
Patrick Martin
Reply to @Lori Patrick: I meant Scheer, not Harper.
Dallas Wishnowski
Reply to @Patrick Martin: Spot on pat! The billionaires really do hate treadeau! He’s always cracking down on them, he truly is a man of the people! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
David R. Amos
Reply to @Lori Patrick: "This cartoonist captured what I was feeling."
I see no humour in making a buck off of a tragedy
Tyler Earl
Reply to @Dallas Wishnowski: treadeau? What's a treadeau?
Mike T
Reply to @David R. Amos: He was there 17 years. He is a cartoonist--he reflects what is going on in the world--in this case he was reflecting Trump's prejudice which found expression in his immigration policy. Its not an issue about "making a buck". Why is the right all of a sudden concerned about "political correctness"?
Dallas Wishnowski
Reply to @Tyler Earl: all you took from that was a typo.... Tyler the typo police haha it’s a got a good ring eh smarty pants ?
David R. Amos
Reply to @Mike T: Methinks everybody knows that I am NOT a right wingnut and that I have run as Independent in 6 elections thus far because of my contempt towards Harper and his Liberal,.NDP,.Bloc and Green cohorts. I am also very outspoken against the Irving Clan (Check my comments in the article today about NB Power) and their new buddy Mr Trump (Google these words Trump NAFTA FATCA TPP Cohen David Amos) However as I said I see no need for a cartoonist from my neck of the woods or the crybaby Liberals everywhere to capitalize on the demise of a child and her desperate father seeking a better life for his family.in the USA in light of the fact Mr Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger would have allowed them to walk illegally into Canada and he would have welcomed them with opens arms and supported them on our taxpayer funds If the Liberals care so much for the folks seeking a better life why not buy them tickets in Mexico and fly them into Quebec rather than make fun of the folks drowning in a Yankee river while Trump plays golf.
My point is not funny either N'esy Pas?
Mike T
Reply to @Patrick Martin: Same thing! LOLOLOL!!
Mike T
Reply to @David R. Amos: How very nice, David. Clearly you hold right wing views with regard to immigration. "Capitalizing" is not what the cartoonist's motive was. You are taking an incident that happened in Texas and using it to bash Trudeau on a hypothetical--who is capitalizing here? Who is standing on their soap box now? :~) de Adder's cartoon resonated deeply for a reason--these people were trying to escape from El Salvador (one of the infamous blank hole country's Trump listed). Perhaps you might have a little bit more sympathy for the situation of you read about the US role in El Salvador, which in turn motivated them to leave in search of a better life. At the very least, you can (I would hope) appreciate the historical irony. "America's Role in El Salvador's Deterioration"www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/01/trump-and-el-salvador/550955/
David R. Amos
Reply to @Mike T: Nope you are just part of a herd the crybaby noname liberals bashing Trump for whatever excuse you can find which was fie by me until lately. First it was the Huff Post and now CBC has chimed in using this sad event. It has crossed the line of simple human decency in my book. Methinks that is i all I will say on this topic so I can't ever be ethically accused by a real person of what you just tried to accuse me of N'esy Pas?
Mike T Reply to @David R. Amos: Once again, David, thanks for making my point--you are clearly a conservative trying to masquerade as an "independent". Q.E.D.
David R. Amos Reply to @Mike T: Many lawyers working for Harper and Trudeau knew that my name had been on 6 ballots as an Independent when I sued the Queen in 2015. On the other hand your noname Liberal ID has only managed to follow my comments into 3 threads and garner only 3 replies within one
Methinks your hero Mr Prime Minister Trudeau The Younger may remember me but definitely not you N'esy Pas?
Bruce Osborne
The Irvings never liked anyone to criticize their empire. They own the media in New Brunswick - radio, television and print. As they spread their business tentacles further into the U. S. they don't want to offend Americans and particularly the current very sensitive POTUS. Shame on the Irvings.
David R. Amos
Reply to @Bruce Osborne: Methinks everybody knows I am no fan of Trump or the Irving Clan but because of this piece of work I have no respect for the cartoonist Mikey de Adder or CBC for promoting it I suspect some would agree that the Irvings were wise to be rid of Mikey if this comment is even permitted to be posted N'esy Pas?
Mike T
Reply to @David R. Amos: If de Adder was so bad, why was he there 17 years?
Michael de Adder says he was never explicitly told why his contract with BNI was ending. (Mairin Prentiss/CBC)
