The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - The Weekend Special #16 -- Thoughts For July 4th

Episode Date: July 3, 2020

Let's keep our relationship with the U.S. in perspective.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here with the latest episode of the Bridge Daily for the end of week 16. Since we began the daily edition of The Bridge to cover the COVID-19 story. Mainly, but we've also dealt, as you well know, with the issue of systemic racism, and we have been following that story as well. A couple of things to point out today before we get to the weekly Friday afternoon for the weekend. Weekend edition.

Super special. Call it whatever you want, but it's your thoughts, your questions, your letters. There are only a few of them this week, but nevertheless, ones that are found interesting. Now, let me start with a couple of things. First of all, today was a big day for me and for my buddy, Mark Bulguch, who together we have written the book Extraordinary Canadians,

which comes out in November. So this is a bit of an advance. But today, the publisher, Simon & Schuster, and one of the major booksellers, Indigo, was quite excited about publishing the cover picture for Extraordinary Canadians, which is a book about exactly what it sounds like. It's a book about a number of extraordinary Canadians

that Mark and I wanted to highlight their stories. Now, these, for the most part, are people you've never heard of before, but you probably should have heard of before because they are extraordinary. And we tell their stories, which are inspiring. They've, in many cases, have overcome challenges. And they talk about that. And as a result, those stories are extraordinary and inspiring and any number of other words you want to use to associate with their story. Anyway, today was show us the cover day. And if you want to see it, you can either look on my Twitter feed or you can

go to my website, thepetermansbridge.com, which is mainly set up for these podcasts. You can always find any of the Bridge Dailies or any of the Bridge back into last fall through the website. They're all there. But there's also a special section, so click on the link to Extraordinary Canadians, and you'll see the cover. And you also, if you're so inclined, can pre-order the book because they're already taking pre-orders on the book. And we're excited that the early reaction has been very positive. So there you go. That's my big plug for the book that Mark Bulgich and I have written together. And Mark, I worked with for decades at the CBC. He was my lineup editor and producer

and showed me the way around for many years, both at the National and at CBC News Specials. So Mark and I have collaborated on this book, and it's been a lot of fun. We've spent a lot of the last year working on it. That's one. Two, I've been, I think, justifiably hard on the way the American administration has handled a number of things in the past four months. But I did want to

say this. As I say this on July 3rd, the day before American Independence Day, July 4th weekend, that we still love our American neighbors, and we have good reason to, because they have been great friends of ours for a long time, at least since the 1812 to 1814 little incident. But they are our closest friends. We share a continent together. We've shared good times and we've shared difficult times, and we're going through a difficult one now.

And while we can criticize them and they can criticize us, and both sides do, we also, at the core, only want the best for our neighbors. And we know that they want the best for us. You know, there have been lots of times when we've been there to help each other. They were the first ones in to help Canada after the terrible explosion in Halifax Harbour

during the First World War that took thousands of lives. They were there, and we still remember that every year when a huge, giant Christmas tree is sent to Boston. That's where most of the rescue workers came from, from Nova Scotia to the people of Boston and Massachusetts. We still do that every year. And we were there right after 9-11, firefighters and rescue workers and people wanting to help first responders of all kinds

headed to New York City after 9-11 to be there to help, just as they had been there to help us. And you can come up with dozens and dozens of other examples. They still happen year-round. Forest fires, floods, you name it, on both sides of the border. Each goes to help the other. So as they celebrate their Independence Day, as we celebrated Canada Day a couple of days ago,

we remember the relationship, how important it is, and we send our best wishes south of the border. All right, a few letters, just a few this time around, but let's get to them anyway. First one comes from Derek Lawrence. I'm writing in response to your latest The Bridge podcast episode of, well, yesterday, Thursday, July 2nd. I was just listening to you while having my lunch break at home while working from home in Woodstock, New Brunswick.

I enjoy listening to The Bridge since I discovered it during the election last fall. Man, does that seem like a long time away now. And I've been listening through the COVID crisis. In your podcast of yesterday, one of your points highlighted airline travel, particularly COVID testing in Frankfurt, and your and our reluctance to travel by air during the current situation. Now, Derek, I enjoyed your letter, and I appreciate it. You sent along a link to a YouTube site that features an interview with a young woman who has just been on a back and forth trip on Air Canada to Vancouver and getting her thoughts on that trip, what she liked, what she didn't like, what she was concerned about. And I would have found a way to run parts of it with the exception of that particular person. And to your credit, Eric, you point out in a full disclosure that she actually

works for a company that's trying to sell equipment that would go into, among other places, airlines to do fast testing on temperatures. So I'm going to stay away from it. However, I think what you've done has inspired me to request of my listeners on the podcast, anybody with personal experiences on flights in the last couple of months, I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to hear what it was like right from the moment you arrive at the airport until you arrive at your destination. What was the experience like? What did you feel comfortable with?

What were you uncomfortable with? So, Derek, I thank you for the idea, and let's hope we get some responses. Let's hope some of our listeners on the Bridge Daily have actually flown in the last 16 weeks or are planning to in the next couple of weeks as a result of the summer holidays, the sense that some things are relaxing somewhat on this side of the border, and planes are flying again. And according to the airlines,

they're starting to fill up a little bit too. Okay, the next letter comes, and it comes in the form actually of a press release from Rachel Horn in Prince Edward Island. She's with Child and Youth Support and Engagement at the PEI Children and Youth Table. I think this is a fabulous idea that's been born out of the whole COVID-19 experience.

I'm not going to read the whole press release. It's long. Here's the secret about press releases. Keep them short and to the point. But nevertheless, here's a couple of the key paragraphs. Something astonishing has started in PEI during the COVID-19 isolation period. The PEI Children and Youth Table has been founded as a lead-in to the launch of the

Child and Youth Advocate Act, now slated for July 15th of this year, so just another couple of weeks. The eight founding youth members are committed to making a difference in the lives of PEI children and youth during these irregular times and in the months and years to come. Trust me, there's going to be a lot on that youth table in terms of things to discuss and the ideas of young people on how to deal with the situation. I think this is a great idea and this is, you know, Rachel included a picture of the eight members sitting at a table and I believe they got one of the, they got the Premier in here, Dennis King, and Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Lois Thompson. But the main stars in this picture are the kids.

I may or may not get the names right here, but we've got June Horn, Lucy Knockwood, Jade Ward, George Martin, Shaley Bjornsson, Paige Kowalewski, Shauna Bjornsson. So this is great. We've got the whole team at the table, the youth table, meeting with the premier. So the other line in the press release, the youth view this first meeting to brief the premier as the start of an ongoing relationship which authenticates their ability to act in the

community. Meeting the Premier shows that our voices are finally being heard after so long reflected Lucy Knockwood, one of the youth members. Well good for you guys and good for the Premier in taking this seriously and let's hope he continues to take it seriously. We all know that one of the great challenges of this pandemic is the situation surrounding kids, whether it's school, whether it's how they deal with their time when they're not allowed to go to school,

how they're trying to come to grips with online courses. This is a major issue, and it can't all be determined by older people. We need the input of young people, and good for PEI in forming the children and youth table as they have done. So thank you, Rachel, for sending that along. Moving on. Andrew Selwyn writes, and he got inspired by listening to our podcast the other day

on where are you going to travel to this summer? If you're convinced you can do it safely, where are you going to go, and why should you be considering it? Because there's so much at stake in terms of tourism jobs in this country. Anyway, Andrew writes, as someone who had European plans in April canceled, I have now booked a Canadian trip for later this summer, going to Vancouver for the first time from Toronto.

Excited to have a trip within Canada and see British Columbia. Man, wait till you see it. You're going to wonder, as everyone who goes to BC wonders, at least for a moment on that trip, why am I not living here? It is so beautiful. Especially if you like rain. Just kidding. But it does rain a lot.

I'm still hopeful of some limited European travel later this year to be able to see one of my friends, but the American side is of a concern. Well, it certainly is. Europe has opened its tourism doors to Canada, not to the U.S., but there are still all kinds of restrictions, so you want to check that out before you go on it. It also means going on a long flight,

and you want to carefully inspect that situation as well. But in terms of travel within Canada, man, that's the way to go this year. You want to do it for lots of reasons. One, it's the way to go this year. You want to do it for lots of reasons. One, it's exciting. There is nothing boring about this country when you get out and see it. One. And two, you know, one out of every ten jobs in Canada is in some way related to tourism.

We don't lose those jobs. We're going to lose them if we don't use them. Here's another one. Vicki Cunningham from Vancouver. I'm writing to you from Vancouver. Wanted to tell you and perhaps your listeners about supporting local businesses. A bit of background to the story.

My daughter and her fiancé were supposed to get married on June 6th. And like many other couples, they have had to postpone their wedding to next year. They live in North Vancouver and are fortunate to have both, fortunate to both have good jobs, a roof over their heads, and they didn't lose their jobs due to COVID, blessed for sure. They have always supported local North Van businesses, and when everything was shut down, they stepped up and started ordering online from local businesses, and they decided that twice a week they would do takeout from local restaurants. When restaurants in B.C. were allowed to reopen with limited capacity,

they decided they would book a table for dinner at Joey's Shipyard on June 6th, what would have been their wedding day, and have a quiet celebration for two to mark the date. The morning of the 6th, the restaurant called to confirm their reservation. Before hanging up, the hostess asked if they were celebrating anything. My daughter said, well, it was supposed to be our wedding day today. What happened next was simply amazing. They arrived at the restaurant, escorted to their seats, and at the table waiting for them was a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne. The staff treated them like a king and queen that night and made what was a bittersweet celebration into something truly special. Of course, I was

completely blown away by this gesture from Joey's, and I called the manager the next day, expressed how thankful I was and how special the staff had made them feel. And of course, I told him he now had customers for life. I've never heard of a restaurant going to this length before, and I've told everyone I know in the hopes that they support the restaurant in the future and continue to support local businesses. As Dr. Henry says, that's Bonnie Henry, the BC health official, be kind, be safe, be calm. Well, that's from Vicki

Cunningham in Vancouver, and we all know now what we'll do when we feel comfortable about going indoors to a restaurant or to sit on the patio at, uh, at whatever, what's it called here? Joey's shipyard. If we're heading there, just phone ahead and say, Hey, this was the day I was going to get married, but I've had to delay it. Anyway, I'll be there for supper. See you then. Man, you never know what you'll get. Anyway, just kidding, Vicki. Vicki sends along a picture of her daughter and her fiancé, and I think it was taken at Joey's Shipyard. Or at least it's certainly on some waterfront area.

And they look very happy. They've got a bouquet of flowers with them. That wedding day will come, I've heard from a number of friends. You know, I've had wedding plans cancelled this summer because of all this. Waterloo Carolyn writes again. I think she wins the award for most letters at least half of which I've read on the podcast she promises this will be the last one

so I'm going to hold her that promise and read one part of her letter today one of the silver linings of the pandemic has been rediscovering the joys of outdoor exercise. For years, I've been a dedicated gym goer. I now go for early morning bike rides and walks, runs, and they're fantastic. I don't wear a mask when I'm exercising. Last week, the chain fell off my bike and I couldn't fix it at the side of the road. I was five clicks from home, so I started walking with my bike, reframing this situation as having an extra good workout.

Partway home, another cyclist came by and asked if everything was okay. I sort of waved him on, but he offered to look at my bike. He spent a few minutes and was able to fix it. A good Samaritan, if there ever was one. It wasn't until we were turning my bike back on the road that I realized neither of us were wearing masks, and we were only inches apart. I apologized, and we quickly reassured each other that we were feeling healthy. This was a great reminder to me how old habits die hard

and how easy it is to slip up in this new world. Well, it was a good lesson in that, Carolyn, on a number of fronts, obviously. The Good Samaritan Front, it's a nice story to hear. But the masks are critical. And I know there is this debate among those who get outside and exercise in the mornings or the evenings or whenever it may be about whether or not they should be wearing a mask while they're running, and most say, you know, you can't do it. It's just like it's too hard.

You can't breathe properly. But if that's the case, take a mask with you. Ensure it's in your pocket when you go because you never know when you may need it. And keep your distance. You know, keep your distance, even in those many seconds when you pass somebody. Val.

Val Cormier. She's written before, too. Just a quick note to say thanks for picking this topic. That's the summer travels topic. I've always enjoyed hearing about others' travels and look forward to inspiration for future trips. You already know I'll be visiting the West Kootenays soon. I think they're ready to welcome us city slickers,

especially if we mind our travel manners, to quote Dr. Henry. Dr. Henry's getting a lot of play on the podcast. People love her. I traditionally book myself a birthday trip in the autumn. Best time to travel, in my honest opinion. I was really hoping to visit the Cycladic Islands in Greece again this year. Well, sure. Why don't we go to the Greek Islands? It must be nice, Val. I have long talked about taking a long drive from Quebec City around the Gaspé, visit Dad's hometown. I think this is finally the year. You'll love it. You'll love it.

Also planning to be a tourist in my own town. Without the large crowds, Capilano Suspension Bridge will be a more pleasant experience. Best regards, et cetera, et cetera. Val. Here's the last letter. And this one comes from south of the border and as you know the tradition usually here is to read all of

the final letter because it's you know it's often whether touching or inspirational or sometimes emotional sometimes funny. There's always something in it.

So let me give this a try. This comes from Phil in Chicago, one of our listeners from outside the country. Long-time listener, first-time writer to the mailbag. I very much enjoyed listening to your coverage and take on the pandemic situation. I'm a Canadian who's been working and studying in the U.S. for the last 10 years. While my American husband and I have had long-term plans to move back to Canada where we first met, we feel the impulse to do so now more than ever.

The U.S. has provided me incredible opportunities, including recently getting my Ph.D. at Purdue University. That's no easy feat. Just a few hours from where my husband's family lives. Sadly, it feels like this country is reaching more breaking points, whether in terms of pandemic numbers, employment stats, crimes, etc., while also becoming more polarized than what I've ever seen. The mainstream media is total chaos, with one extreme floating conspiracy theories around the pandemic and the government's response, and the other whipping up viewers into constant fear about their individual safety. I cannot stand it, and in the meantime my family is eager for the two of us to come back to Canada.

How does all this really affect us in our day-to-day life? Well, I'm glad that I have friends and co-workers who are great people and reasonable in their response to this pandemic. However, the course that the U.S. as a society is on is scary, for lack of a better word. I feel that our daily lives are going to be reshaped and hurt in part by the response to this pandemic. Whether the leaderless leader or Joe Biden is in the White House, this country is going to be divided, angry, and ill-equipped to take on its usual tasks. I'm very disappointed I can't come home for a summer visit

due to the mandatory quarantine. Canada is in a very tough position in regards to the border, and I just pray the U.S. can figure out what it needs to do to bring down the number of hospitalizations and deaths. What concerns me a great deal is that we have seen clues from reports of how COVID-19 affects our bodies differently than other coronaviruses. I hope that this virus does not wreak insidious effects on the heart, brain, or other organs in ways that we still

don't yet fully understand. But I share your optimism about the incredible work the research community has done in a short amount of time. As a basic science researcher, I'm impressed with what university labs and biotech companies have been able to do. In particular, I was delighted to read about Eli Lilly, just down the road from Purdue, working with Vancouver-based Abcelera to screen and develop antibodies for treating COVID and now starting the world's first COVID-19 trial using a monoclonal antibody. This will certainly not be the last time we engage in a worldwide response to a new virus, and Abcelera's technology to screen for promising therapeutic antibodies looks to be a powerful and rapid tool to have in the pipeline for development of therapeutics. I have to say that while I felt guilty for not being in the lab myself and doing

my usual work routine the last few months, I have had some quality time to really reflect on my career. In fact, I think that science communication, medical writing may be the ideal type of job for me. And it's a job sector that is growing. While I love the pursuit of new knowledge through research, I love educating and writing even more. This area is where I feel like I could make more of an impact while also being professionally satisfying. Thank you for keeping up with the podcast episodes. You're a calming and much needed voice. It's great to hear that there are so many countries where it is being downloaded. Yeah, it's amazing, right? More than 130, I think, at last count.

That was Phil in Chicago. And Phil, thank you so much for that snapshot of what life has been like for you to go through in these past few months and where you take inspiration and where you have concern and how much you miss your home country. Well, obviously, we miss you too. But stay well and stay safe. And that's the message, too, to everybody else

as we head into another weekend after Week 16. And a reminder that if you want to write, if you have thoughts, the Mansbridge Podcast at gmail.com, the Mansbridge Podcast at gmail.com. and a reminder that if you want to write, if you have thoughts, TheMansBridgePodcast at gmail.com, TheMansBridgePodcast at gmail.com. And if you want more details on that book and pre-order it if you wish. I mean, you would hate to be getting close to the end of the year when gifts are things you want to give. And you find out, my gosh, they're all sold out. They're waiting for the next printing.

Is this a good enough pitch? Anyway, you'll see more details on it if you go to thepetermansbridge.com or you check out my Twitter feed or Indigo's Twitter feed as well because Indigo is talking about the book today on their Twitter feed as well. And I assume Simon & Schuster is doing the same, the publisher. Have a great weekend. It's been great to have you listening today to the Bridge Daily, the weekend super special, number 16. Have a great weekend. We'll talk to you again on Monday. Thank you.