Wasn't that a party?

Terry Mosher (Aislin) and myself hamming it up.
Herding kittens...that's how more than a few people have referred to the arduous task of organizing a bunch of cartoonists. I now know why.

The Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists Convention ended late Saturday night...actually Sunday morning if you want to get technical. It took me a couple of days to recover, not because I drank too much (although I may have on the first night) but because I didn't sleep the first two nights and was constantly managing details and keeping an eye on the schedule. I can usually sleep anywhere, so insomnia two nights in a row was a foreign experience. Friday night, with a little help from Unisom, I managed to sleep well, which meant that Saturday was much more enjoyable. Those who've organized this convention before me seemed to understand exactly what I was going through. It really was a trial by fire, but I did have a great time.


Badeaux, DeAdder and Mosher talk about book publishing.

A number of people arrived on Wednesday afternoon and I was surprised at how easy these folks are to get along with. People I have only talked to on email were greeting me with big smiles and bear hugs. Wasn't long before Bob Krieger and I had all of the Tree beer picked up from the liquor store downtown (two trips!) and loaded into our hospitality suite, which turned out to be the perfect amount of space for everyone. We basically had a 2 bedroom apartment that everyone flocked to each evening. Krieger (The Vancouver Province) and Bruce MacKinnon (The Halifax Chronicle Herald) brought their guitars and if they ever give up cartooning, they could take that show on the road. A couple of very talented individuals without whom the party would have been greatly diminished. On Saturday night, Bruce played a song he wrote about the trials of editorial cartooning that was nothing short of brilliant. We forced him to play it twice and I dare say that everyone in the room sang along the second time.


L to R: Chapleau, LaMontagne, Powell, Badeaux, Krieger, Cummings & MacKinnon's Head.

Everyone else arrived on Thursday, and the convention was underway. Dinner that evening led to another night in the hospitality suite and more consumption. We had sessions all day on Friday where I learned that cartoonists can't be on time for anything, but as Terry Mosher (Aislin of The Gazette) told me the first morning...I just had to get used to it with this group. So I resigned myself to the fact and tried to wing it.


MacKinnon, Krieger, Larter


Daigle (with camera), Badeaux, Peterson, Powell, Dewar

Following the sessions, we took a bus to the Sulphur Mountain Gondola (they all showed up on time!). At what seems like the top of the world, I got to show off why I love living here. Christian Daigle's brother Eric is a professional photographer, and just happens to live in Banff. He volunteered to be our group photographer.

Most of the cartoonists and guests at the top of Sulphur Mountain. Click to see larger image.

I'm supposed to be getting a CD of the shots this week, but this is a sneak peak, and I believe we just may have got the best group shot of any convention. Unfortunately, a few people stayed behind due to a fear of heights or a pounding head, so a few attendees are missing from the shot.


The Town of Banff from Sulphur Mtn.


The top of Sulphur Mtn.

Ezra Levant turned out to be quite an interesting speaker, and not the reactionary grandstander I had incorrectly assumed he would be. I had the pleasure of dining with him before the speech, I found him to be a likeable, well-informed individual with some excellent and frightening points. Turns out that Canadians looking down on the US for the freedoms they've given away to The Department of Homeland Security should take a long hard look at our own Human Rights Commissions. No qualifications, auditors, oversight committees or warrants necessary for these folks. All it takes is an accusation, and you're guilty until proven innocent. One step removed from Big Brother, and a short step at that.


The hand-off of the caricature

All in all, a wonderful time. Nothing (aside from my lack of sleep) seemed to go wrong and many of the cartoonists took the time to personally thank me and tell me they had a great time. Having never attended a convention prior to this, I did put forth my best effort so I was relieved that everyone enjoyed themselves. Michael DeAdder presented me with a card at the final banquet that all of the cartoonists had signed. A real collector's item and memento, one I'll be framing with the group photo for my office.

Prior to the convention, I felt no real connection to this organization I've belonged to for a few years, as I'd only met a couple of them. To be honest, I could have taken or left it. After meeting this great group of people in person, however, I'm very much looking forward to the next convention in Hamilton, Ontario in 2010.

Especially since I don't have to organize it.

New President Graeme MacKay...and host of the next convention.