Wednesday Night #1991

Coronavirus Covid-19  all the time, everywhere we turn, every form of media is saturated with news, rumors, information and disinformation, conspiracy theories, cartoons, memes,  press conferences, briefings and updates from national, regional and local politicians interspersed with straight-forward statements from scientists that often stress how little we know or understand about the pandemic. Psychiatrists and psychologists compete with self-help wellness and mindfulness gurus to analyse, commiserate and offer solutions to the problems of the lonely and the members of families who want nothing more than to escape from one another’s company. Experts and the not-so-expert counsel parents trying to balance home schooling with home offices. Others remind you how to deep clean and disinfect your surroundings and, at the same time urge you to clear out furnishings, clothing and belongings, though not explaining what you should do with them while recycling opportunities are limited. How-to videos on every conceivable topic abound. Online yoga classes are plentiful.
Just in case you need something more to do: 5 Things You Might be Forgetting to Disinfect, According to an Epidemiologist
No wonder people are irritable and clamoring to be released from lockdown!
When you are exhausted, collapse in front of your screen and take a virtual tour of a country, museum, national park, coral reef, safari; or attend an opera,concert or theatre performance. And there is always Netflix.
If all this isn’t helping you cope, you might take refuge at Thursday’s Anxiety Canada (yes,really!) Town Hall “Uncertainty: Returning to the New Normal”

There will never be a return to ‘normal’ as we have come to know it. Every aspect of our lives will change to some degree. Our attitudes and perceptions have already changed. Consumer patterns have been disrupted. We have new heroes: scientists (think Anthony Fauci) and researchers, chief medical officers like Deena Hinshaw and Bonnie Henry. doctors, nurses, healthcare workers,  first responders, grocery clerks, garbage collectors …  the hitherto almost invisible people who continue to work at risk to their own health to ensure that we  survive.

Thoughtful individuals are considering what happens post-pandemic. I invite you to explore Post-pandemic world order. Its by-no-means-exhaustive collection of articles offers opinions on everything from the future of air and maritime travel to what forms of governance may shape the future. Manhattan Faces a Reckoning if Working From Home Becomes the Norm predicts a shrinking of demand for office space and the impact on the city’s economy. While its focus is on Manhattan, the thesis is applicable to major cities throughout the world. Investors, service providers and urban planners, take note. If nothing else, do read Canada’s super star historian Margaret MacMillan on covid-19 as a turning point in history.

What has happened to François Legault? His much admired leadership that marked the onslaught of the crisis has given way to a series of unforced errors – elementary schools, retail businesses to reopen, masks recommended but not readily available, and previously highly praised Quebec director of public health Horacio Arruda now described as ‘spin doctor’. Quebec leads the country by a wide margin in number of reported Covid-19 cases and the outlook for Montreal is beyond bleak.

We note with sadness La chanteuse Renée Claude s’éteint à 80 ans, but given her advanced state of Alzheimer’s are confident that she is now in a better place.

Cleo Paskal‘s latest The Strategic Implications of Indian Corruption examines major geopolitical and security implications that reach far beyond India. “As a result of COVID-19, heavy hitters in the United States and elsewhere are talking about shifting investments and supply chains out of China. This dovetails with existing strategic concerns about Beijing. When looking around the Indo-Pacific for an alternative democracy-compatible, large market that has the potential to be increasingly strategically useful, India pops to the fore.” BUT – and it is a big BUT.

Ending on a cheerful note:
Congratulations to Dominique Anglade, the new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and Leader of the Official Opposition. The first woman to lead the QLP, she is also the first black woman to lead a provincial political party in Quebec. She said under her leadership, the Liberal will focus on the environment and the economy. “We will also be a strong opposition who, in this public health crisis, will question the government without respite and will propose solutions in the name of all Quebecers,” Given that she was a founding member of the CAQ before defecting to the PLQ, debates with M. Legault should be interesting!
Andrew Caddell‘s column Macpherson defined moments in history in a single frame gives context to Terry Mosher (Aislin)’s brilliant new book Professional Heckler: The Life and Art of Duncan Macpherson. Keep an eye out for Aislin’s cartoon in Thursday’s Gazette. It’s a keeper!
Bravo CBC for Some good news from around the world on Wednesday Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded that good things are happening despite everything.
PBS makes a valiant attempt to lighten up with a charming introduction of the (not always) behind the scenes furry friends of the Newshour family