With the holidays around the corner, I’ve been getting into the festive spirit, which for me always includes a rewatch of Elf. It’s one of my absolute favourite Christmas movies—right up there with the 1951 A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim. That scene in Elf where Buddy calls out the department store Santa with “You sit on a throne of lies” cracks me up every single time - even more so given at this time of the year I actually often do smell like beef and cheese… but I digress. If you caught the December 12 editorial cartoon I shared, now you know where the lines came from!

Speaking of thrones of lies... let’s talk about this GST/HST holiday and $250 rebate the government’s been hyping. On the surface, it might sound like a thoughtful gesture, and a little relief with the cost of living crisis, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that it’s more about scoring political points than actually helping people. Sure, a little extra cash is nice, but these measures don’t address the bigger issues Canadians are dealing with. And then there’s the bickering between the Prime Minister’s Office and Finance Minister Freeland—while they argue about budgets and optics, it’s regular folks who are left wondering how this helps in the long run.

It’s frustrating to see these temporary “fixes” instead of real solutions. It’s like handing out candy canes when what we need is a solid plan for the future. But much like Buddy in Elf, when something doesn’t add up, it’s okay to call it out.

The Liberal government’s GST/HST holiday and $250 rebate, promoted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office despite objections from Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, reveal troubling fiscal irresponsibility and internal tensions. These measures, amounting to over $6 billion in spending, provide minimal relief to Canadians while ignoring root economic issues like housing affordability and stagnant wages. Internal disputes between the PMO and Finance mirror previous rifts, suggesting a government in decline. As political desperation drives short-term fixes, trust in the Liberals’ economic leadership erodes, leaving Canada’s affordability crisis unaddressed and the party’s political future in jeopardy.

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Here’s the making-of clip for the December 11, 2024 editorial cartoon. Enjoy! Enjoy!