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Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 (nCoV-2019)

AlvinofDiaspar said:
From CBC News:


There is no blaming the previous government on this.

AoD
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"it inherited a mess in long-term care" Started with the former PC government under Mike Harris. While the Liberals didn't do too much, the PC government under Doug Ford made it worse. Especially from lobbying from a former PC Premier, who is now Chair of the Board for one of the privately run long-term care companies, Mike Harris.

See https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/category/key-issues/long-term-care-chronic-care/
 
W. K. Lis said:
"it inherited a mess in long-term care" Started with the former PC government under Mike Harris. While the Liberals didn't do too much, the PC government under Doug Ford made it worse. Especially from lobbying from a former PC Premier, who is now Chair of the Board for one of the privately run long-term care companies, Mike Harris.

See https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/category/key-issues/long-term-care-chronic-care/
Click to expand...

The systemic weakness can be attributed to multiple governments; the reaction to individual instances can be attributed to only to the current government - and it is the latter we're talking about here..

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
It's no doubt difficult on everyone (esp. the residents) - unfortunately given the vulnerability of the population they are dealing with, any slip up would literally be deadly. They simply cannot afford not to be onerous.

AoD
Click to expand...

Oh, no doubt. If the virus ever got in it would run like wildfire (I think the average age there is 92), but still frustrating. Masks + distance + no contact? They have a large, beautiful garden but have decided to hold the visits in the drop-off circle at the front door. Getting to the garden would entail visitors to go through the building but it could easily be a corridor. This strikes me more as a staffing issue than a health issue.

A quick turnaround test might be feasible but that would require a lab on-site. it's a huge complex but I don't know enough about all the facilities.
 
Alvin, I think you hit the nail on the head re: federalist versus Unitarian. The difference is other federalist states like Germany or Switzerland were able to adapt and impose national frameworks in reaction to the situation.

In Canada we rigidly stuck and continue to stick to the federalist framework leaving everyone to fend for themselves and their relative circumstances. The resulting failure is plain to see. I speculate if some of the blame is systemic particular as it pertains to the Federal government not wanting to step on toes in Quebec and Alberta and some should rest directly at the feet of the Prime Minister’s personal leadership style.
 
TrickyRicky said:
Alvin, I think you hit the nail on the head re: federalist versus Unitarian. The difference is other federalist states like Germany or Switzerland were able to adapt and impose national frameworks in reaction to the situation.

In Canada we rigidly stuck and continue to stick to the federalist framework leaving everyone to fend for themselves and their relative circumstances. The resulting failure is plain to see. I speculate if some of the blame is systemic particular as it pertains to the Federal government not wanting to step on toes in Quebec and Alberta and some should rest directly at the feet of the Prime Minister’s personal leadership style.
Click to expand...

I would add Ontario, especially what Doug Ford is doing creating loopholes during COVID-19.
 
TrickyRicky said:
Alvin, I think you hit the nail on the head re: federalist versus Unitarian. The difference is other federalist states like Germany or Switzerland were able to adapt and impose national frameworks in reaction to the situation.

In Canada we rigidly stuck and continue to stick to the federalist framework leaving everyone to fend for themselves and their relative circumstances. The resulting failure is plain to see. I speculate if some of the blame is systemic particular as it pertains to the Federal government not wanting to step on toes in Quebec and Alberta and some should rest directly at the feet of the Prime Minister’s personal leadership style.
Click to expand...

It's very clear the Feds didn't want to stick their fingers too deeply into the health portfolio - rightly or wrongly, the Feds do not have the capacity to manage health at a provincial level - the infrastructure and personnel are by and large provincial. If you don't have the expertise and command of the provincial system, a federal takeover will only lead to failure. Now going forward one can have more explicit centralization of health care, but I suspect there will be tons of provincial pushback. (also, the Feds don't want to be involved partly because it's a expenditure sink). At the end of the day given the level of provincial responsibility, our COVID failures are provincial in nature (e.g. LTC deaths in BC vs. ON vs. QC, for example).

Also, there are degrees of federalization - Canada is just about one of the most decentralized federations out there.

AoD
 
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Technology might make the distances in this country seem smaller than it did 100 years ago, but it doesn't make regional identities disappear.

Before jumping on a train to consider a shift to a unitary government, we must consider how incredibly stable our federalist form of government is. It is a very successful system and I think a model that some unitary countries like Spain should adopt to resolve their internal political strife. What would a unitary Canadian government that Alberta and Quebec doesn't like might do to national stability? I'd rather not know, but again a country like Spain might provide some good insight.

If we are reforming our system, there are three topics I would address instead of federalism. (1) The Federal budget needs to be invested in urban life and specifically expand to include transit within its jurisdiction. We are the only G20 nation without a dedicated annual federal transit fund. (2) Municipalities need some autonomy or legal authority granted to them in the constitution, so that they are no longer mere creatures of the province that could be abused by a negligent or outright hostile provincial government. (3) Untangling the nest of First Nations issues which I would leave to others more knowledgeable on the subject to address.

(Apologies for the tangent + partial thread derailing)
 
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