Roundup: More pandemic theatre

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The horror show of COVID infections continues apace in Ontario, and premier Doug Ford has decided to get really serious and issue a “stay-at-home” order, which amounts to little more than the mockdown that is currently in place already. In spite of his promises of an “iron ring” around long-term care facility, there are now outbreaks at forty percent of facilities. Ford won’t do anything about the sick days that are necessary for people to stop spreading infections at workplaces, and he won’t do anything about evictions from commercial landlords. So he’s totally handling this with aplomb.

So really, what Ford is offering is more pandemic theatre – the close cousin of security theatre. And most of the restrictions and exemptions don’t actually make sense. They’re not going to do enough to curb transmission – especially as newer variants start making their way into the community – because he won’t do the hard work of closing the large workplaces where spread is happening, because that would be harming the economy – as though rising infections and deaths won’t do worse economic damage. Ford continues to shirk his responsibilities and let this pandemic get worse, and more deaths to pile up, as he tries to shift blame and try and to get people to blame one another than acknowledge his own culpability. The “Uncle Doug” schtick isn’t working, and he keeps hoping it will, and here we are, waiting for things to get worse before he institutes more half-measures. Welcome to Ontario – yours to discover.

Good reads:

  • Because there was a Cabinet shuffle, there is a new round of election speculation (which Trudeau didn’t categorically rule out because it’s a hung parliament).
  • Here are profiles of Marc Garneau as he heads into his new post of Foreign Affairs, and Omar Alghabra as he enters Cabinet in transport.
  • Here’s a look at Navdeep Bains’ decision to retire from politics after the next election.
  • Another 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been secured.
  • Surprising nobody, the Canada-US border closure is extended yet another month.
  • The government has implemented new regulations to prevent exporters from becoming complicit with human rights abuses and forced labour in China.
  • The new leadership in the Canadian Forces have made forceful public condemnations of racism and sexual misconduct in the ranks.
  • Despite Joe Biden’s pledge to kill the Keystone XL pipeline, there are those in the industry who still have hope for it.
  • The new CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank says that funds should flow faster now that they made some structural changes to their procedures.
  • The RCMP union wants clear guidelines for when body-worn cameras can be turned off – and stiffer penalties for false accusations against officers.
  • There are concerns in the Liberal ranks that the loss of Navdeep Bains will leave a  hole in their organizational abilities.
  • Justin Trudeau appointed former premier Eva Aariak as the new Territorial Commissioner of Nunavut.
  • Paul Wells evaluates the Cabinet shuffle with his trademark acerbic manner.
  • Susan Delacourt sees the shuffle as Trudeau keeping his friends even closer.
  • Heather Scoffield wonders what becomes of Navdeep Bains’ plans to restart the economy when the pandemic is over.
  • Kevin Carmichael profiles a Canadian corporation that has turned the pandemic to its advantage in finding new opportunities.
  • Carmichael also looks into the new data on inflation, and how it may be running a little hotter than anticipated (but still far below target).
  • My column looks at how promised recall legislation in Alberta won’t really help when it comes to the anger over the MLAs who went on holidays.

Odds and ends:

Maclean’s has named former minister Jean Augustine as their lifetime achievement award winner as part of their Parliamentarian of the Year awards.

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4 thoughts on “Roundup: More pandemic theatre”

  2. There is a snowball’s chance in Hell that you will see enough sick paid leave coming from this Ontario government to mean more than a hill of beans.

  3. The Maclean’s awards are a joke, just like the magazine itself that declared Scheer and his incompetent provincial acolytes to be PMJT’s “worst nightmare.” MPs who voted for them must be drunk or have some sort of dain bramage. Freeland as parliamentarian of the year fits, because she’s the Swiss Army Knife on track to become the heir(ess) apparent to the Trudeau legacy, but the MP for Calgary Nose Pick being the “hardest working”? At what? Blocking people on Twitter and making whiny videos from her car in the parking lot of an Oklahoma Wal-Mart? Charlie Angus, best mentor — to whom? Pigeon Pete Poilievre, his tag team partner in harassing poor Margaret Trudeau? Participation trophies — like Mike Harris getting the order of Ontario, or Bob Fife getting his pipsqueak Pulitzer for Fake Watergate North, or Rush Limbaugh getting the Medal of Freedom from Trump. I hope they enjoy the booby prize from their Crackerjack box. They still suck.

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