Roundup: Shelters and masks

Posted on by

Because it was a Saturday presser, prime minister Justin Trudeau appeared in jeans and without a tie, belying the more casual nature of the day at a time when days blend into one another. He had a couple of messages – that the government had invested another $40 million in shelters for women facing domestic violence (a particular consideration at a time when people are forced to stay home), and another $10 million for Indigenous women facing violence. He also pointed to $157 million in funds for the homeless, and that the communities where these funds were needed have been identified so funds were now flowing. On the subject of masks and medical devices, Trudeau stated that millions of more masks were expected in the next 48 hours (from the time of said announcement), and that the government had leased a warehouse in China to help coordinate the acquisition of these masks and supplies while they charter flights to carry them to Canada. Trudeau also noted that he would be speaking to his American counterpart in the coming days about the issue of masks and so on.

For her own presser, Dr. Theresa Tam reiterated yet again that these models that reporters keep demanding are not crystal balls, that they are not real numbers, that they aren’t predictions, and that they are highly sensitive to what is happening right now. But that hasn’t stopped the framing by reporters that these are hard data, and that they are indicative of anything in particular. And while here is an attempt to nuance the models Ontario released on Friday, but it’s one print article when TV reporters and headlines are framing it as disaster porn (and getting self-righteous about it).

Good reads:

  • Members of the PMO and Cabinet are reaching out to Jared Kushner in the hopes of trying to resolve the medical equipment impasse with the US.
  • Civil liberties groups are urging vigilance from any government overreaches during these pandemic times, as the Charter has not been suspended.
  • Mexico has also notified Canada and the US that they are ready to fully implement the New NAFTA.
  • Not surprisingly, a number of Liberal agenda items are being pushed off for the moment thanks to the pandemic.
  • Municipalities may be turning to the federal government to bail them out as their own revenues take a hit from the pandemic.
  • Here’s a look into why Jason Kenney invested in the Keystone XL pipeline.
  • Kenney also plans on joining the next OPEC+ teleconference, but good luck thinking he’s the one who’s going to get Saudi Arabia and Russia to cut production.

Want more Routine Proceedings? Become a patron and get exclusive new content.

2 thoughts on “Roundup: Shelters and masks”

  1. The authorities should put forward three scenarios and then let Canadians choose which one they are most comfortable with. That way everybody gets a choice. I choose to stay at home, shop by phone and take my chances. Maybe within those scenarios there lies my answer. Otherwise its curtains.

  2. Re: The mandate letters being put on the backburner for the time being to focus on Covid-19. I hope a refreshed consultation period for the assisted-dying bill is opened up with specific focus on the aftermath of the pandemic, and/or that a specific Covid-19 section is added to the final draft if/when it’s tabled. People are going to have long-lasting damage recovering from the virus, and it is entirely possible if not likely that for some of them, if not many, the negative health effects accumulating as time goes on could be seriously debilitating and “a fate worse than death.” Besides the diminished lung capacity and exacerbation of preexisting conditions, P.T.S.D. might be the most prevalent consequence, not just for survivors and their families but health workers on the front lines. This is September 11th and Ground Zero writ large.

    I didn’t like the fact to begin with that there’s a mental-health “exception” in the new bill as there was in the previous iteration. I would rather see Canada be brought in line with the Benelux region and Switzerland. But while no one wants to see people dropping like flies from the tangential after-effects of the pandemic, at the same time I think now more than ever the criteria for eligiblity should be expanded. Mental health is physical health, period. Everyone has a breaking point, and just like with abortion, it should be the patient’s choice. I can think of nothing more apropos at this moment in history to explain this than the theme song to “M*A*S*H”: Suicide is painless, and you can take or leave it as you please.

Comments are closed.