As an editorial cartoonist, election seasons have always been a great source of inspiration, but this time things feel a bit scattered. Take Marit Stiles, for example. I don't know much about her, and I suspect many voters don’t either. Her campaign might as well use the punchline, "I'm not them, either," as she tries to stand apart from the federal NDP without a clear narrative of her own.

Doug Ford and Pierre Poilievre are both popular in the polls, yet their approaches differ. Ford focuses on provincial issues like the auto industry, while Poilievre takes a more conservative fiscal stance. For the Liberals, both in Ontario and nationally, there seems to be a fresh start. With Justin Trudeau stepping back, Bonnie Crombie is positioning herself in the middle, appealing to a wide range of voters.

What's missing, though, is the excitement that usually comes with elections. The NDP, both federally and provincially, seems to be lacking energy and direction.

For me, the absence of editorial board meetings is particularly noticeable. I used to enjoy sketching political leaders as they answered questions from our writers and reporters, capturing their essence in real-time. These sessions offered a glimpse into their personalities and policies, allowing me to add a personal touch to my cartoons. Over the years, I've drawn everyone from Kathleen Wynne to Dalton McGuinty, and even going back to Premier Ernie Eves. I've sketched faces like Jack Layton, Ralph Goodale, Marc Garneau, and Stephen Harper before he became Prime Minister.

These gatherings were more than just drawing sessions; they were about engaging with the political process and seeing leadership in action. It's a loss that these face-to-face encounters have dwindled—first with Doug Ford's absence, then the pandemic, and now a reluctance from leaders to participate.

As we go through the motions of these times, I find myself looking back on those interactions and the insights they provided. Whether it was small talk with Dalton McGuinty or a sketch of Ken Dryden, these moments were invaluable in shaping my view of our political landscape. Now, as we face new challenges, I hope for a return to that spirit of engagement and dialogue that once brought our political leaders to life through the strokes of my pencil.

Enjoy the latest making-of clip: