A resurgence in political instability and rise in populism being seen in the United States and other countries around the world should serve as as a chance for all levels of government to get ahead of similar situations in Canada, two Brock University experts say.
Colin Rose, assistant professor with the department of history, and Ibrahim Berrada, instructor in the Centre for Canadian Studies, pointed to a defence report, released last week, which warns that the spread of misinformation and a prolonged pandemic threatens Canadian security.
The report — written in October by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) — identified three trends: intensified distrust in government, resurgence of populist support, and the manifestation of violent extremist organizations.
According to Rose, the rising levels of extremism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic fits into a longer history, dating back to antiquity, of increasing social and political unrest during and in the aftermath of natural disasters.
“We give up certain rights and freedoms to our governments, and in exchange, they protect us from the unpredictable, respond to our needs and help us achieve our wants,” Rose said.
“In the midst of a global pandemic, it becomes clearer that the state is unable to meet all these needs and provide these protections.”
There are widespread concerns in the U.S. about the prospect of further violence by groups who reject the results of the Nov. 3 election.
The FBI, according to several media outlets, has warned local law enforcement to prepare for armed protests that may be attended by far-right extremists.
Transparency and accountability
Rose said while achieving social trust at the federal, provincial and local levels of government is not impossible, it won’t come easily, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic.
Ibrahim Berrada is instructor in the Centre for Canadian Studies at Brock University. (Submitted by Ibrahim Berrada)
“The big problem that the federal and provincial governments face is that they come out of this with people saying they did a bad job, we didn’t know what they were doing and they didn’t make it clear why they were doing anything,” Rose told CBC News.
“I think the biggest tools that governments and institutions have at their disposal right now is transparency and accountability,” Rose said. “It would go a long way if everyone who took a vacation in the Caribbean didn’t just have to resign their cabinet position, but in fact found himself out of a job.”
Leaders need to be seen to be acting in the best interest of ordinary Canadians and not creating a second set of rules for the elite, Rose said.
Disturbing threat to Canadian peace and security
Meanwhile, Berrada said the proliferation of misinformation on social media platforms poses a disturbing threat to Canadian peace and security.
Although some platforms have tried to silence extremists after the Capitol Hill riots, they are using the darker corners of the internet to plan for their next move — and experts are worried about what could be around the corner. 4:22
“Radicalized right-wing populist movements are driven by misinformation, permitting the spread of ethnonationalism, xenophobia, racism, bigotry, misogyny and extremism,” he said.
“Moreover, misinformation cultivates a level of distrust in our elected officials problematizing pandemic efforts.”
Berrada said politicians must ensure the dissemination of reliable information, reinforce pandemic measures prioritizing the health of Canadians, and maintain the economy.
He added that a prolonged pandemic, coupled with lockdown measures and restrictions, further exacerbates an already demoralized and COVID-fatigued population.
“Ambiguity breeds speculation and speculation, then breeds misinformation in the long run. It’s about clarity and [treating] Canadians like adults. Treat Canadians with the respect that they deserve and give them that information that they need,” he told CBC News.
Law enforcement officers scuffle supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump attempting to enter U.S. Capitol during a protest against the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (Jim Bourg/Reuters)
“If you have unclear regulation, if you have a mismanagement of protocols, if you have quickly changing directives … and you have a different set of rules that elite in society are operating by then you will see a rise of distrust in government.
“The very fact that some people can skirt the rules without these consequences is problematic, and that is effectively what drives populism,” Berrada said.
He said conspiracy theories encourage distrust in the government and promote a higher risk of violent, seditious, and anarchist behaviour.
The circulation of misinformation requires immediate attention from government officials, defence intelligence, social media giants and public health officials, he said.
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
