May 9th
Turning from the international to the provincial. The many news feeds in Ontario have been preoccupied with the increase in measles cases. During the pandemic talk of vaccines became a wedge issue as the news media threw chum in the water to draw people into the debate. For a time, in the early stages of the covid vaccine rollout it made sense to consider mandates because we thought the vaccine would stop infection and transmission. I still remember showing my vaccine status to get in a restaurant. Once we learned it only lessened symptoms the mandate talk slowly began to die down and entry requirements were removed. Some people still wanted the mandates however, because they argued that the unvaccinated were the ones filling up hospital beds and placing the burden on a stretched healthcare system. I remember arguing at the time that it was a slippery slope to mandate behaviour to protect a universal healthcare system. If people are heavy drinkers or smokers should they be disallowed from entering public spaces?
Now with measles cases up - there is talk again of closing off public schools for unvaccinated kids. I don’t see that happening right now because the only people at risk are the unvaccinated. The only way pressure on the Ontario government to do something grows if the healthcare system gets stretched in fighting cases of people who refused to get the MMR shot. That circles us back to the healthcare systems of the United States and Canada we started this week comparing. In the States if you choose not to get your shots - you will bear the cost of that - either through higher premiums or medical costs. It is why Ohio lets motor bikers ride on the highway with no helmet. Your health choices are your right and at your cost. In a universal system, the health choices and consequences of your neighbour are borne by everyone. It is why there is more of a case in Canada for mandating behaviour to reduce the strain of a system with limited resources. It is why I lean a little toward the American system, where there is more of an onus on personal responsibility. The best compromise we have in Canada are the sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco, that are collected to offset the healthcare costs from these vices. So perhaps an unvax tax should be put in place as well. If you don’t like this plan, or are unhappy with either system, I have another idea. But you will have to wait until next week.
I do find it interesting what the “news” chooses to cover and ignore. The conflict between Pakistan and India has received scant coverage, compared to the colour of smoke coming from St. Peters. I get that the tension over Kashmir has been ongoing for decades, but when India retaliates with air strikes against Pakistan with their government in Islamabad now vowing for revenge, you wouldn’t think you would need to search for coverage. I guess it is a sign of progress or wilful blindness that the threat of nuclear war is no longer keenly felt by younger generations. There are very few people on earth anymore that were around when the United States dropped nuclear bombs in Japan to bring the end to world war two. With each passing year the warning of nuclear holocaust passed through generations has diminished. Younger people are much more concerned with the long term threat of climate change than the immediate flash of nuclear war. During the 80’s and 90’s nuclear disarmament was the cause du jour. Some progress was made, but we haven’t erased the threat - we’ve just learned to ignore it.
Well in terms of tangible results or announcements the meeting between Trump and Carney delivered very little. I guess the fact that Carney didn’t get ambushed like Zelensky is a good thing, but it doesn’t sound like going back to the way things were. Trump was rather assertive that he doesn’t want Canadian made cars, steel or aluminium in America. This is going to hit Canada’s economy very hard, but at least we have as much clarity as can be expected from a Trump administration.
Carney will now have to shift focus to our response and see if he can actually get digging and fast track the resource development projects he promised during the campaign. That should appease Alberta and take the lid off any separation steam building.
I must say right now, my biggest concern is the tensions arising between the on-off-on-again conflict between nuclear weapon powers India and Pakistan. Discuss that conflict more tomorrow.
Mark Carney’s job as PM really begins today with his meeting with Trump in Washington. It will be must-see TV at least for Canadians on how he is received and whether there is a reset in tone from Trump and our relationship with our number one trading partner. Trumps does seem to revel in yanking our chain so the idea that everything will get back to normal after this get together does feel like wishful thinking. Even yesterday, he was telling reporters he wasn’t sure why Carney was coming, so get your popcorn as this meeting will probably shape the Canadian news cycle for at least a few days.
Yesterday ended with an Alberta separation comment. I don’t see it happening, but I do believe the sentiment to leave is louder and in greater numbers to be easily dismissed. This will be the other big test for Carney in seeing if he and his government is in fact a departure from the other guy. I don’t believe most eastern Canadians give Alberta it’s due for the wealth that province shares with others in confederation. Listening to the Albertans I know who live there, it doesn’t sound like they are going to leave, but they would like a little more respect for paying the bills - especially from Quebec, a perennial freeloader. Transfer or equalization payments between provinces are a cornerstone of our nation building to create a level playing field of prosperity. But I am not sure many younger Canadians are aware of their existence and chronic imbalance they try to counter. If the Wexit movement does catch hold expect this to be one of the main complaints they want addressed.
Congrats to the Winnipeg Jets for winning game 7 in double OT. Winterpeg doesn’t have much, so good for them.
But no matter where in Canada hockey is certainly part of this country’s DNA. We have 7 teams in the NHL. 2 of them are named after us and 3 have a maple leaf on their sweaters (we don’t say jersey Americans).
The other thing that many Canadians point to in defining this country is our healthcare system. Sad part is that universal healthcare is not all that unique among developed countries not named the USA. Our system also at the risk of sounding unpatriotic, is not that great. It’s not a slam dunk that it’s even better than the American system. Ours is cheaper, but you do get what you pay for.
In the States your health insurance for most Americans is a benefit provided by your employers private insurance. As long as you stay employed you’re going to be fine. The problem in their system is what happens when you lose your job and you or one of your kids get sick. The other issue occurs when a condition or disease is discovered while employed. You should be covered under your existing plan, but all bets are off if you change jobs and insurance companies. It’s also risky for sick or injured young Americans who turn 25 and are kicked off their parents' plan before finding stable work like Luigi Mangione. Where the scales tip to favouring the American system over Canada’s is when you hit 65 - when most people will lean heavily on the healthcare system.
At 65 and older Americans are entitled to heavily subsidized insurance (Medicare) by the federal government and full coverage by the feds and states for low income Americans (MedicAid).
The Canadian system is great for acute care coverage no matter your employment status or pre existing conditions. But our drug and rehab coverage is quite limited compared to what American seniors will receive.
So whose system is better - it depends, but now all those Albertans wanting to leave Canada can decide.
May 2nd
Glad I held off ranting against the Leafs. I wanted to wait and see how they played last night before piling on the perennial criticism they get around this time of year. I also wasn’t able to watch game 5, so I hadn't witnessed the lack of urgency others had seen.
At the start of the playoffs I thought the Leafs would make it to the third round. Now, I'm not that confident. The Panthers look like they were sandbagging it in the regular season and the Leafs, while better than previous versions, still have too many stars that are interested in winning, but aren’t committed. Should be a typical Leaf series - meaning they will lose in 7.
Hopefully, they will prove me wrong like Vlad Jr. did last night in finally hitting a big homer this season. Will see if this gets their anemic offense going.
The news cycle has certainly slowed in Canada since the election and the threat of a Trump take over subsiding. Another tariff levy against Canadian autoparts companies was lifted as Trump flipped flopped again. He has been rather quiet lately. I have my doubts that it can last the weekend.
May 1st
Know that I have some American readers, so if I haven’t bored you with Canadian politics yet, I hope some ranting about the state of Toronto sports doesn’t lose you. Although, I have noticed though that for some reason the US media has been reporting on the results of our election more than I can ever remember.
In Canada nothing seems to change. The Liberals are always in power, the Blue Jays can’t hit in the spring and the Leafs “stars” always decide to play their worst hockey in deciding games.
Blue Jays tied their can to Vladdy Jr. for the next 14 years in a move that is not going to age well. Heck fickle fans who pushed ownership into this bad deal are already having regrets. To be fair Vlad Jr. is a generational talent - just not when it matters. I have trouble fully lambasting him, since he’s not getting any protection from the guy behind him, who also is a notorious slow starter. The question for the Jays, last night’s comeback explosion notwithstanding, is whether the bats will wake up in time for the team to still be in the playoff hunt.
I argued at the time that there was a business case for signing Vlad Jr., but not a strong baseball one. He’s not at the same level of Soto or Ohtani to get those dollars for that length of term. He’s already a first baseman, so there is nowhere else to put him except DH as he gets older and puts on more weight as age tends to do. The speculation was that Rogers wanted this deal more than Shapiro, and so it will be Rogers that has to live with it, once Shapiro is gone.
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