Canadians have traditionally found it difficult to answer the question, "What defines a Canadian?" The default answer has always been, "Well, we aren't Americans." That answer speaks volumes; however, in light of American threats against our country, coupled with the ongoing breakdown of their societal norms, we have been thinking lately much more about what makes our country special and almost unique.
One of its defining characteristics is that Canada cares about its people. While I know there are many things that might illustrate otherwise, we do take real pride in trying to help those who need help, both individually and through government supports.
I'm never sure how much interest there is amongst readers when I post stories about what is happening in Amerika. However, part of my motivation in addressing such stories is that they remind us of the things we Canadians value and the things we must strive to protect. The following story falls under that rubric.
The Trump administration plans to terminate federal workers focused on preventing and responding to work-related illnesses, including "black lung" disease in coal miners, according to an internal government memo obtained by NBC News, despite in recent days reinstating some who had been let go.
Those terminations could threaten critical programs used to screen for health issues in workers with toxic exposures, including 9/11 first responders, according to people who work on or benefit from the programs. Some workers who benefit from those programs have expressed fears that conditions such as cancer or lung disease could go undetected as a result.
Concerns about the future of those programs began earlier this month when the Department of Health and Human Services effectively gutted the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), drastically cutting the headcount of an agency that has been around for 55 years. The move was part of a broader plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce, including a massive restructuring of federal health agencies that called for the termination of roughly 20,000 full-time employees.
In Appalachia, the consequences of such cuts will be dire.
Donald Trump was elected on the promise of making life better for Americans. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Americans he had in mind excludes a wide swath of the people. May that mentality never infect us.
The so called "free trade" agreements have all catered to corporate greed. Those who crafted those agreements should be ashamed. The multi-country deals should have included minimum standards for labour, including a healthy minimum wage; universal health care; the environment with realistic targets for controlling global warming, etc. The agreements should toss out the GDP as a financial measurement tool and replace it with a more progressive one. Most importantly, there should be enforcement of regulations.
ReplyDeleteWe have to stop catering to corporate greed. The billionaire class has to pay for the damage they are doing.
I remember some performative and empty politics when Mexico was included in the free trade deal, Toby, talk of raising labour and safety standards, etc. None of that has happened, to my knowledge.
DeleteExcept for beating some exceptional odds we would have that canadian brand of amerikaka here now. The cons low key brag about their Jivani - Vance bromance and skippys promise of a job and nice house on a safe street etc etc is the same drool that sold the americans on drumpf. With about the same amount of planning and chance of dream fulfillment. What you fear is politically 1/2 of us now and that 1/2 is pushing to deregulate and streamline everything but profit and their individual prosperity. Individual not collective Canadian prosperity.
ReplyDeleteJust like in amerikaka.
Exactly what we have to stand on guard against, lungta.
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