“At the end of the day,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland remarked this week, “the reality of a global pandemic is that it is global.”
Three weeks ago, Health Minister Patty Hajdu made a similar argument. “A virus knows no borders,” she said.
The coronavirus pandemic is an object lesson in interconnectedness: what started as a problem in one city in China now threatens lives in every country on Earth.
Workers arrange beds in a convention centre converted into a temporary hospital in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province Feb. 4, 2020. (Chinatopix/The Associated Press)
But the virus also has made us newly concerned about our own borders and our own national welfare — in fact, it has pushed governments to do the sorts of things that maybe only the most wild-eyed nationalists would have dreamed of before now.
Navigating that tension poses a significant challenge to leaders, and it may keep doing that for many months or years to come.
This week’s flare-up of the nationalist-versus-globalist debate concerned the federal government’s decision to send a shipment of medical supplies to China in February.
Uncontroversial — until now
If anyone was concerned about that decision at the time, they were very quiet about it. The shipment apparently was never raised in the House of Commons. Around the same time, Chinese authorities reported that 21 other countries had donated supplies, including Germany, Britain, France and Australia.
Such aid isn’t unprecedented. In 2014, Canada sent assistance to West Africa to deal with an outbreak of Ebola.
“You’re in a war against a virus like this, you’ve got frontline troops who are fighting this thing and trying to slow and prevent its movement, you do everything possible to make sure that they’re going to be successful,” said Bruce Aylward, the Canadian epidemiologist who led the World Health Organization’s efforts in China.
“That’s how you fight these things. You fight them on the front line. You don’t keep your powder dry in something like this.”
But as reports emerge of Canadian doctors and nurses rationing personal protective equipment, critics are questioning the wisdom of sending supplies abroad.
A ripe political target
In a statement on Thursday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the February shipment was “outrageous.”
The decision to send that shipment to China is an inviting political target now. But it’s not actually clear that there is any connection between what happened in February and any problems with domestic pandemic response now. If there are concerns at the local level, it has not been demonstrated that those issues can be traced to any problems at the federal level.
According to a federal government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, “the donation did not affect our preparedness efforts. Requests from provinces and territories have been coming in, and we’ve been responding to them from the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile on a case-by-case basis.”
As first reported by CTV on Thursday, the Canadian government is expecting that shipments of badly needed pandemic supplies from China to Canada — both those already received and those offered — will exceed what Canada shipped out.
Medics take care of a patient infected with the novel coronavirus upon his arrival from Italy at the University hospital in Dresden, Germany, March 26, 2020. (Matthias Rietschel/The Associated Press)
Any analysis of the sequence of events also has to consider whether the assistance provided to China ultimately improved the situation for Canada — whether that equipment helped Chinese doctors curtail what could have been an even larger outbreak there.
“By helping the initial epicentre, you’re going to help the world [and] you’re going to help Canada as well,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said this week. “There’s a reciprocal concept of yes, helping China, but really, in the end, it’s preventing further spread that will also affect Canada and the rest of the world. That’s the concept.”
The isolationist impulse gets stronger
Back in February, before anyone was worrying about whether it was a mistake to send supplies to China, there were calls to ban Chinese travellers from coming to Canada. Federal officials and medical experts warned that closing the border would not prevent the virus from getting to Canada and that focusing efforts on airports and border crossings would be an inefficient use of attention and resources.
Later, as the virus spread across Europe and the United States, Canadian officials took more drastic measures. At this point, only Canadian citizens and permanent residents, or American citizens performing essential services, are permitted into this country — though even that measure may only have slowed the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.
Re-opening those borders will be a significant political challenge. Even if maintaining border restrictions is a substantial drag on the Canadian economy, new infections from foreign travellers no doubt would lead to second-guessing and calls to close the borders again.
In the meantime, Patty Hajdu said on Thursday, one of the things “this pandemic is teaching all countries is the fragility of our supply chain systems.”
“When we rely on one country or another for a particular source of goods, and that is the only country that can provide those goods or in that volume … it puts our capacity to respond in an emergency situation somewhat at a disadvantage,” she said.
What happens when this is over?
Part of the Canadian response to that problem is an extraordinary effort to create and expand domestic production of necessary supplies. Both medically and economically, that might help get Canada through this crisis — and greater domestic manufacturing capability might end up being a significant legacy of this pandemic.
But returning to a world of relatively open borders is still going to be everyone’s greater benefit.
Asked this week whether the novel coronavirus might cause more nations to turn inward and protectionist, Chrystia Freeland made the case for thinking both locally and globally.
“On one hand … in this time when we are facing real challenges to the health and safety of our own citizens, every country quite rightly needs to focus first and foremost on the health and safety of its own people,” she said.
“[But] the long term lesson we should be learning from all of this is how important international cooperation is. The lesson that we are being taught is that none of us in the world can be safe and healthy unless we are working hard to be sure everyone in the world is safe and healthy.”
As long as the novel coronavirus is circulating somewhere, it remains a threat to humans everywhere.
The challenge for leaders is to make the case that we cannot simply shut the door, hoard our own resources and hope to save ourselves.
EDMONTON – Canada’s Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault is apologizing after shifting claims about his Indigenous identity came under scrutiny.
The Liberal member of Parliament said at an unrelated announcement in Edmonton on Friday that he’s sorry he wasn’t as clear as he could have been “with everything that I know now.”
“I apologize that I wasn’t as clear as I could have been about who I am and my family’s history,” he said, adding that he’s still learning about his family’s heritage “in real time.”
Boissonnault has previously referred to himself as “non-status adopted Cree” and said his great-grandmother was a “full-blooded Cree woman.”
He said Friday he’ll have to confirm his great-grandmother’s status, but his mother and brother are citizens of the Métis Nation of Alberta.
“I apologize if that particular way of referring to myself — I apologize that it was inaccurate.”
It comes after the National Post reported that a company co-owned by Boissonnault unsuccessfully bid on two federal contracts in 2020 while identifying itself as Indigenous and Aboriginal-owned.
The government has pledged to award five per cent of its procurement contracts to Indigenous-owned businesses.
Since that story’s publication last week, Boissonnault has said the family he was adopted into has Indigenous ancestry and his adopted mother and brother are status Métis.
Boissonnault said Friday he never claimed any Indigenous status to his business partner, Stephen Anderson.
“Mr. Anderson should never have claimed that on the particular contract application, and no contract was awarded,” he said.
Boissonnault has previously sat as a member of the Liberal Indigenous Caucus, but he said he joined it as an ally representing many Indigenous people in his community.
When asked about the Liberals’ past claims about his Indigenous identity, he said he corrected the party and asked for the descriptions to be changed as soon as he became aware.
“I never asked the party to refer to me as an Indigenous person. I never clicked any box in any form with the Liberal party. I have never put (an) Indigenous claim to any contract or any application in my entire life,” he said.
The Conservative party has said it wants Boissonnault to testify before the ethics committee so he can “answer truthfully for these serious allegations of fraud.”
“This is even more urgent given the new allegations that his company fraudulently claimed to be Indigenous-owned while applying for government contracts,” said Conservative MP Michael Barrett.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024.
The Internet’s most powerful ability is its propensity to spread. This holiday season, amidst the hustle of shopping, party planning, and reflections, let’s use this power to spread joy and generosity. This December, I invite you to transform your social media feeds into a canvas of goodwill, reminding your followers and communities that even small acts of kindness can create waves of joy and inspiration.
Before you dive into creating festive holiday content, it’s crucial to set the stage by updating the aesthetics of your social media profiles to mirror the holiday season. Using Canva (www.canva.com), refresh your banner/cover photo on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. with holiday-themed images. Change your profile picture to one that captures the festive spirit, such as wearing a Santa hat, standing next to a Christmas tree, or under Christmas lights, or wearing a Christmas sweater.
Once your social media profiles reflect your festive mood, consider the following suggestions to inspire others to get into the holiday spirit.
The 12 Days of Kindness Challenge
The English Christmas carol, “The 12 Days of Christmas,” inspired this suggestion, a “12 Days of Kindness” challenge. Starting 12 days before Christmas, or whenever you want, commit to doing one act of kindness daily. It could be paying for someone’s coffee, leaving a heartfelt note for a neighbour, donating to a local charity, or dropping off baked goods at a senior home. Post pictures of each act on your social media channels with the hashtag #12DaysOfKindness. Encourage your followers and tag your friends to do the same, thereby creating a chain reaction of goodwill that spreads far beyond your immediate circle.
Support Local Charities with a Virtual Fundraiser
Use your social media clout to raise money for a local charity by hosting a virtual fundraiser. Invite your followers and friends to join you in a fun activity, like a virtual trivia night or bake-off. Promote donations to a charity of your choice and share updates on the progress. In addition to building community spirit, promoting local causes demonstrates the power of collective action.
Random Acts of Kindness Bingo
Create a bingo card, which you can use Canva to create, filled with random acts of kindness, such as “compliment a stranger,” “donate clothes,” or “help a neighbour.” Once created, post the card on your social media and invite others to join you in completing the challenges throughout the month. As you check off your squares, share photos or stories of your experiences, tagging friends and followers to keep the momentum going. The visual aspect of a bingo card makes it fun and engaging, encouraging participation.
Gratitude and Kindness Posts
Incorporate gratitude into your kindness initiatives by encouraging your followers to share posts about something they’re thankful for and how they plan to pay it forward. Use a specific hashtag, like #ThankfulAndKind, to unify these posts. As people share their gratitude and commitment to kindness, you’ll create a powerful positivity narrative that inspires others to reflect on their lives and actions.
Acts of Kindness Story Swap
Engage your audience by hosting a ‘kindness story swap.’ Invite your followers to share their stories of kindness—either acts they’ve done or experiences they’ve had. Create a specific day for these stories and use a designated hashtag like #KindnessSwap. By facilitating the sharing of stories and uplifting your followers, you’ll be connecting people and building a sense of community, which is what social media should be used for.
Kindness Challenge Videos
Challenge your followers to create short videos showcasing their acts of kindness. This could include anything from helping a neighbour with groceries to volunteering at a local shelter. Encourage them to tag you and others in their posts using a hashtag like #KindnessChallenge. Sharing video content is an effective way to spread your message while inspiring others to get involved.
Holiday Cards for Seniors
During the holidays, seniors living in retirement homes often feel isolated. Initiate a “Holiday Cards for Seniors” campaign by encouraging your followers to create and send handmade holiday cards to local retirement homes. List several local retirement homes on your social media and encourage your followers to share photos of their card-making. This simple act will not only brighten someone’s day but also foster cross-generational connections.
Kindness knows no boundaries. In addition to spreading joy, social media offers a powerful tool to foster community and encourage acts of kindness. No matter how small, each act of kindness contributes to a larger narrative of compassion, which the world desperately needs more of. Imagine the joy on a senior’s face when they receive a holiday card or the warmth in a neighbour’s heart when they receive a compliment. Creating and hosting these kindness challenges and sharing your acts of kindness experiences—giving and receiving—will enrich your life and strengthen your community.
This December let’s embrace the spirit of kindness—online and offline. Your social media feeds can become a gallery of kindness, with posts and shares illustrating the joys of doing acts of kindness, making this holiday season a time of connection, generosity, and lasting impact.
HACHINOHE, Japan – Ivanie Blondin helped Canada to a team sprint gold medal before picking up an individual bronze Friday as Canada opened the long-track speedskating season with three medals at the ISU Four Continents championships.
Ottawa’s Blondin combined with Carolina Hiller of Prince George, B.C., and Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City to win the women’s team sprint in a track record time of one minute 27.87 seconds.
Lamarche used the slingshot technique to launch Blondin into the final lap, which helped the trio maintain their speed. While the move worked, Lamarche said it could be improved.
“The slingshot move felt better yesterday in practice, but it was not at high speed. Maybe we looked smooth, but I personally felt weird and rushed throughout the entire process,” Lamarche said. “I’m excited to try it again during the World Cup in China because I think it can be better.”
South Korea was 1.39 seconds off the pace for silver, while Kazakhstan was 2.49 seconds back of the winners to take bronze.
Later, the 34-year-old Blondin took bronze in the women’s 1,500 metres with a time of 1:57.99.
Japan’s Miho Takagi (1:54.86) and China’s Mei Han (1:56.53) took gold and silver, respectively.
“I feel pretty good about my 1,500,” Blondin said. “I was not able to warm down following the team sprint as we went straight to the medal ceremony. By the time that was over I had to put my skin suit on and get back on the ice.”
“I didn’t have the pop that I normally would — but midway through the race I realized things were going well and my legs were actually feeling pretty decent,” she added. “I was happy with the end time.”
Canada reached the podium for a third time as Anders Johnson of Burnaby, B.C., Laurent Dubreuil of Lévis, Que., and Yankun Zhao of Calgary, Alta., finished third in the men’s team sprint.
The United States (1:19.43) and China (1:19.78) finished ahead of Canada, the defending world champion and world record holder in the discipline.
“I think it was a good race for us,” Johnson said. “It was a new setup for our team today and we executed well and skated well. We’re happy with the result and excited to see what comes in the future.”
The championships continue Saturday with Blondin, Dubreuil, Calgary’s Ted-Jan Bloemen, Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann looking to add to Canada’s medal total.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024.
