Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 20, 2020, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A7 THINK TANK PERSPECTIVES EDITOR: BRAD OSWALD 204-697-7269 ? BRAD.OSWALD@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ? WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM A7 WEDNESDAY MAY 20, 2020 Ideas, Issues, Insights MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Brian Pallister's performance during the pandemic must be creating concern among old-school Progressive Conservatives. Pallister's 'bucket list' of irritations I WROTE the first words of this column as the sun rose over the Red River on Manitoba's 150th birthday. After bemoaning the fact the Snowbirds did not swing north of the city during the local leg of their now-interrupted inspiration tour, it was then back to life in the midst of a pandemic. At heart, like all activists, I am an optimist. You have to be, because there are always lots of reasons to quit, as you listen to the voices of those who tell you it is hopeless, or pointless or futile. So, last week, I hoped we would see some sign of Pallister's plan to mark the province's sesqui- centennial, some blueprint for Manitoba's future that showed the collective wisdom of our political leaders in a time of crisis. Instead of a plan, however, it seems Premier Brian Pallister has an agenda - a personal agenda, his own "bucket list" of irritations before he hands off to a new leader just in time for the Progressive Conservative Party to face Manito- bans at the polls in 2023 (or sooner). Bloated civil service, propped up by nasty unions? Check. Post-secondary institutions, where people do very little except belly-ache for more money? Check. Environmental organiza- tions that keep telling me the government is not doing enough for the planet or the future? Check. Manitoba Hydro, which just won't roll over and die? Check. All of this, of course, is ostensibly to provide more money for health care - but then, in the same breath, Pallister gifted seniors $200 each ($45 million) and dropped another $500 mil- lion worth of promises into construction. That $360,000 cut from the budgets of Green Action Centre, Manitoba-Eco-Network and Climate Change Connection - which were told "the fact of the matter is, all of us are in this together, and that includes advocacy groups" - is a long way from even being nickels in that scenario. Calling them "advocacy groups" also misrep- resents most of the work they do, from ecological education in schools and working on sustainable transportation to establishing the composting ser- vice the city (and province) continues to dodge. But silencing them eliminates awkward ques- tions, asked on behalf of average citizens left out in the cold, that this premier would also prefer to dodge. Check. For younger Manitobans, facing unemployment this summer and yet wanting to return to school in the fall, there is the promise of a wage subsidy - as long as there are employers with jobs for stu- dents, and who have the cash to float that $5,000 advance until the government pays up in the fall. Publicity that will cost little or nothing? Check. Then $10 million for summer Green Team funding for students - with the irony that many sponsoring organizations (such as churches or community groups) are now closed or reliant on those environmental "advocacy" groups for orga- nization, resources and support. Vaguely green gesture, that again will cost little? Check. So, here we are. Hard to be an optimist for Manitoba's 151st year, isn't it? I have confessed this before, but the only political party to which I have ever belonged was the Progressive Conservative Party. Granted, it was a long time ago, back when - in Manitoba, especially - you could be both progressive and conservative without being a walking oxymoron. As a young person, I was proud of what the Progressive Conservatives were doing - at least, until the Reform wind blew from the west and Alberta's Social Credit ideology took over. Like many other young people I knew at the time, I left, and have never really found a place since I could call home. I think that progressive element is still out there in rural areas, among the people who vote for the PC Party in Manitoba, but whose personal lives, in their communities and in the wider world, reflect values that support their neighbour and help others in need, ahead of ideology and budget cuts. I propose, to those readers who regularly get financial requests from the party, that they reconsider where their donations should go at the moment. As the premier says, "We are all in this together" - and right now, the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba does not need a war chest. It needs a wound chest, or it will not deserve re-election. So politely refuse the opportunity to give more money to the PC Party - and tell them instead it will be going to the food banks, the theatre and music groups, the social services in your commu- nity, the environmental groups - all of which are suffering and have not made it onto the premier's agenda, except as targets. For the seniors who can afford it, top things up with the $200 you didn't expect. Premier Pallister makes it clear he won't be forced to do the right thing - so it's time for the progressive members of the PC Party to do some damage control of their own. Peter Denton is an activist, author and optimist. His most recent book (with James Gustave Speth), Imagine a Joyful Economy, was published this year by Wood Lake Books. Boys and Girls Clubs ready in time of crisis STRANGE. Unprecedented. Uncertain. Which- ever label we choose to describe these times, the subtext is the same - a need for stability. That's where charitable organizations in Win- nipeg and across the country step in. Non-profits are essential to communities, and lifelines and community hubs for our most vulnerable popula- tions. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg is one of those lifelines and community hubs. Our role during this pandemic hasn't changed, except that the needs of those vulnerable populations have grown exponentially. The Boys and Girls Club movement has served Canadian kids and youth and their families for more than a century. We have navigated world wars, the Great Depression, economic recessions and, now, a pandemic. Through it all, we continue to offer safe spaces for kids and teens. Our clubs help young people experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life. The backbone of our organization is our people: our exceptional and dedicated program staff spend time with young people. They are program facilitators, listeners, and role models. The time they spend with our club kids is time spent in after-school, youth, education, sports and leadership programs. Through our programs, through relationship- building and mentoring, we strive to create a sense of belonging. We let kids be free to be them- selves despite their daily challenges. It is one of our core values. At a time when children and youth need our or- ganization the most, our facilities are closed. With social isolation and physical distancing the norm, a sense of belonging and connection has become even more important - and even more difficult to maintain. Young people are struggling. We've heard from our club kids. They miss their friends. They miss their program leaders. Some parents are witness- ing a deterioration in the mental health of their kids. Organizations such as Kids Help Phone are experiencing a marked increase in the need for their services. Parents are also feeling the pressure, and ex- perts predict things will get tougher. As physical- distancing measures relax, the demands will be greater. More people will be out of work, or feeling financial strain, and more will be looking to charitable organizations for help. The good news is that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg has the experience and the history to guide kids through the pandemic, to help them understand what has happened to the world, and to offer them stability, alongside their parents and families. Our programs are rooted in support- ing kids' mental health, in helping ease anxieties and fears, in navigating the effects of trauma. In short, we know what kids need. A recent study conducted by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg shows young people who par- ticipate in club programs make healthier choices and are better protected from negative social outcomes. And an outcome study spearheaded by Boys and Girls Clubs of South Coast B.C. in Vancouver demonstrated that club members are better at establishing positive relationships and building interpersonal skills, and have a stronger sense of belonging and acceptance. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg are adapting, as we always have, but our focus re- mains the same. Here in Winnipeg, our club has operated for 43 years; annually, we serve 3,700 kids and teens in our 12 after-school sites. Our organization prides itself in offering all of our programs and services free of charge to remove cost as a barrier to participation. This would not be possible without the support we have enjoyed over these past 43 years. More than ever, we are committed to families in our community. Despite limited resources, our club has been tackling food insecurity by deliver- ing food and critical care packages to families, running virtual programming for kids and teens, and connecting with young people online to offer counselling and one-to-one support. We have always tailored our programs and services to meet the needs of our city, and we will continue to do so. In the midst of this pandemic, our community's kids are fragile. The pandemic has created budgetary and operational pressures on our club. It's critical for our organization to have the strength and capacity to reopen our doors, and adapt our programs to meet the evolv- ing needs of children. Even though the challenges ahead are daunting, we are ready to serve. Ron Brown is president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. Owen Charters is president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Public-health concerns key to pandemic response THE COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a rapidly evolving crisis. The implications of the virus were fi rst seen in terms of the need to fl atten the curve on the number of cases. It is now evident we need to address the other effects of the virus on our lives. From economic difficulties to mental health, mobility and surveillance concerns to gen- dered, racialized and class disparities, the pub- lic-health measures taken in response to the novel coronavirus are taking their toll. And as public-health officials and governments begin to plan for transitioning out of these measures, there are many lessons to be learned from how things have been handled thus far. A primary lesson that should come out of what has transpired is the value of the precau- tionary principle. The precautionary principle states that "when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precaution- ary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically." It's a population- based approach, and its adoption is fundamen- tal to public health. The approach is illustrated in the classic story of Dr. John Snow's recommendation to officials in London, England, in 1854 to remove the Broad Street water pump handle to stem a cholera outbreak. The conventional view at that time was that cholera was spread in the air, but Snow was of the opinion that it was being spread through contaminated drinking water. At the time, scientists were unaware of the existence of pathogens. When the pump handle was removed, the num- ber of new cholera cases dropped dramatically. The lesson of removing the pump handle - tak- ing a population-based approach with prevention in mind - is important to remember now. Environmental-health advocates have long argued for the application of the precautionary principle in the face of threats to human health stemming from exposure to pollution and toxins. Regulations on air pollution, chemicals in in- dustrial and consumer products and workplace exposures to environmental toxins have often taken the precautionary principle into account. Governments at all levels, institutions and even businesses and individuals should be adopting the precautionary principle as we continue to move through the COVID-19 pan- demic and prepare for life afterwards. The SARS outbreak of 2003 provided a road map for dealing with future outbreaks. An independent commission conducted hearings to explore how things were handled, and a key recommendation to emerge was for the implementation of the precautionary prin- ciple: "That in any future infectious disease crisis, the precautionary principle guide the development, implementation and monitor- ing of procedures, guidelines, processes and systems for the early detection and treatment of possible cases. (and) worker safety proce- dures, guidelines, processes and systems." Going forward, government directives and responses should implement systemic protec- tions and policies in a timely fashion, especial- ly where they impact vulnerable populations. There are a number of examples of what could be implemented: Rapid, barrier-free provision of economic supports for people living in poverty and those whose employment conditions have shifted would mitigate effects. So would alterna- tive networks of transportation or goods and services provisions for those with limited mobility. Protections need to be applied for vulnerable sectors of the workforce, such as those in health care who lack proper personal protective equipment and others on the front lines providing necessities. Health care could be improved through widespread testing and contact tracing, and the collection of data through self-identifica- tion and consent by racialized peoples, includ- ing Indigenous people. Strategies should account for diversities of experiences and conditions of the population and developed through consultation with af- fected populations and groups. The actions taken to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 virus highlight the flaws of our health-care system and public-health approaches. As governments and public-health officials prepare for a return to normal, the precau- tionary principle should be front and centre. All policy decisions should be made with the public good as the foremost consideration, even in the face of continuing uncertainties. Health, as has been made clear as we have endured the lockdown of COVID-19, must take into account not only the role of this novel coronavirus but also its implications. The uneven effects of COVID-19 across communities must be considered as risk- mitigation strategies are constructed. These policies must address intersectional factors such as gender, racialization, mobility, hous- ing, transportation and other health issues. The way forward for overall health needs to apply the precautionary principle and focus on primary prevention of illness and disease. Jane E. McArthur is a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Windsor. This article has been edited for length; the full version can be seen at winnipegfreepress.com or theconversation.com/ca. PETER DENTON RON BROWN AND OWEN CHARTERS JANE E. MCARTHUR A_07_May-20-20_FP_01.indd A7 2020-05-19 5:51 PM ;