It was not a great week for politics. The Team Canada concept — which maintained a concerted COVID-19 strategy last spring — has now evolved into Blame Canada, as opposition politicians take aim at the federal government for the lack of a vaccine delivery date. Simultaneously, Erin O’Toole, who is so anxious for the date, did not disavow a caucus member’s e-petition which questions the safety of future vaccines.
Even worse, provincial politicians took shots at each other. Christine Elliott, Ontario’s minister of health, said it is Alberta rather than Ontario that is in crisis, because “they are doubling up patients in intensive care units.”
This sniping really has to stop. Now is not the time to come apart, but to come together. A laserlike resolve is needed for the perilous winter months.
Elected officials are not exempt from feeling pandemic fatigue themselves. They too have families, and their jobs have also evolved. Most politicians use human interaction as their political oxygen. But large crowds with cheering supporters are taboo. Politicians who are generally surrounded by a team, whether it is their own caucus or staff, now stand alone, as the prime minister does in front of Rideau Cottage when he answers media questions.
If leaders are accompanied by colleagues, they are separated from each other. Doug Ford, for example, looks like he is auditioning for a role in the popular Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit.” He appears to be standing on a chess board, while his ministers move in and out of invisible squares as they respond to journalists.
Yielding the stage to expert public health officials has also become a new norm. Health officials are non-political, therefore their trust level with the public is generally high, but as time has passed, their recommendations have not always been followed.
Elected people want to deliver good news — not grim news. They know that business owners do not want to hear of hot zones or red zones or lockdowns. They know that ageism, discrimination, poor safety measures, shoddy infrastructure and low wages have all contributed to deaths of many loved ones in long-term care homes. And they all know that mental health issues are mounting along with COVID infection rates. The future is tough.
As COVID-19 wound its ugly path throughout the country, politicians faced choices. The majority adhered to medical counselling, exhorting people to socially distance, wear masks, halt gatherings and religiously wash hands.
Others, like Jason Kenney, chose to believe that personal responsibility would be enough to thwart the scourge. In spite of the rising COVID cases in Alberta and his own plummeting poll numbers, Kenney still refuses to order mandatory masking, even as reports state that field hospitals are being planned for contingency purposes.
So, where do politicians go from here? Given the changing information about COVID, any government could be forgiven for a certain amount of incoherent communication over the past few months.
However, as winter approaches, mistakes on vaccine timing, distribution and logistics must be kept to an absolute minimum. Governments will depend on the military for the crucial task of safely and securely delivering the vaccines. 2021 will require precise execution supported by clear messaging about the process, which must be accessible in different languages and to all cultural groups.
It is not only logistics that will prove daunting. Ethical challenges will preoccupy us, as prioritization of vaccines must be triaged. What if one province has too much or one has not enough? How do we handle those who refuse to take the vaccine? How will governments and social media giants manage deliberate misinformation?
Next week as premiers and territorial leaders gather to discuss long-term health funding, they must put aside their differences to demonstrate that the eradication of COVID is their number one priority.
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Even with the bright rays of hope from successful vaccine trials, we still have months to go and years to recover. Managing tough information is the new norm of political leadership. It will require a steely resolve and firm decision making.
Politics is no longer about delivering good times. It’s now about inspiring us to get through bad times.
