Brilliant Canadian cartoonist Cam Cardow, the staff cartoonist for the Ottawa Citizen, had the cartoon below rejected for being too cynical and unfair. “I think it’s fair comment,” Cam wrote on his Facebook page, “but I’ll accept the cynical tag.”

Cam expanded his thoughts behind the rejected cartoon:

It’s not that I think Canadian athletes are mediocre, (because they are not) it’s just got to do with them up against some really tough competition this year,” Cam wrote. “As a result, some of Canadian coverage I’ve seen has been the proverbial making lemonade when given lemons. There hasn’t been a lot to celebrate from a Canadian perspective so far. In contrast, we have the U.S. coverage which can’t keep up to their medals and victories. It’s not a criticism, just pointing out the reality of it.

Here is the cartoon Cam drew in place of the rejected one:

In an effort to cut costs, some newspapers in the U.S. and Canada have announced they are shedding print editions and moving to digital delivery of news. The Ottawa Citizen, owned by Postmedia Network Inc., will print its last Sunday paper on July 15, and plans on eliminating 20 newsroom jobs.

I asked Cam Cardow, the brilliant Canadian cartoonist and longtime Citizen contributor (who I syndicate thru CagleCartoons.com), what he thought of the grim announcement:

I’m a little shell-shocked byt this. I’m looking at the huge losses Postmedia is reporting and understand that those losses will lead to even more cuts, meaning jobs. Apparently the Citizen is expecting more announcements this summer and I think everyone has to be realistic about where the industry is ended and what this means for their employment status. It is a truly sad outcome for those of us of grew up with newspapers, who love the feel of the paper and the smell of the ink. You always hope for the best, but at some point you have to accept that just because the band is playing on doesn’t mean the plunge into the cold, black icy abyss will be put off any longer.

Many cartoonists handle holidays very differently. Some prefer to use the opportunity to create funny gags, while others try to tie in the unique imagery to an event or issue that’s currently in the news.

Cam Cardow, the brilliant cartoonist for the Ottawa Citizen, has always treated Easter with a respect not often seen among the bunnies and chocolate candies. Many are more like illustrations than traditional cartoons.

I asked Cam to share his thoughts about his Easter cartoons, and here’s what he e-mailed me:

I don’t have an issue when a cartoonist expresses personal faith or a belief system in a cartoon. In fact, we do it all the time by aligning with certain social issues and political parties. I just happen to be a believer in the personage of Jesus Christ, his historical role, ancient origins, his death and ultimately, his resurrection. Regardless of my walk in this life, I know who he is and I will always acknowledge that in person and in my art. My belief of who he was and is a key component to who I am. Therefore, I publicly acknowledge it.

Here are some of his best Easter cartoons…