The worst failure of governance and leadership

Media reports are all about coronavirus variants and how dangerous they are. That might have something to do with active cases decreasing by about 2,000 (2.2%) during the past five days. That does not fit the expert narrative

There is a heavy emphasis on hospital and ICU admissions and numbers. Doctors who claim to be overwhelmed control the admissions and duration of stays. There are political aspects to medical COVID recommendations.

Everyone wants more money pumped into health care, but no one wants to pay the price. We can hire and train more people and open hospitals and clinics for a second shift, but the money has to come from increased taxes. Our credit card is maxed out.

The Ontario saga is sad. There, and elsewhere, it is becoming evident that the working poor have been a primary source of virus spread. Many, if not most, are essential workers and lose pay if they are not at work. They have inadequate protection from infection and were not prioritized for vaccination until a few days ago.

Other provinces are slamming the doors and locking down after infections have spread. We are consistently behind the curve instead of bending it. We are not restricting travel from outside Canada. Virus variants from around the globe have spread throughout Canada. Federal assurances that it has secured our borders are ridiculous when infections tell us otherwise.
Our governments are fixated on political correctness and have been since the COVID farce started. We did not restrict international travel in February, 2020 for fear of being seen as racist. This past week, our Prime Minister stated that he would not limit travel from India because he “believe in science.” The next day, our government announced we would restrict travel from India and Pakistan for 30 days.

The government banned direct flights. Travellers from India or Pakistan who take an indirect route will avoid the travel ban. Canadian returning from India or Pakistan can avoid the travel ban.

Ontario is considering changes to sick leave benefits for all employees. Extending sick leave during the epidemic is a smart move, but months too late now. The damage has been done. Moreover, the extension should be at the federal level. Making a move in one jurisdiction will not stop the virus.

Provinces are going to have to learn to work together. Confederation is a partnership. Our provinces have more similarities than differences. The concept of ten independent fiefdoms has to be buried.

The reason we have laws and a legal system is to balance obligations and rights. We cannot exercise rights that infringe on another’s freedoms. The exercise of rights and powers carries with it the responsibility to respect the rights of others. 

Ten provinces and a federal government are tugging in eleven different directions with the result that our COVID response is a ridiculous mess of conflicts, irresponsibility and juvenile bickering. Those who suffer are the people of Canada who have no responsible political leadership.

Our governments have callously struck fear into the population, including small children and the elderly, without the ability to protect anyone from virus infection.

There has never been a worse failure of governance and leadership.