Ford Nation.

Meanwhile, in a park in the Toronto suburb of Etobicoke...

Mayor Rob Ford claims he stands up for the "little guy". But the average little guy in Ford Nation doesn't actually do crack.

My kids wanted to know what was wrong with this strange man. They really can't understand why he's still the mayor of Toronto, where their cousins live. I explained that, yeah he's got a lot of problems that make him act that way, and yeah, it's not fair for all the people who live there, and yeah, the way the city's government works, they can't actually make him leave. And yeah, he's a really good example of what not to be.

The kids suggested everyone should just ignore him; but I pointed out that some people still want him to be mayor.

"But why, mum?"

Maybe they want to hope? I have trouble understanding it myself.

How do you explain something like this to kids?

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Rob Ford and the Future of Toronto.

WARNING: Political cartooning.

Stuck in bed with the flu so I drew this on my iPad last night. Today I saw that Rob Ford had admitted to "probably" smoking crack and that he will not step down. Obviously I can't draw fast enough to keep up with the man.

Rob Ford needs help and the support of his family. Addiction is serious...maybe that's part of why I'm so fascinated by him. He represents so many human foibles all rolled into one package. And lampooning is a coping mechanism: if we don't laugh, we cry.

But his substance abuse problems and atrocious behavior are not what's bad for the people of Toronto. It's his policy of austerity that will do the most damage.

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The dumbing-down of Politics.

WARNING: Political cartooning.

When Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene said of Rob Ford as Mayor of Toronto, "It's like there's a giant baby running the city," this picture popped into my head.

Babies are cute...but they shouldn't be running cities. 

Don't not vote, ever. 

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The Doug and Rob Ford Caption Contest.

WARNING: political tooning.

Resistance was futile; I finally caved and drew Rob Ford, embattled Mayor of Toronto. Of course you can't really draw Rob without his older brother City Councillor Doug Ford.

I do not like the feeling I get when I listen to what this man says about ....well, anything really. The way Doug Ford talks makes me feel intensely uncomfortable; I don't trust him. One gets the idea that he's the one pushing his blurt-happy little brother along and pulling the strings behind the "Ford Nation" ideology. And watch out Canada, Doug Ford has his sights set on the Ontario Premiereship. If what Prime Minister Harper says about the municipal/provincial/national hat trick in this video is anything to go by, I may start to secretly hope Quebec separates because it'll actually be more Canadian here than anywhere.

Anyways, the Rob Ford story has morphed from a crack to a crevasse to a yawning canyon. With stalagmites and pointy shit. And being a Canadian, I can't escape it. Allegations aside, what interests me mainly is the behaviour of these two men, and the people reacting to them, for and against. I find it all at once compelling, hilarious and terrifying.

But never mind all that! Here's a caption contest for you!

Simply leave your entry in the comments below - it can be a single caption, or a couple of speech bubbles between Dougie and Robbie. Have fun. You can enter as many times as you like: just be sure to leave your Twitter handle or email so I can contact you if you win.

How you win - I'll choose the funniest one, that's all there is to it. My decision will be final.
What you win - your choice of either mug or t-shirt with the above design on it.
When you win - contest closes Wednesday, May 29th 2013 at midnight. I'll announce the winner on Thursday between 9 and 10 PM.

Remember the Ultimate Goal here is to have a laugh (yes, at the expense of the Brothers Ford, but that's what you get when you're an insane public official) so please hit the share button.

UPDATE: May 30, 2013 Contest Winner Announced!

We have a winner! Congratulations @IamSauerkraut from Twitter!

Sauerkraut, please let me know if you want t mug or a t-shirt with this fabulous one-of-a-kind artwork and hilarious caption. Thanks to everyone for entering; you are lovely.

And remember folks: if you're lucky enough to live in a democratic society, don't piss it away by not bothering to vote in your next election. Because ROB FORD.

'Nuff said.

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