February Quick Takes ...

Definitely slow on this for February, I will try and get this done closer to the beginning of the month going forward. However, as always there were lots of things I found interesting last month, hopefully, you find them worthwhile also. Here goes:

• Canada getting vaccines through COVAX - As many of you likely know COVAX is a global organization whose purpose is to ensure that all countries in the world receive COVID-19 vaccines. Focusing specifically on less affluent nations the principle (a good one I think) is that the world will not be safe and done with the pandemic until the virus is eliminated from all countries. From all accounts I have read, Canada has been one of the most supportive countries in this organization. Well done Canada, this is the type of role we should play on the global stage. One little hitch. Although the primary purpose of participating in COVAX is to assist less affluent countries, as part of the agreement, sponsoring countries (which Canada is one) can also draw a certain number of vaccines for their own use. No other G7 country other than Canada has exercised this part of the agreement. I think it is a sign of how desperate the Trudeau government is trying to look good that they have exercised this contractual element. Not to be too cynical but might it have something to do with getting ready for an election? Canada has contracted access to 328 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with a total population of 38 million people and therefore a requirement for a maximum of 76 million doses. To say Trudeau and his government are being petty by taking from COVAX I think is an understatement. We have seen over the last two weeks the questions on vaccine acquisition and distribution move from why was Canada so far behind and how would it be possible to make the September target for vaccinating all Canadians to now questioning why the government has not moved up the date given the number of vaccines Canada is receiving (most provinces are now indicating their residents will get at least a first shot of the vaccine by the end of June). Come on Canada we are better than this, let's not take from COVAX and while we are at it let's start planning to distribute to the rest of the world all the excess vaccines we have contracted for.

• Can governments not ever be prepared even when they have time? - As most of you know I am not a Doug Ford fan. I think it is incredible the negligence he and his government get away with (long-term care, environment, foster care) while Ford plays the "every" man daily during his press conferences. But if you have listened closely to the most recent announcements about Ontario schools you will hear the same talking points the government was shoving at us about a year ago. Better ventilation, more school custodians, physical and mental health support. It seems to me that this government has not actually done anything, except talk about this. By the way, while on the subject of schools, why are Ontario teachers not a priority group for the vaccine? They are out front every day exposing themselves to a large number of people (students, parents, other staff members) with very little protection. Could it be that the Ford government hates teachers and the teacher's union? I totally understand that the government was not prepared a year ago but now a year later? In the same vein, why is the government scrambling to get a vaccine booking system in place? Again, what have they been doing? We have known for 6 months vaccines were coming and would need to be distributed. I really hope Ford is held accountable for this (and sooooo much more) during our next provincial election.

• Go Jason Go - I am not a huge fan of Jason Kenny and I certainly think many of his government's actions have not served Albertans well in terms of the pandemic, the economy (investing millions in the Trans Canada pipeline?) and the environment. Having said all that every once in a while I think he is the most straightforward politician in answering questions. If you have not seen his rant in answer to a question he got during a question-and-answer session he did with Deena Hinshaw you have to watch. It is great. The question refers to the global conspiracy known as the reset. Here is the youtube link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKk9aISKBTA. If you want to jump right to the question I am referencing it is at 48.15 of the video

• WE Charity - Who thinks there is (a lot) more to this scandal than we have heard so far? I think the financial structure that was constructed by the Kielburger brothers is a real mess and likely was designed to benefit them as much as any charitable intent they had. I hope the opposition keeps pressing on this and gets all the information out. I am guessing the Kielburgers groomed their relationship with Trudeau, his family and his government to maintain their personal wealth. Let's get everything out

• Nice to be normal - It is far too early to decide whether Joe Biden will go down as a great or average president (I don't think he will be terrible). But is it not nice to have some sense of normalcy in the US. We don't have to wake up every morning going, "he did what?" Although I am concerned that Trump is not completely going away (it is awesome to have him off Twitter) it is amazing that he is not the president. Joe Biden has definitely brought stability, normalcy and decency to the office. I hope we look back at this time and are able to say that Biden was the perfect guy for this time and he did a great job in his first term as president.

• Do you want a beer with that Slurpee? - Did anyone else see this? 7-Eleven has applied for a liquor license to serve beer in their stores. Not sell beer, serve beer. I actually would be ok with beer being sold in 7-Elevens (and any other retailer) and getting rid of the private (not government) monopoly that the Beer Store is. But serving beer? First, who would want to go into a 7-Eleven for a beer? Do you just stand around and look at the refrigerator cases while downing your beer? More importantly, the majority of 7-Elevens are situated with gas stations. This means people driving. So we want people driving up, getting gas and then running into the 7-Eleven and chugging one or two beers and then getting back in their cars? Really who thinks this a good idea and why would the (Ford!) government approve it?

• Rush? - Rush Limbaugh passed away last month. I don't think there is anything that the man ranted about that I agreed with. I don't really know for sure as I never listened to his radio program or read anything he wrote (did he write?) or see him on TV. Not to be too cold but largely I feel his passing means there is one less wack job on the face of the earth. However, I do have a great Rush Limbaugh story. Teresa and I are flying home from a vacation in Phoenix (we are connecting through a US city I don't remember before returning to Toronto). I am wearing a Rush (the band) hat from their Snakes and Arrows tour. As we are getting to our seats the elderly woman in front of us says to me, "Oh, you are a fan of Rush". At this point I think to myself she does not really look like a Rush fan, but ok. Then she says, "I just love him". I am confused for what likely seems to her an eternity until I realize she is referring to Limbaugh. I mumble that my hat is for the Canadian rock band Rush, which (surprise!) she has never heard of. We avoid these people for the rest of the flight.

That's it for this month. Let me know anything that was on your list for February that I missed or any comments on the above. You can reach me at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com