There was a time not long ago when editorial cartoons formed an integral part of your newspaper, a way to cut through the rhetoric and expose the folly of politicians.

Len Norris, for one, was a much-lauded editorial cartoonist with The Vancouver Sun for close to 40 years, finally calling it quits in 1988.

But a general decline in the newspaper industry more recently has resulted in ever fewer cartoonists.

Sure, newspapers facing tough financial times in a digital age have viewed the cutting of editorial cartoonists as an easy way to save money.

But Bob Krieger, who drew cartoons for The Province from 1981 through 2010, says there’s more at work. “The main issue, I think, is editors and publishers are scared shitless of offending what remaining readers they have, so killing cartoons avoids that risk.”

Which brings us to North Cowichan council’s 4-3 decision Aug. 20 to dismiss the public’s wishes for conservation and staff concerns over First Nation relations, making the resumption of logging in the 5,000-hectare Municipal Forest Reserve a priority in 2026.

Councillors Bruce Findlay, Tek Manhas, Becky Hogg and Mike Caljouw voted in favour of the motion.

Mayor Rob Douglas and councillors Christopher Justice and Chris Istace voted against.

Krieger weighed in with the above cartoon based on that decision, the sort of incisive commentary that readers came to love and appreciate during his time with The Province.

Note that a lengthy and in-depth public consultation process and forest review costing about $300,000 ended in 2023. An on-line survey showed 76-per-cent support for a conservation vision for the forest reserve; a statistically valid random phone survey showed 67-per-cent support.

Staff have warned that a resumption of logging while a parallel consultation continues with Quw’utsun Nation over a forest co-management agreement could damage Indigenous relations.

On August 26, Cowichan Tribes Chief Cindy Daniels said in a statement: "Seeking to move ahead with logging in the Municipal Forest Reserve before the co-management framework and plan are complete undermines the collaborative nature of this work to date."