Canadian cartoonists react to Paris shooting

Most cartoonists know that the images they draw will likely be upsetting to someone, but no one could have predicted the violent attack on a satirical magazine published in Paris.

Gary Clement woke up to the news of the shooting on Tuesday.

“It was sickening,” said the man who has been drawing images for the National Post for 16 years.

“There’s lots of inflammatory cartoons in the Middle East depicting Israel, for example, and there’s been lots of stuff around the world like that. But there’s been nothing, that I’ve seen, I can’t think of an example that has invited this kind of horrific violence,” Clement said.

Clement says the work Charlie Hebdo published in Paris was very extreme, and went much further than his own drawings go. However, Clement still believes that artists shouldn’t have to censor themselves if they believe in what they’re drawing.

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“Part of what this is about is that we have this incredible – I don’t want to start flag waving – but we have this incredible freedom to sit down and do what we want and say whatever we feel like … that’s what’s being attacked here.”

Fred Curatolo, another Canadian cartoonist, said he also believes that artists shouldn’t have to censor themselves to their critics. However, Curatolo has always made an effort to be responsible and fair in his images. That’s part of the reason why he tends to stay away from drawings that address religion.

“It’s up to you. Do you let these people censor you too? So I think it’s the individuals’ call. It’s up to him but he has to be responsible in what he says,” Curatolo said. He’s not familiar with the images produced by Charlie Hebdo, but says the magazine made their choice in what they published and should not have been attacked for that.

“If you take somebody’s life, of course you’ve crossed the line.”

Clement said nothing in his drawings – or in his life – will change because of Tuesday’s shooting.

“With respecting and honouring the people who unfortunately lost their lives in this – I think the greatest tribute to them is to go on; everyone keep doing what they’re doing.”

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