Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler
Confucius said it: “May you live in interesting times.” He wasn’t extending his best wishes. It was a curse.
We live in interesting times indeed, with many serious challenges to face. Climate change of course is one of them. So is economic instability and inequality. And there are others. But nothing is more currently important, in my view, than managing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic that has been thrust upon us. If we cannot do that, little else may matter.
This pandemic is nothing less than a plague. It has killed people. It has also challenged and indeed it has changed our societal norms. It has directly and negatively affected most people’s lives. It has severely limited what we are able to do and what we are able to accomplish. It is having a serious effect on many people’s mental health and after more than a year of restrictions, it is leading to frustration, anger, and even civil unrest. Most of us are desperate to see that light at the end of the tunnel.
And so, in my view, it is important to continue to write about this. This week, I have some questions and some concerns about the manner in which the Ontario Government is managing these later stages of the pandemic.
But before I get to that, I want to circle back to the article I wrote last week about the abysmal record of the federal government in getting COVID-19 vaccines into people’s arms. Man, was I beaten up on that!
I don’t often let comments related to my articles get to me. In fact, I encourage debate and disagreement. That is the purpose of “Listen Up!” But insinuations of shallow analysis, lack of research, writing drivel and so on does get my back up.
For the record, while opinions I express are just that, and are mine alone, they are based on research and decades of experience in public policy and politics at all three levels of government, including the three major political parties. But when I state something as a fact, rather than an opinion, that is what it is. It has been researched and it has been fact-checked. It is not off the top of my head.
The Trudeau Government has done a decent job in many aspects of their management of the COVID-19 pandemic. But nothing is more important to defeating this plague than a timely and steady flow of vaccines. In this regard, the federal government is failing miserably. The evidence is clear and overwhelming on that, and it is based on fact.
Today, on a per capita basis, Canada stands 52nd in the world, when it comes to vaccinating its people against COVID-19. The United States is 11th, the United Kingdom is 12th. How can that be defended? And in spite of wanting to support politicians we may otherwise admire, shouldn’t we be concerned about that?
To turn a blind eye to such a serious national dereliction, to pretend it is not a problem, to not insist on accountability and a better performance, reminds me somewhat sadly of those Republican politicians in the United States, so set in their partisanship, that they still believe Donald Trump won the recent presidential election despite all evidence to the contrary.
Turning now to Ontario, while like the Trudeau Government, the Ford Government has managed many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic well, there are still some areas in which they can do better.
In a nutshell, the Province’s communications strategy needs to be vastly improved. People are confused.
A lack of clarity about what some announced changes actually mean is a serious issue. Many people are finding it difficult to understand, on a clear and defined basis, what they can and cannot do and when they can do it. In a number of instances, the lines are not clear and often there is too much room for interpretation.
This leads to uncertainty, frustration, anger, and disobedience. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a plague. It is also a war, and clarity, clear and unambiguous messaging, in a time of war is essential to its outcome.
People also don’t understand inconsistencies in some of the Ford Government’s decisions, such as requiring small businesses, with limited capacity to survive, to completely close under lockdown, and yet allow the big box stores, carrying many of the same products, to remain completely open just because they also sell groceries. There has not been a good explanation for this and there needs to be.
As well, it has been reported that provinces have stockpiles of millions of rapid COVID-19 tests that have not been distributed. In Ontario, only 18 per cent of these have been utilized. According to the Province of Alberta there appears to be a good explanation for the slow distribution. But we have not heard about that in Ontario and we need to.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly. We need to know the Province’s plan for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, especially once they are fully flowing. The machinery to vaccinate people in Ontario quickly and efficiently must be in place. We need to know where the vaccination sites are going to be, whether they will be decentralized and quickly accessible to most people. We need to know if our local pharmacies are going to be able to provide the vaccine. And we need to know if there will be an effective way of letting people directly know when and where they can be vaccinated, perhaps by OHIP records, to schedule individual appointments.
A friend of mine recently posted a comment on the article I wrote last week. In conclusion, he said this in relation to the pandemic: “I need to feel some hope that the end is near. Otherwise, I will feel only despair and that may prove to be as dangerous as the disease itself.” I share that point of view and, as I said earlier in this article, a light at the end of the tunnel is essential.
But we cannot sugar-coat the situation we are currently in.
In a recent media scrum, Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, co-chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, was asked by a reporter, “I am a bit confused by this presentation. Am I missing something here? Or is this presentation actually predicting a disaster?”
Dr.Brown’s answer: “No, I don’t think you are missing anything.”
If Premier Doug Ford is listening to the scientists and the healthcare experts as he says he is, this must be chilling.
I fully understand that the challenge for governments during this time, especially provincial governments, is to find and execute the fine line between keeping people as safe as possible and protecting other essential elements of our society such as the economy, our mental health, and civil behaviour. I recognize the risks, but I support them in that effort.
But if we truly want to see light at the end of the tunnel, we must recognize the severity of our current situation. That means taking personal responsibility for things that need to be done, like wearing masks and practising social distancing, frequent hand-washing, and avoiding crowds. It also means supporting our elected officials in a tough battle but, as well, holding their feet to the fire for things that are important during this pandemic.
That includes a much speedier acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines, an effective and reliable distribution process, and crystal-clear messaging from both levels of government.
That will provide the hope and the resolve that will open the window we are all looking for.
Hugh Mackenzie
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Mr Reuvenkamp has missed my point. Just to drive it home, the point is that even Churchill had to put up with nay-sayers and scare-mongers.
Apologies excepted! All good! Have a safe day to you and all first responders and those people out there making it work!
Mr. Reuvekamp; I suggest you read the results of the ethics inquiry into the We Scandal- you might be surprised! You may learn something more. If you would like a quote from this published source, let me know and I will supply.
Mr. Beacock, my comment was regarding the other person who commented, who really did directly compare Justin Trudeau’s inept, confused response to Mr. Churchill’s great leadership. Apologies for any confusion I created here
To Greg. I am not in any means comparing Trudeau to Churchill. Churchill was a great leader. Trudeau is not. Trudeau putting his trust in China is wrong. When every security organization in the world says to stay away and not allow them access to our country. Trudeau seems to be opening up the doors! Wrong. Safe day to all first responders and those out there making it work
Mr. Beacock; walking a fine line with China for trade, human rights violations is not a cake walk, nor is it binary black and white. Trudeau gets blame for dealing with China and not dealing with China. I don’t agree with everything he does, but I do recognize the tricky position international politics requires.
I’m rolling my eyes over the above comment that seems to be comparing Trudeau’s pandemic response to that of Churchill in WW2?!! Well since we’re playing the “Let’s imagine” game, let’s imagine that during the preparations for the Battle of Britain, Churchill had decided to give a billion dollars of war fund money to some business friends who had paid his wife, mother and brother a half million dollars in bribe money. An how about if the Chancellor of the Exchequer at that same time had also received bribes from these guys, and had his daughter working for their company? Shenanigans like that (especially the attempts to cover it up) certainly would’ve tilted the odds towards a successful Nazi invasion. We’re seeing that equivalent being played out right now, with every person who gets sick when a timely vaccine could’ve made them safe
Absolutely correct Hugh ! Great article! I had 5 uncles that did 5 years each in the battle over Europe WW2! They all survived thank god for that! At a family gathering one day years ago my uncle Pete, he was a tank commander, who had 3 tanks shot out from underneath him said, a great leader would never lead his men in to battle and run it from behind the lines. He would go with his men! Do as I do! Not as I say and go another way! Trudeau, hope that china would help and then put all his trust in them for a vaccine, him allowing Hawiea getting into our universities in the IT side of it, with 5 eyes saying no, CSIS says no then turn around and sign a document with 27 other countries about detainees over political issues!!!! Hypocrisy at its finest! My opinion, Trudeau, is not a democratic leader! He’s a communist leader! Safe day to all first responders and all those people out there making it work!
Mr. Johnson, liked you comparative comments. Thank you.
Reality is, yes we are at war with a pandemic. The situation has exposed the best and worst of human behaviour – selfishness, thoughtlessness, greed, courage, bravery and the care of professionals. Reach out to safely help a neighbour, a local business, support the efforts of our public health warriors.
Viruses mutate and will continue to do so, that is why there are annual inoculations for the “flu”, a virus. I can imagine at least an annual need to be vaccinated for coronaviruses.
We are fortunate that our scientists and researchers have not been starting from scratch in the study of coronaviruses, this is a positive.
The challenge in communication – to be truthful, realistic, and provide some hope. All of these perspectives are possible at once. It is especially important to understand through what filter the audience is hearing the message. It is a continued challenge to monitor the ongoing changes and updates. And Yes, too much news is too much news.
Mr. Mackenzie- hear, hear to personal responsibility!
Thank you for allowing me to re-state the obvious.
An apt quote from the Globe and Mail,
“Being just out of the reach of real power apparently endows one with the visual acuity of an eagle and flawless decision-making powers. Where were any of the astute opposition parties demanding that the contracts include clauses ensuring monthly instead of quarterly delivery metrics? Would there not be an outcry if it were to be later revealed that we paid a hefty premium for earlier access (the way Israel has done, for example)?”
I had heard earlier on that Canada would be in great shape for vaccines because we had paid 5x over to more than one research company which ensured our share of much needed inoculations…..Sooooooo, what happened to ALL those promised/owed vaccines??! What happened to ALL that tax payer money??!
We’v got very little to show for it apparently and not a word about where all those funds disappeared to….wtf
The comments from your readers seem to be more informative and knowledgeable than your article. We are in a pandemic that the world has not seen for a hundred years and fighting a virus, had it appeared a hundred years ago may have caused our extinction. Hindsight is usually 20/20, so if we are pointing fingers at the Liberals lack of success in acquiring vaccines maybe we should point back a little further at the Conservatives for selling off Canada’s pharmacutical industry (Connaught labs) which today may have kept us in the game instead of 52nd as you so you so eloquently point out. Personally I think both governments are doing the best they can with what they have. You are right about the need of information about the distribution for when the vaccines do arrive.
What’s happened to the retired general who is spearheading the covid fight in Ontario? Did I hear he was being paid $20,000 each month for his wisdom and leadership. General Hillier (ret) where are you?
Time to move our Federal government from ” The Cottage ” to Parliament so that our democracy can truly function. Perhaps then we will get answers as to when vaccines will appear.
By May 1941 Winston Churchill had been managing Britain’s war effort for almost a full year. The Nazis were gaining ground. The British army was struggling and the promised delivery of war material from the US was behind schedule.
Churchill’s critics began to swarm. They moved a nonconfidence vote in Parliament and during the debate laid out a litany of his alleged failures. Some were motivated by partisanship, some by personal animus, some by misguided belief. They presented well researched but very selective facts telling only part of the story. Using classic scare tactics, they spooked much of the British public into believing that he was incompetent, Britain would lose the war and that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Churchill won the confidence vote and continued to manage the conduct of the war. Good thing he did.
Meanwhile his critics who, like Chicken Little had used their various platforms to shout that the sky was falling, slunk back into their coops.
Why we have limited vaccine is a question to be settled in the coming year. Just read the OMA report. There is a plan front line workers’ LTC , Retirement Homes. (I believe these Huntsville people have all received their 1st shot and many their 2nd shot. The next tier will be health workers or volunteers related to organizations that provide health care. Immune compromised people and people over 80. Will be next (You should be in that group Hugh). I am guessing this will be by end of April if supply becomes available. You will be advised Hopefully it will not like some friends in FL who have 2:30 A.M appointment- in a football field 59 miles from their home!! Remember just because you have the vaccine- you must continue to wear masks. Physically distance Was your hand until 60-70% of population is vaccinated. The virus does not move. People do and they spread the virus. We will get through this. Be positive. Test negative
If You use promises for vaccine then the Federal Gov’t would have us all injected by now . Promises and platitudes are not cures . …….Despite the pleas from business , I think the lifting of Covid restrictions is premature Doug !