The Daily Cartoonist

Industry news for the professional cartoonist

Roy Peterson laid off from Vancouver Sun

Alan Gardner191 mins

Roy Peterson’s 47 year career at the Vancouver Sun has ended. He was laid off earlier this week in a cost-cutting move. Roy has seven National Newspaper Awards and has been one of the premiere cartoonists in Canada for decades. He is also a founding member of the the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists and also served as president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists in 1983.

19 thoughts on “Roy Peterson laid off from Vancouver Sun”

  2. I spoke to Roy this afternoon, and despite this unfortunate turn of events, he will not be laying down his pen. He will still be freelancing.

    This shouldn’t happen to anybody, but especially not to a fine gentleman like Roy. He deserved better than this. And to add insult to injury, after 47 years, they killed his last cartoon.

  3. I’m in shock. Mr. Peterson is of course one of the reasons I pursued cartooning.

    We all have to adjust to this new era of these digital news papers. I believe cartoons and especially editorial cartoons are form of art that documents policial and social changes and events. It our job to find our place just like Mr. Peterson will.

  4. I’m speechless. Roy is one of the best editorial cartoonists in the world, and a very nice guy as well. After 47 years, the Vancouver Sun could’ve gone the route of having Roy retire and give him a retrospective and a grand send-off, but this way — especially killing his last cartoon — shows the paper is utterly lacking in class.

  6. Roy was one of the few qualities that sustained the Vancouver Sun–especially with its many dilutions. I wish him much success beyond this paper that is essential one big advertisement.

  7. Ah, Roy – such fine talent, knowledge & experience at producing savvy, award-winning political commentary in cartoon format… But in the end, the fine folks in charge of the newspaper realized that, sadly, all that talent costs MONEY, and they’re fresh out of it at the moment…

    Sad story, indeed.

  8. “Roy is one of the best editorial cartoonists in the world, and a very nice guy as well. After 47 years, the Vancouver Sun couldâ??ve gone the route of having Roy retire and give him a retrospective and a grand send-off, but this way â?? especially killing his last cartoon â?? shows the paper is utterly lacking in class.”

    You said it all Steve!

    Sad SAD times when you have to see talented people suffering this way.

  9. They don’t come any nicer or better than Roy Peterson….period.

    Just another example of shooting a hole in the boat to let the water out.

  10. Like Pedro Molina, I agree that Steve Greenberg’s comment says it all. If only more newspaper owners and publishers were gentlemen like Roy Peterson.

  11. A wise old cartoonist told me more than once,….. in your career as a cartoonist, you become more valuable to the paper than the paper is to you.

    As a freelancer (I believe) Roy was not totally financially dependent on the Sun…….whereas the Sun had only one Roy Peterson.

    The Sun is now fishing for readers……. without a hook.

  15. Pat, thanks so much. Roy Peterson, along with being a giant in our business , is probably the nicest most humble guy in the world. I was telling my wife Marian ,how could a guy like that get laid off? He’s been a huge part of that paper. What editors have forgotten, a great editorial cartoonist can be the face of the paper, And right now papers need a face . Again, thanks.

  16. Hi everyone, Karen Peterson here, Roy’s daughter. I just got off the phone with my dad and he said that in the meantime, until his computer is up and running again, if anyone wishes to get in contact with him via email, you could use my email address and i will forward them on. My email is specialkp@shaw.ca
    Thanks for all the kind words.

  19. As a very young searching cartoonist 25 years ago, I looked around the country and around the world at all the styles and techniques used by professional cartoonists, and came to the conclusion that their was no one with more sheer pure drawing skill than Roy Peterson…and of course copying a master is the best form of flattery…even though Uncle Roy, as he was affectionately called, was pissed at me, and for good reason. it took years to wean myself from those incredible brushstrokes and inimitable cross-hatching, I had to simply stop looking at his work. But his prowess at caricature will remain timeless and in my opinion, quite unmatched. He’s old school and what they did to him was a low blow. Those executive bean-counting weasles never get the importance of cartoons in their papers. Until they have none.

    But all the best, Mr. Peterson. Never lay down your quills…

Comments are closed.

Top