Over the course of a few days in mid-March, public health officials across the country, backed by their governments, effectively changed the way Canadians live their daily lives.
The magnitude of that accomplishment may be lost on some but, looking back at it now, Nova Scotia's NDP Leader Gary Burrill says that the shift from near-normalcy to anything-but, in the span of little more than a week, demanded outstanding leadership on the part of those public health officials.
He's right. Canadians may be motivated, in part, by a desire to avoid the devastation COVID19 is inflicting on other parts of the world. But, more than anything else, it's the clear, consistent instructions from senior public health officers in every Canadian jurisdiction that's got us staying home far more than we'd like, maintaining a standoffish two metres from others, and washing our hands raw.
During a conversation earlier this week, Burrill was supportive of the efforts of Nova Scotia's Liberal government, which is providing sound leadership through difficult times, he said.
The familiar and critical role of opposition political leaders tends to fall away in times of great emergencies, and that's even more true when the emergency demands a united effort and collective action, as does the battle against the spread of the coronavirus.
In Nova Scotia, daily briefings featuring Premier Stephen McNeil and the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Strang, are setting the right tone for the provincial response, Burrill said.
The government is being open and transparent with Nova Scotians, and that's helpful in giving people the assurances they need.
The Liberal government is also co-operating with the Conservative and NDP opposition by providing them with regular briefings, as well as an opportunity to bring issues, ideas and specific problems to the government's attention.
Burrill is struck — and encouraged — by what the current emergency says about the “great expansive capacity of government,” to respond to the extraordinary needs of the people.
The role and place of government in society has been diminished and denigrated in some quarters in recent years, but Burrill notes that people look to governments — “not to Bill Gates or Warren Buffett” — for leadership and support in times of trouble.
While he was careful to limit his criticism and keep it constructive, Burrill said one area where the province could have, and should have, taken more decisive action is on residential evictions.
While the province has prohibited landlords from evicting tenants who can't make rent because of the impacts of COVID-19, whether it's from a lost job, illness or caring for children, Burrill says a total ban on residential evictions is called for.
“Right now, the first thing we hear from public health officials is that we should all stay home,” he noted, so clearly putting people out of their homes for any circumstances is ill-conceived for the duration of the health emergency.
Finding affordable housing and avoiding eviction forced by inordinate rent increases were problems in Nova Scotia before the pandemic arrived. Many Nova Scotians live perilously close to the financial edge, and a bit of bad luck can push them over.
Burrill said that, regardless of whether people fell behind on their rent before or during the COVID-19 crisis, they should not face eviction while the crisis continues.
Paid sick leave is another area of inadequate public policy that's been exposed by the outbreak, he said. Every worker should have access to paid sick leave, so that no one feels the obligation, or necessity, of going to work when they are sick, and exposing their co-workers to illness.
Burrill said Nova Scotians are recognizing the remarkable contributions of workers who are keeping essential services operating and vital supplies, like food and medicine, available. They are making an extraordinary contribution and Nova Scotians are grateful, he said.
Those workers, along with everyone who works in the health sector, are heroes, he said.
