Bruce MacKinnon

MacKinnon was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where he attended high school and later studied arts at St. Francis Xavier University. As a youth he also lived with his family in Kingston, Ontario, and Truro and Halifax, Nova Scotia. He studied Fine Arts at Mount Allison University and graphic design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. He had not graduated from NSCAD before he began cartooning full-time.{{cite news|title=Bruce MacKinnon, Martha Wilson to get honorary NSCAD degrees|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1125992-bruce-mackinnon-martha-wilson-to-get-honorary-nscad-degrees|access-date=5 May 2013|newspaper=Chronicle Herald|date=April 29, 2013}}

His first paid work as a cartoonist came at the age of 14, when he began drawing a weekly cartoon for The Casket in Antigonish. In high school and university in Antigonish, he drew cartoons for the Antigonish Spectator and the Xaverian Weekly, respectively.

In 1985, MacKinnon began drawing weekly cartoons for The Chronicle Herald in Halifax, and was hired full-time in 1986, filling a gap on the paper's editorial page that had been present ever since the retirement of its long-time cartoonist Bob Chambers in 1976.Conrad, Margaret, "The Art of Regional Protest: The Political Cartoons of Donald McRitchie, 1904-1937", Acadiensis, 1991, 29. With the redesign of the Herald's weekend edition in April 2013, his hand-drawn font was used for all the headlines in the "Opinion" section.{{cite news|last=Le Pierrès|first=Laurent|title=Bev leaves me holding the bag — full of goodies|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1124045-le-pierr-s-bev-leaves-me-holding-the-bag-full-of-goodies|access-date=12 May 2013|newspaper=Chronicle Herald|date=April 18, 2013}}

Since becoming the paper's regular cartoonist, MacKinnon has achieved status as one of Canada's finest editorial cartoonists, called by the Canadian Encyclopedia, "among the new breed of distinguished artists" in Canadian editorial cartooning.{{cite encyclopedia|title=Political Cartoons|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/political-cartoons|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122195127/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/political-cartoons|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2012|encyclopedia=Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=Historica-Dominion|access-date=5 May 2013}} To date he has won 18 Atlantic Journalism Awards for editorial cartooning, and eight National Newspaper Awards (1992, 1993, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2023), including the NNA inaugural Journalist of the Year award for 2014.{{cite news|last=MacIntyre|first=Mary Ellen|title=Herald's Bruce MacKinnon wins 4th National Newspaper Award|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1288469-herald%E2%80%99s-bruce-mackinnon-wins-4th-national-newspaper-award#|access-date=22 May 2015|newspaper=Chronicle Herald|date=May 22, 2015}}{{cite news|title=Editorial Cartoonist is named journalist of the year at National Newspaper Awards Gala|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1542023/editorial-cartoonist-is-named-journalist-of-the-year-at-national-newspaper-awards-gala}} He came in second in the World Press Cartoon competition in 2004.{{cite news|last=Knox|first=Carsten|title=Best Political Cartoonist|url=http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/best-political-cartoonist/BestOf?oid=1381843|newspaper=The Coast|year=2009}}{{cite web|title=Bruce MacKinnon|url=http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoonist/profile.cfm/MacKiB/|work=Member Profiles|publisher=AAEC|access-date=5 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814024344/http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoonist/profile.cfm/MacKiB/|archive-date=14 August 2013}} In 2014 he won the World Press Freedom Award {{cite news|last=DeMont|first=John|author-link=John DeMont|title=Herald Cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon wins World Press Freedom Award|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1204496-herald-cartoonist-bruce-mackinnon-wins-world-press-freedom-award|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=Chronicle Herald|date=May 1, 2014}} and received their Honourable Mention in 2015.{{cite web|title=World Press Cartoon Cascais Podium|url=http://www.worldpresscartoon.com/en#/noticias/155|work=News|publisher=World Press Cartoon|access-date=29 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417080525/http://www.worldpresscartoon.com/en#/noticias/155|archive-date=2010-04-17|url-status=dead}} He also won second prize in the 2014 Niels Bugge Cartoon Award.{{cite news|last=MacIntyre|first=Mary Ellen|title=Bruce MacKinnon Takes Second Place at International Awards Event|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1211502-bruce-mackinnon-takes-second-place-at-international-awards-event|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=Chronicle Herald|date=May 31, 2014}} Both a popular and at times controversial cartoonist, he was named Best Political Cartoonist in Halifax for several years running by The Coast newspaper before it elevated him to their Hall of Fame, thus retiring him from further contest.

MacKinnon participated in a panel discussion on political cartooning in Canada at the screening of Cartoonists: Foot Soldiers of Democracy held on March 27, 2015 at the Reel Artists Film Festival.{{cite news|last=Bryant|first=Nolan|title=Snow Packs 'em in at Guelph.}} He appeared as a Guest Speaker at Eurocature '15 in June 2015 in Vienna, Austria.{{cite web|title=Guest Speakers|url=http://www.eurocature.org/2015/}}

Much of MacKinnon's work forms part of the permanent collections of StFX University,{{cite web|title=Exhibition: Editorial Cartoons|url=http://sites.stfx.ca/artgallery/exhibitions/past/2010#3|publisher=StFX University Art Gallery|access-date=1 October 2010}} the National Gallery of Canada{{cite web|title=Bruce MacKinnon fonds |url=http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2014-06-23T14%3A12%3A59Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=155874&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Apam&lang=eng|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|year=1998}} and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.{{cite web|title=Acquisitions|url=http://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/site-agns/media/agns/journal%2011-1%20march-august1994.pdf|publisher=Art Gallery of Nova Scotia|date=March 1994|access-date=2014-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228165820/http://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/site-agns/media/agns/journal%2011-1%20march-august1994.pdf|archive-date=2010-12-28|url-status=dead}} In 1996 he was granted an honorary doctorate by St. Mary's University for his work and in 2011 he was made a member of the Order of Nova Scotia (ONS).{{cite web |title=2011 recipients |url=https://novascotia.ca/iga/2011recipients.asp |website=Order of Nova Scotia |access-date=24 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924084737/https://novascotia.ca/iga/2011recipients.asp |archive-date=24 September 2024}} In 2013 he received both an honorary doctorate of fine arts from NSCAD university and the Friend of StFX Award from St. Francis Xavier University.{{cite news|title=StFX to welcome home alumni from North America and Beyond|url=http://www.stfx.ca/news/view/11051|access-date=2013-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927183312/http://www.stfx.ca/news/view/11051/|archive-date=2013-09-27|url-status=dead}} In the 2016 Canadian honours, he was appointed Member of the Order of Canada (CM) "for his contributions as one of Canada’s most skilled, empathetic and provocative editorial cartoonists."{{cite web |title=Mr. Bruce MacKinnon |url=https://gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-10182 |website=Governor-General of Canada |access-date=24 September 2024}}[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/order-of-canada-recipients-1.3659510 Order of Canada's newest appointments include Olympians, jurists, researchers]

Some of MacKinnon's images have received wider attention, sometimes beyond Canada's borders. In 2014, after a reservist on ceremonial sentry duty at the nation's National War Memorial was killed by a shooter who then broke into the parliament building and had a gun battle with security, MacKinnon depicted the bronze World War I soldiers of the memorial extending their hands to the murdered man.{{cite AV media | last = Mackinnon | first = Bruce | date = October 6, 2017 | title = War Memorial | type = Cartoon | language = en | url = https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B0oMybcIAAErzA5.jpg | archive-url = http://web.archive.org/web/20141024064538/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B0oMybcIAAErzA5.jpg | archive-date = October 24, 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/halifax-artist-apos-cartoon-response-170259767.html |title=Halifax artist's cartoon in response to Kavanaugh hearing grips internet |website=ca.news.yahoo.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001003621/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/halifax-artist-apos-cartoon-response-170259767.html |archive-date=2018-10-01 }} In response to the Las Vegas mass shooting, MacKinnon drew a cartoon depicting Uncle Sam using his body to shield a spokesman for the National Rifle Association of America and reassuringly saying, "Everything's okay... you're safe..." while they are surrounded by the sprawled, bloody corpses of the shooting victims.{{cite AV media | last = Mackinnon | first = Bruce | date = October 6, 2017 | title = Everything's Okay | type = Cartoon | language = en | url = https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLZidUsVYAAnSv8.jpg | archive-url = http://web.archive.org/web/20171006094415/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLZidUsVYAAnSv8.jpg | archive-date = October 6, 2017 | url-status=live}} That cartoon was widely shared in 2017, and again in 2018 following other gun attacks. After the Parkland High School shooting, the cartoon was shared over 600,000 times on Facebook and was retweeted over a million times by Twitter users, including Mark Hamill, Steven Van Zandt and Ron Perlman. In 2018, during the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh that included a contentious sexual assault investigation, MacKinnon drew a cartoon showing Lady Justice being violently pinned to the floor and having her mouth covered by the hands of Republican men, mimicking the account of Christine Blasey Ford.{{cite AV media | last = Mackinnon | first = Bruce | date = October 5, 2018 | title = Elephants | type = Cartoon | language = en | url = https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DorPeyXVsAAHSes.jpg | archive-url = http://web.archive.org/web/20181005104358/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DorPeyXVsAAHSes.jpg | archive-date = October 5, 2018 | url-status=live}} The image was profusely shared, and also appeared on protest signs.

MacKinnon is married and has two children.{{cite web | url=https://smu.ca/academics/archives/j-bruce-mackinnon.html | title=J. Bruce MacKinnon }}

• {{cite book | last=MacKinnon | first=Bruce | display-authors=0| title=Inklings: Cartoons and caricatures | location=Halifax, NS | publisher=Nimbus Publishing| date=1990 | isbn=978-0-921054-53-5}}
• {{cite book | last=MacKinnon | first=Bruce | display-authors=0| title=Inklings II: Cartoons and caricatures | location=Halifax, NS | publisher=Nimbus Publishing | date=1994 | isbn=978-1-55109-094-8}}
• {{cite book | last=MacKinnon | first=Bruce | display-authors=0| title=Pendemonium: Cartoons and caricatures | location=Halifax, NS | publisher=Nimbus Publishing | date=2002 | isbn=978-1-55109-415-1}}
• {{cite book | last=MacKinnon | first=Bruce | display-authors=0| others=Foreword by Peter Mansbridge | title=Penetration: The 25th Anniversary Collection | date=2010 | isbn=978-1-55109-779-4}}0{{cite web|title=Bruce MacKinnon|url=http://www.nimbus.ca/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=1699&Name=Bruce+MacKinnon|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628053747/http://www.nimbus.ca/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=1699&Name=Bruce+MacKinnon|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 June 2013|work=Author Bios|publisher=Nimbus|access-date=5 May 2013}}
• Drawing Opinions: MacKinnon, DeAdder & More: Cartoons and the Stories that Inspire Them, Chronicle Herald, 2013

• Drawn to the Summit: A G-20 Exhibition of International Political Cartoons, 2009{{cite news|title=Bruce MacKinnon selected to exhibit at Andy Warhol Museum|url=http://nscad.ca/en/home/abouttheuniversity/news/mackinnon.aspx#sthash.uB0bjJ4t.dpuf|access-date=15 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605024444/http://nscad.ca/en/home/abouttheuniversity/news/mackinnon.aspx#sthash.uB0bjJ4t.dpuf|archive-date=5 June 2016|url-status=dead}}
• Exhibition: Editorial Cartoons, Bruce MacKinnon, 2010{{cite web|title=Exhibition: Editorial Cartoons|date=29 March 2022 |url=http://sites.stfx.ca/artgallery/exhibitions/past/2010}}
• eurocature 2015, 2015{{cite web|title=eurocature '15|url=http://www.eurocature.org/2015/}}

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• [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Bruce-MacKinnon-Editorial-Cartoonist/332289946323 Fans of Bruce MacKinnon, Editorial Cartoonist Facebook page]
• [https://twitter.com/CH_Cartoon Editorial cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon on Twitter]

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian editorial cartoonists

Category:Artists from Nova Scotia

Category:Mount Allison University alumni

Category:NSCAD University alumni

Category:Members of the Order of Canada

Category:Members of the Order of Nova Scotia

Category:People from Antigonish, Nova Scotia