Smoke and mirrors? P14.
Ian McInnes
The McLeod River Post
In the midst of the worst public health and economic crisis in a hundred years the Alberta Government has chosen to push ahead with Bill 52, fulfilling an election pledge to enable voters a mechanism to fire their politicians.
On the radio I’ve heard Bill 52 described as a “distraction” and “smoke and mirrors.” That about covers it I think. For MLAs and mayors and councillors in cities and larger towns to be able to be recalled the bar is set high. So high in fact that I would venture that the possibilities of a successful action are slim and none, and Slim has gone for a beer. For smaller municipalities especially in rural areas a recall action won’t be so difficult, which could cause disruption and division. As I understand it there wasn’t any consultation. Ironically, the one person that could have to resign or be replaced as the leader of the UCP is Jason Kenney as he faces a leadership review next year.
The death toll from anti-coup protesters rises daily in Myanmar. Sanctions against the junta may help but with weapons purchased from Russia and China I am afraid that this situation is only likely to get worse. If the junta is in trouble could it invite neighbouring China in to help with security? Just throwing it out there.
The COVID-19 situation is really confusing to me at the moment. It looks to me that parts of Europe and Brazil are in a third wave, big time. I expected it but hope I wouldn’t see it but the squabbles over vaccines looks to be accelerating as are changes in production and deliveries.
If the UK, Israel and to a lesser extent the U.S. it looks like the vaccines are resulting in a lower case count and also hospitalizations and deaths. In Canada, we are not there yet by a long chalk and as long as the virus, mutations, call them what you will, continue to spread my gut tells me that we, and especially in Alberta are at risk of going into a third wave before enough people are protected. Sorry folks, I don’t think this is over for us, yet.
The increasing prevalence of COVID-19 passport schemes concern me. I appreciate that especially travel related businesses want this but there are unknown, unknowns in spades for me here. We don’t know much about vaccinated people getting the virus or how much they can spread it. We don’t know if certain variants are not going to be affected by the vaccine. We don’t know how long a vaccinated person can be immune for or much about a person getting infected with multiple variants of the virus. My gut feeling is that these passports will create privileged classes of people that some will never be able to join for no fault of their own and a sneaking suspicion that is this a liability thing?