Photo Courtesy of CBC
Okay, I know Dr. Bonnie is a saint. But that doesn’t mean she’s perfect. Maybe almost perfect, but I’m watching with some interestwhat she does next. She has guided us through the worst of the epidemic when things were so bad that nobody dared to argue. It’s easy to be sympathetic and knowledgeable when everybody’s cooperating. But what happens when they don’t?
The first crack in B. C.’s unified front against the virus came in a predictable spot: the Okanagan on a summer long weekend. Historically speaking, this is par for the course. Remember the Peach Festival, cancelled years ago because of the drunken hoodlums who came specifically to get drunk and act like idiots? This time the egregious selfishness was less overt but had more serious consequences. Once again, the idiots gathered to share their idiocy and managed to spread a mass of the COVID-19 virus as well.
But that was easy to handle. The perpetrators were idiots, and the people of the province were behind the authorities in their condemnation.
School Opening
The next one isn’t so clear-cut. The demand to open workplaces was based on economic considerations, and it seems we were able to get a lot of businesses up and running – perhaps not at full steam, but running – without causing a major upturn in COVID cases. But now the workers are all back at work, somebody has to look after their children. The pressure on the government to put the kids back in school was immense, and they have caved.
A Matter of Money
And once again, when it comes to schooling it’s all about the money. As usual, the government makes grand promises of new programs, but refuses to fund them. The only way to get the same number of students in school while at the same time keeping them apart from each other has to be based on more teachers. It’s simple math. And the government refuses to come through with the money. As usual, they dump the responsibility on the school boards, on the theory that they know their own district the best, so they’re the best ones to make the tough decisions. And they’re also a different level of elected official to take the heat.
Where Now?
And this is where a top civil servant gets in trouble. Dr. Henry has been able to function because of her unique personality and skill set, but up till now, she has had the full support of the government. Let’s see how she handles it when politics starts affecting decisions in a negative way. Dr. Bonnie is an expert on epidemics, not an expert on schools, and it’s a whole new ball game.
This back-to-school plan is not going to fly, and we all know that a statistically viable number of people have to die to be before the government will admit it has failed.
Over to you, ma’am. The curve we’re watching now is your learning curve.
Latest news: Dr. Henry trying to defend lame political planning. B- for trying.