CDN/US Covid-related political discussion

[OceanBonfire]

Bank of Canada slashes key interest rate to 0.25%

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/bank-of-canada-key-interest-rate-cut-to-lowest-level-1.4870867

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bank-of-canada-interest-rate-1.5512098

https://globalnews.ca/news/6740389/bank-of-canada-interest-rate-cut/

 

[tomahawk6]

Several states like Florida and Alaska are asking new arrivals to self quarantine. In the case of Florida their concern is possible infected people from New York.

 

[mariomike]

In the case of Florida their concern is possible infected people from New York.

By now, I would imagine most spring breakers and snowbirds have left, or soon will, Florida to return to their home states and provinces.

My wife returned from the Sunshine State two weeks ago. So far, no signs or symptoms. We are thankful for that.

In the case of Florida,

Tampa Bay, FLA

Gov. Ron DeSantis won’t shut down Florida. Here’s who he’s talking to about that.

“We’re recommending that the governor continue to do what he’s doing,” said Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson. “I don’t think the data says we need to do a statewide shutdown.”

TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to resist calls to shut down Florida to prevent the spread of coronavirus, he’s been in close contact with a powerful constituency: big business.

Alarming cellphone map shows how spring breakers could have spread coronavirus
https://nypost.com/2020/03/27/alarming-cell-phone-map-shows-how-spring-breakers-could-have-spread-coronavirus/


Escape from Florida: My 2,400-km drive back to the sanity of Canada

https://www.macleans.ca/society/life/escape-from-florida-my-2400-km-drive-back-to-the-sanity-of-canada/

 

[mariomike]

Medical Expert Who Corrects Trump Is Now a Target of the Far Right

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/technology/coronavirus-fauci-trump-conspiracy-target.html

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the administration’s most outspoken advocate of emergency virus measures, faces a torrent of false claims that he is mobilizing to undermine the president.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk018o3I1iMc2CfWR0EOlfaG8qSZVLQ%3A1585424791241&ei=l6l_XtWkDobRtQafuqSYBQ&q=fauci+conspiracy&oq=fauci+conspiracy&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQDFAAWABgnw5oAHAAeACAAQCIAQCSAQCYAQCqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiVzP_L973oAhWGaM0KHR8dCVMQ4dUDCAo#spf=1585424969654

 

[Remius]

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk018o3I1iMc2CfWR0EOlfaG8qSZVLQ%3A1585424791241&ei=l6l_XtWkDobRtQafuqSYBQ&q=fauci+conspiracy&oq=fauci+conspiracy&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQDFAAWABgnw5oAHAAeACAAQCIAQCSAQCYAQCqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiVzP_L973oAhWGaM0KHR8dCVMQ4dUDCAo#spf=1585424969654

:facepalm:

 

[Haggis]

Here's a nightmare scenario to consider.  In two weeks Trump expects life to be normalized for the Easter weekend.  By then he will have marginalized and discredited all his senior health advisers and trotted out his own "experts" to bolster his assertion that the US is recovering.  For us, that that American normalization may come with pressure on Canada to normalize international trade and travel.

Consider, now, a whole fleet of truck drivers from the US who have been exposed trough normalization heading towards Canada with essential goods.

Add to that a host of Americans heading here to open their cottages and enjoy long weekends away from the stress of pandemic stricken big city (e.g. New York) life and expecting to not be turned back at the border because America has resumed "business as usual" according to the Oval Office.

What then?

 

[ModlrMike]

What's that old saying?

Hope is not a COA.

 

[brihard]

Sorry mods, I got fired up in my opinion on something earlier and may have had a post deleted as a result. My bad. I haven't gotten any sort of notification and no deleted post note in milpoints, but it's gone so I'm assuming that.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Mine too lol.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Sorry mods, I got fired up in my opinion on something earlier and may have had a post deleted as a result. My bad. I haven't gotten any sort of notification and no deleted post note in milpoints, but it's gone so I'm assuming that.

I've joined you in post purgatory 
(sorry as well, shouldn't have used inappropriate language towards a political figure.)

 

[Remius]

Not sure if this is happening in other states but some South Carolina cities are defying their state’s order on restrictions.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina/articles/2020-03-28/sc-cities-defy-state-on-restrictions-as-virus-cases-rise

Not good and I suspect as this goes on we might see more of this happening.

 

[stellarpanther]

Here's a nightmare scenario to consider.  In two weeks Trump expects life to be normalized for the Easter weekend.  By then he will have marginalized and discredited all his senior health advisers and trotted out his own "experts" to bolster his assertion that the US is recovering.  For us, that that American normalization may come with pressure on Canada to normalize international trade and travel.

Consider, now, a whole fleet of truck drivers from the US who have been exposed trough normalization heading towards Canada with essential goods.

Add to that a host of Americans heading here to open their cottages and enjoy long weekends away from the stress of pandemic stricken big city (e.g. New York) life and expecting to not be turned back at the border because America has resumed "business as usual" according to the Oval Office.

What then?

This is when we need to really hope Trudeau does what's right and doesn't cave in to Trump.  It will also be a time for the PC's and NDP to give him the political support required as well and make sure everyone is on the same page.  There will be plenty of time to play politics when this is over.

 

[stellarpanther]

I'm not sure if any Province has made a request yet but the media are beginning to ask about using the military to enforce isolation and help with check points etc.  Quebecer's for example are being told not to go to their cottages and police have begun setting up checkpoints.

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=stellarpanther] There will be plenty of time to play politics when this is over.
[/quote]
Naw. I'd prefer to still keep an eye on politicians so they don't try to sneak by massive power grabs under the panic of a pandemic.

The stupid games should stop, the oversight and accountability shouldn't.

 

[Brad Sallows]

It's not the job of opposition parties to support the PM.  Their job is to block the governing party from inserting its honey-do items into crisis management legislation.

There are two flavours of "never let a crisis go to waste".

Good: learn, and apply lessons to improve things now and do better next time.

Bad: "This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision."

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I'm not sure if any Province has made a request yet but the media are beginning to ask about using the military to enforce isolation and help with check points etc.  Quebecer's for example are being told not to go to their cottages and police have begun setting up checkpoints.

Quebec has not requested any military assistance, and I am unaware of any other province having done so.

Moreover, the "police check-points" you mention are unrelated to the strong request that people avoid going to their cottages unless they are already there, and in that case to please stay there for the duration of the self-confinement period asked of Quebecers.

The check-points set up by the SQ (Qc provincial police) are a few hundred meters inside the province borders at entry points of snowbirds. They are set up (as are the similar information points of the City of Montreal inside Trudeau Intn'l airport) to check on returning snowbirds, providing them with written instructions concerning their mandatory 14 days self-quarantine, getting their coo-rdinates and explaining exactly what it means (no, you don't stop by the food store or drive to say hello to friend or load up on booze at the SAQ: You go straight home - that's it ... and now we know where you live).

They do so, BTW, because we have found - if comments by many returning snowbirds are to be believed - that the federal border protection personnel were doing a lousy job at properly advising returning Quebecers of the ongoing measures applicable to them and were even worse at answering any related questions.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The stupid games should stop, the oversight and accountability shouldn't.

:nod:  You should be able to have the latter without the former. 

It's not the job of opposition parties to support the PM.  Their job is to block the governing party from inserting its honey-do items into crisis management legislation.

There has to be ways to meet in the middle - opposition doesn't always have to be opposition just for the sake of opposition.  Even Ontario's Team Blue Premier, while asking for what he needs, has toned down a lot of partisan bashing (in public, anyway).

Then again, when the atmosphere is polarized, one person's games is another person's opposition ...

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

This......https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/doug-fords-handling-of-the-pandemic-draws-praise-from-friends-and-foes

 

[Remius]

This......https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/doug-fords-handling-of-the-pandemic-draws-praise-from-friends-and-foes

People can say what they want about Ford.  He’s done a good job with this so far.  I couldn’t bring myself to vote for him but I am the first to give him credit for the way he’s handling this crisis.  In fact so far most of our politicians, federally, provincially and even at our city level have done a good job. 

All we have to do is look south and see the goat rodeo going on in some places and thank our lucky stars that we seem to have a better grip on this regardless of political stripes.  Let’s hope it continues.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

And give kudos to our other political parties in Ontario who have stood back and let him drive the bus.  No posturing just for posturing sakes....