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Ah! The Highlife

March 11, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

You have to admit we have it pretty well here in Canada. Oh, I know, the right thing to do is to complain and criticize but the truth is – who is better off than Canadians this last year or so? I wonder what it’s really like to be in politics these days, drifting on a sea of uncertainty, buffeted by pending catastrophes – known and unknown – for that matter: admitted and not admitted. Individuals in government are torn between true care for the country and their perceived ideas of what will keep them in power: the people that vote or the powerful influence of big business on those people.

Still, the calamities here are small to compare with much of the rest of the world and we should be happy and proud to have a relatively honest leadership, whose failings are minor in the face of the tyranny, outright lies and imposed hardship that exist in so many other countries.

Still, when I talk about honesty versus self-interest, that’s an internal conflict that begins from the first vote in favour of a person. The new leader has already been approached by wealthy men in suits, who arrived to the meeting by their private jets but have come to be sure the taxpayer will continue to provide the usual subsidies for their dangerous and antiquated industries. I guess corruption is relative to the size of the offer and the acumen of the nation’s media.

Distraction has seen us through and kept us calm. When we unplug ourselves from in front of our screens to get some air or, if, as can be the case in Toronto, a cop is going to ask why you are out of your house, you might have bought a tread mill by now or there may be a staircase at your disposal for the exercise your body needs so badly.

Here in Dufferin County, aren’t we lucky to have so much territory to tread – that fine fresh air, rain or shine, we should be revelling in it. While we are doing what we can to stay sane and healthy, unavoidably glad the government is doing a great deal to see us through this, it might be of interest to you to understand the long-term monetary cost of this weird pandemic and how we have handled it.

According to the CBC, by end November, 2020, the Canadian government had spent a cool $240 billion on supporting us, our businesses, organizations – our theatre – and purchasing PPE. This last item has also made for fascinating reading, as one of the major costs at $6.4 billion.

According to CTV, China, by far the largest world supplier of PPE, has become the “wild west” by the auction style pricing that has dominated who gets the product first. National economies are being shattered while China’s well-established system of mass production thrives.

This is a wild ride. Where is all the money coming from and what is the legacy being handed down to coming generations with recovery and, of course, saving the planet?

We are selling bonds and printing the money is the short answer and all this will have to be figured by wisdom and good fiscal economy. A Basic Universal Income (UBI), so far denied, which assures a flow of money: back in taxes, patronizing businesses, encouraging new initiatives – this would be a good beginning.

Speaking of saving the planet, my pal in the U.K. told me the other day that manufacturers are scrambling to build enough electric cars because nobody wants to buy gas powered vehicles there anymore. Gas or petrol, as we call it there and in Europe, costs more than twice as much as it does here. This affects the price of everything else too, you can be sure. Still, whatever reason it takes to stop using oil for power is a good reason.

If we stop using expensive, harmful, etc. oil in favour of less expensive-to- run electric cars; if greener forms of energy are forced on an unwilling industry to change simply by dint of how people are shopping, will each of us finally understand the power we carry in our wallets? 

In many ways, I have come to respect more than ever the value of Canada as a democracy. Our democracy means that individuals have more power than we give ourselves credit and that we use. In truth, we do have to say on how our country is run; without even protesting in the streets, all we have to do is think about how we shop; how important it is for us to vote and pay attention to the news because, here, thank goodness, we have one standard for the facts. Here, we don’t allow “alternative facts” and even our government-paid media is allowed to expose the truth of mis-demeanours and lies.

As Canadians, we do not need to pander to anyone – however wealthy. I have travelled far and wide and this basic Canadian freedom has always made me boast.

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