My preoccupation of late has been with those who refuse to get vaccinated, people who blithely and recklessly pose a hazard to all of us. Not surprisingly, much of that ilk is also adamantly opposed to vaccine certificates/passports. And for some reason beyond my ability to fathom, their voices have been heard over those of sane people.
This, and a conversation I had yesterday, has led me to wonder about the documentation that will be required when Americans begin crossing into Canada on August 9. It is a date we should look upon with some trepidation.
Yesterday I walked over to a local store to buy some milk. En route, I ran into the manager of the garage where I take my car for servicing. As we chatted about Covid and related matters, he told me something one of his customers had relayed to him. Said customer has a cousin from the U.S. planning a visit. The cousin, an avid and rabid anti-vaxxer, said he has bought fake vaccination certificates online (most likely on the Dark Web, where they are readily available) for $75 each. Said customer told his cousin that he wouldn't be letting him into his house.
So the question is, what precautions are the Canadian government and Canadian Border Services taking to detect counterfeit certificates? Sadly, the answer is not especially encouraging.
Relying on questioning and 'intelligence' to ferret out the fakes leaves too much to chance. In its zeal to welcome back Americans, the federal government seems willing to put some of the gains we have made in our Covid battle at risk. I doubt the electorate would cheer such recklessness.
This appears to be a situation in which political and economic considerations prevail over public health concerns. In the past couple of days I've come across references to a "fourth wave" of Covid-19 that's already sending tremors through Wall Street where it's seen as an economy wrecker. With each successive wave government resilience flags and seems to bend to the corporate sector. This may be a lesson in what awaits us when something much more disruptive than a coronavirus lands in our laps.
ReplyDeleteOn so many fronts, Mound, the future looks increasingly grim.
DeleteIn fairness, Lorne, we have come to an unrealistic dependency on government to be there to kiss it when we get a boo-boo.
DeleteIn southern California, residents of waterfront communities now imperiled by sea level rise insist that the state buy their homes at fair market value. Some have succeeded but, as the problem worsens, the state may not be able to cover everyone.
The states have a similar problem with hurricane relief along the eastern seaboard. When the private insurance industry stopped writing coverage for hurricane loss, the federal government, in the form of FEMA, stepped in. The outlays quickly eclipsed the policy premiums. Congress tried to put the FEMA insurance plan on a break-even basis. Affected homeowners saw their insurance premiums soar. Insurance became a major cost. It undercut property values and made mortgage financing harder to obtain. The typical wailing ensued and Congress backed off.
Now these same homeowners who consider socialism tantamount to Communism and an affront to their god happily take the FEMA giveaway. The problem isn't resolved. It's simply deferred. When the Day of Reckoning does arrive, as it surely must, the problem will be much greater and intractable.
WE should also look to Alberta and their many anti maskers.
ReplyDeleteMuch of the covid in the Okanagan is said to be from Albertans.
Read todays David Climengas Alberta Politics for a sad and frightening story of Albertas indifference to the virus.
Thanks, Trailblazer. I will check it out. I just finished watching something on CTV Edmonton about Alberta's lifting of Covid protocols.
Deletehttps://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/alberta-to-eliminate-covid-19-quarantine-rules-as-cases-rise-among-the-unvaccinated-1.5526426
.. I think we're in the stage of trying to stagger to a mystery 'finish line'
ReplyDeleteOr is it just a fabricated moving goal post ? AKA 'normal'
I won't trust political parties, nor their embedded Mainstream Media
Yet certain disciplines I would and do bet my life on
Doctors and nurses
Family farmers, trusted neighbors
Locomotive engineers,
Airline pilots, educators
Politicians & their Political Parties ?
Mainstream Media ?
You must be kidding !!
There is no doubt that an intelligent assessment of sources is paramount in these times, Sal.
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