Charitable sector essential during COVID-19 crisis, and beyond, but needs support
In the avalanche of news related to the unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19 and the resulting response from governments at all levels, we are facing a devastating consequence that many people might not be aware of—the decimation of the charitable health sector in Canada. A broad chorus of voices has appealed to the prime minister for […]
Why has Canada’s data collection during the pandemic been so bad?
Canadians are finally beginning to see projections of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and needs for intensive-care units from various provinces and the federal government. We are also starting to see simulations that look beyond the next month or two when, hopefully, epidemic curves are clearly flattening. Canada’s national data-collection capacity will be critical for the next […]
Firearms remain a serious public health concern, even during a pandemic
On behalf of Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns (CDPG), PolySeSouvient, the Coalition for Gun Control, and Danforth Families for Safe Communities, we are writing in deep sorrow. Like all Canadians, we grieve with the families and communities affected by the mass shooting in Nova Scotia last weekend. With health workers, policy makers, and all […]
We’ll need the capability to restart economy once pandemic fades
TORONTO—The first priority is to do everything we can to protect the health of Canadians. The second is to ensure Canadians have enough income to meet basic needs so long as the pandemic prevents them from working. But there is a critical third priority, which is to make sure that we have the capability to […]
Public health, the public good, and where collective responsibility lies
HAMILTON—Question: is public health the same as public good? I respond: No. I assert: all public good involves public health measures, but not all public health measures involve the public good. Essentially: public good is greater than public health. The upshot: the collective responsibility of individuals is to the public good of which public health […]
Halting disinformation in a time of pandemic: the need to tread very carefully
OTTAWA—A newish term we have all begun to see much more often these days is that of “disinformation” (a.k.a. “misinformation”). We all read about attempts by the Russians and other nefarious actors to influence the democratic process in the U.S. and France by flooding the internet with made-up stuff. At one point, this was headline […]
Surveillance and COVID-19: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues?
OTTAWA—Governments around the world are struggling to deal with the novel coronavirus: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues? I confess to being a fan of the British TV series MI5, which is not strangely about MI5, the British Security Service (BSS). This intelligence agency’s closest equivalent in this country is CSIS, one of […]
Why technology and education can help fight COVID-19
As an Afghan-Canadian, I would like to provide my perspective on how Afghanistan can strengthen its health systems during the COVID-19 global pandemic. As of April 20, there were 1,026 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Afghanistan and 33 deaths. One of the main reasons that Afghanistan is lacking medical supplies and medical professionals is due to […]
Fight against COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, and it’s not over yet
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation around the world, and it has caused challenges here at home as well. Thousands of Canadians have been infected, and tragically, many Canadians have lost their lives due to the virus. I think of the nurses, doctors, caregivers, first-responders, and other Canadians working in essential services who […]
Climate, not COVID-19, is the real crisis of our time
LONDON, U.K.—For the global oil industry, it has been a double whammy. First a foolish price war between two of the world’s three biggest producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, drove the price per barrel down from almost $70 in early January to under $50 in early March. They were fighting each other for market share, […]
