The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - The Weekend Special #66

Episode Date: June 25, 2021

The pre-hiatus collection of your letters, thoughts, comments and questions.  Lots of topics, and a pathetic attempt at singing.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here with the latest episode of The Bridge. You are just moments away from the weekend special, number 66. A can of pet food, where every ingredient matters. Some companies like to brag about their first ingredient, but the A Can of Pet Food team is proud of their entire bag. That's because every recipe has been thoughtfully sourced and carefully crafted with the highest quality ingredients, starting with quality animal ingredients balanced with whole fruits and vegetables. Akana pet foods are rich in the protein and nutrients your dog or cat needs to feel and

look their best. Available in grain-free, healthy grains, and singles for sensitive dogs. Akana, go beyond the first ingredient. and hello there peter mansbridge here yes it's the weekend special number 66 think of that 66 weeks ago we started the weekend special. So it's always been one of my favorite days of the week. And the reason why is pretty simple, because in many ways, it's your day of the week. It's your opportunity to let me know and let your fellow listeners know kind of what's on your mind. What struck you in the week that's gone by? What issues are on your mind? What fears? What concerns week that's gone by? What issues are on your mind? What fears?

What concerns? What excites you? What's actually made you happy in this last year? And there have been some great letters. This weekend, you know, in a way, it's like that, you know, when you're on a divided highway and every once in a way, it's like that, you know, when you're on a divided highway and every once in a while, every like 50 or 60 miles, there'll be a sign saying, you know, rest area ahead.

And there'll be a little exit ramp and you can get off and you can just kind of like sit and relax for a while. The pressures of driving are kind of off. Well, this is an exit ramp this weekend. The first exit ramp we've seen on this journey that we've all taken together over the last 66 weeks through COVID. Now, the journey's not over. This is just an exit ramp for a pause area, and we will come back on.

But it is going to be a break and i'm i gotta tell you i'm looking forward to it now it's a it's a kind of break all right the daily show uh we're gonna pause for a while probably i i don't know four four or five weeks. I think by then it'll be kind of clear where we are in terms of an election campaign. And we won't miss a day of that whenever that starts. And wherever we are, it doesn't really matter. In today's technology, we can do these little shows from anywhere. So that's the plan. A bit of a pause. But in the meantime, Wednesdays will always be a Smoke, Mirrors, and the Truth

because Bruce and I, from wherever we are, will hook up, get together, do our little Smoke, Mirrors, and the Truth. And the first one will be, you know, next Wednesday. So that'll always happen. But I'm not getting very far off the exit ramp in the first week because we're looking at a special on Monday, not on the normal time on Sirius at noon because Sirius is moving into big soccer

football with Euro 2020 next week. But the special we'll nail down the exact time for you later but it looks like the special will be on Monday night. I wanted to do

a special on this whole situation involving the latest discoveries on the residential school question. So we are going to do that. We're going to have a special program. I believe it will air Monday evening. And I don't want to tell you who the guests are. There'll be two guests, major guests.

I don't want to tell you who they are yet because I haven't fully nailed down everything. I have no doubt it's going to happen. But look for it on Monday. And look, you know, I'll promote it both on my Twitter and Instagram account. Sirius obviously will promote it as well. It'll be available on SiriusXM, Canada Talks, Channel 167, but it'll also be available as a podcast, as a special edition of The Bridge. So you will find it and you will be notified of it.

So look forward to hearing that. It's a very important subject, and it's one I know a lot of you have your concerns about because you've written about it. All right, enough on that. Let's get to the issue at hand, which are your thoughts and comments and questions and ideas that you've put forward this week. You know, one of the things I guess a lot of us have always wondered is, does anybody, you know, actually listen to us in terms of having an impact on the things you suggest and the things you say? Well, this first letter this week is going to give you an indication

that, in fact, yes, you are listened to on the weekend special. It is, as I've said, one of our most popular broadcasts and it's certainly one of the most popular ones that i enjoy doing the audiences are are big you know it's usually usually the week's top rated uh podcast for us on the bridge is smoke mirrors and the truth, the Wednesday show, and it's followed closely and sometimes beaten by the Friday weekend special. The Monday show has always been very popular with our doctors, and people use it as a kind of a guidepost for them, especially as it's been the last six months on the vaccine question.

All right, let's get to letters. There are a lot of long ones this week. And as usual, I'm not going to read the whole letter. I will read portions of it. All the letters are good. I mean, they are really good. But some are quite lengthy. And therefore, I kind of reduce it down.

First one's from Marty Deacon in Waterloo, Ontario. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for the bridge, the podcast, the frequency of podcasts, and quality of podcasts over the past 16 months. I've enjoyed every one of them. I've not always agreed, but every podcast has provided an open and candid perspective. Many times, like so many others, your podcasts were part of my outside activity time.

Over the past 18 months elsewhere, there have been many sources of information shared in very short clips. I've greatly appreciated the in-depth coverage of issues and that you did not hesitate to bring in the experts. Your vaccine COVID update on Mondays informed many Canadians on the latest information. I'm also very happy for you and your family that you're taking a step back, a well-deserved break this summer. We're fortunate that you will continue Wednesday weekly podcasts for the next little while before you come back daily. On a selfish note, every speaker, every listener who wrote into the bridge Wednesday, weekly podcast for the next little while before you come back daily.

On a selfish note, every speaker, every listener who wrote into the bridge informed me in my daily work that I do. Each theme day is excellent, and listening to what other Canadians felt and thought was most helpful. Here's the kicker. This is the important part. You know, when I said, are you listened to by people of influence? Here's Marty's next sentence. I'm a senator serving Canada, Ontario, and the region of Waterloo. I smile when I reflect on one of your listeners' stories related to your bee podcast. She mentioned she wasn't sure what happened inside the Senate building, but the Senate building outside is a growing bee population.

She's correct. The bees are settled into 13 hives, one for each province and territory. However, inside the Senate, we've been working through the pandemic in a hybrid format, virtual and in person. We've met in committees, received and debated every bill from the House of Commons, and initiated several bills in the Senate. My committee work has been related to COVID spending oversight, the impact on all Canadians, and the impact globally. June, at the best of times, is unpredictable on the Hill. We're hopeful we will get through most bills by midnight next Tuesday. I share this only because your podcast and the opportunity to listen to Canadians from coast to coast to coast

during a pandemic has been an absolute gift. For that, I thank you, your guests, and all those who have voiced their opinions. They have influenced my work. Thank you. Merci. Miigwetch. Marty Deacon, Waterloo, Ontario.

Senator Marty Deacon from Waterloo, Ontario. Senator, thanks for writing that. And thanks for justifying for all those people who've written in over the last 66 weeks with their thoughts and ideas and their reactions to what's been going on because it's helped you form opinions about your work. And boy, what more could we ask for than that? So thank you and congratulations to you, the listeners, for the impact you've had.

Charles Fauré Dupont writes, Now, a lot of letters this week start with nice thank yous about the podcast. And, you know, normally I don't read those, but this is a special week. And I think it says more about you than it does about this program. So I'm going to include a few of these. Charles writes, I want to first and foremost thank you for taking the time to do this podcast. It really keeps the Canadian grounded while living abroad. I've been in Florida now for many years,

and I always knew it was like a different planet. COVID-19 definitely was no exception, considering my local bar only closed for one week, and it was more of a vacation. And you can walk anywhere and get whatever vaccine you want as many times as you want for free which i'll never quite understand but that's enough covid talk the reason i'm messaging you is to thank you from the bottom of my heart on continuing to shed light on the residential school story. So important. And you are an important voice link for us Indigenous people,

and your continued conversation on the topic is appreciated. Charles Fauré-Dupont. Well, Charles, you should listen on Monday and check later for the time that this special will be on because it is directly about this issue. And I think you're going to find it not just important, but interesting. Ian Ricketts-Moncourt in Ancaster, Ontario writes, as you head off for your summer hiatus,

I wanted to say how much I appreciated your podcast over the last few months. You and your guests have been informative and entertaining and been a real bright spot during this difficult time. I also wanted to comment on the anecdote you told about reaching out to shake someone's hand and whether people will revert back to doing that as the pandemic recedes.

I got to shake the hands of my regular golf buddies this week for the first time in over a year, and it felt great. We're all double vaxxed. Thank you, science. And it was a real pleasure. Looking forward to more returns to normality when we can. Enjoy your time off. Thanks, Ian.

Louise Wallace. She writes from Salmon Arm, British Columbia. I hope you don't mind me calling you Peter. You've been on so many walks with me in the Park Hill trails of Salmon Arm, I feel as if you're a trusted companion. I love that. I love these little lines that give a great visual image of how you listen to the bridge. And it gives me great pleasure to try to imagine that scene of walking through the trails of Salmon Arm.

I so appreciated you telling us about lunch with the radish farmer in Ottawa. I heard real joy and relief, despite the carbs, in both your voices. That was a great day, Tuesday of this week just gone by. Bruce Anderson and I, in the restaurant that we're, you know, kind of minority partners in, Giacantina on Bank Street in the Glebe in Ottawa, if you're there. It's a fantastic place. Okay, right now it's a takeout. The rules are about to change. There's a little patio area right on Bank Street,

and when I say little, I mean little. But, you know, with any luck, it may be opening up in the next couple of weeks. As some rules are relaxed. Anyway, it's a great place and obviously I'll promote it. But I think you'd enjoy it too, if you're in Ottawa. I just wanted to write to say thank you and to wish you a summer full of joy and optimism. We've seen many shortages during COVID, from toilet paper to PPE,

but also companionship and optimism. I worry most that we have shown a shortage of gratitude too. We have so much to be grateful for, and I include your podcast on my list. To you, your medical experts, and your many guests, and all your listeners, I'm sending you best wishes for a summer full of kindness. That's Louise Wallace-Richmond in Salmon Arm, B.C.

Ian Hebblethwaite in Moncton. First, let me start by saying how profoundly disappointed I am that I have just two daily episodes left before the summer hiatus. That said, kudos. You deserve to set your own schedule, and I applaud the move. Secondly, I want to say how stunned I was to hear Bruce talk about the laissez-faire attitude towards the second dose. I had mine on Tuesday, and I'm officially a crossbreed having

Pfizer Entree and a Moderna main course, but for me it's always been about the second dose. My understanding has been, since trial results started to make the news, that the first dose was good but far from the real thing, and that the second was really the key in all this. I do hope that people will follow through as I think we are potentially going to show the way to the effects of a thorough vaccination strategy with decent messaging. Enjoy your summer.

You'll be missed. Well, don't forget we'll always be there Wednesdays. So make sure you watch that. Remember David Oliver? He's written to us many times over the last 66 weeks, and he's not shy about going after me when he thinks I'm doing something wrong or using the wrong word or what have you. I haven't heard from him in the last month or so,

but I made up for it this week. He wrote a bunch of letters. I'm not going to read them all. One I'll use actually probably next week to ask Bruce about because he's suggesting we talk a little bit about fixed-date elections. Anyway, David writes this week. He's in his artistic mode this week. I think I've told you before, I can't sing.

And I would never try to sing. I can barely hum. But David writes, David's in Oak Bay, British Columbia. Listening to your conversations with vaccine experts over the last months reminded me what a revolution there's been in this aspect of medicine. That idea led me to Lennon and McCartney, with apologies to them. And he's written a whole song. I'll try and read you the first verse.

Based on the old Beatles tune, Revolution, it's called Vaccination. You say you want a vaccination. Well, you know. See what I told you? I can't sing. You'd better stand in line. You're concerned about the distribution well you know it'll work out fine

yes well it's a good thing that i have this job and i'm not I remember once being on stage with Tom Cochran. And Tom, you know, I introduced Tom. He was doing one of his great hits, which was Life is a Highway. And I loved that song. And Tom said, no, no, no, stay here, stay here, sing with us. And I said, no, you don't want me to sing with you. And so, but I did. And it was a blast.

I'm trying to remember where it was. I think it was in Hamilton, an outdoor concert. And I think I mostly mouthed it to try and limit the damage. Anyway, David, good for you. The whole song is brilliantly written. Vaccination to the tune of Revolution. Diana Leslie. Although they have been much quieter in recent weeks,

critics of the Trudeau government have complained about the pace of the vaccine rollout in Canada. Quiet, I guess so, seeing as we're kind of leading the world in some categories right now. We received our doses much later than Israel, the UK and the US. Luckily, Canadians are literally lining up to receive first and second doses in our vaccine uptake rivals, if not exceeds uptake in some other countries. You know, more than three out of four have got their first vaccine. More than one out of four are fully vaccinated now. And that number is climbing rapidly. Two weeks ago it was at 8%.

Today it's at, I think, 26%, 27%. It's moving fast. And, you know, the Minister of Procurement was on here last week on this podcast, and she made news by saying we'll be at 80% in both categories, over 80%, by the end of July. Well, we'll see if she's right about that. It seems no doubt in terms of first doses, we're going to be well over 80%.

Second doses, it's a bit of a stretch to get you there fully vaccinated, but let's see where it is. Anyway, Diane writes, I have a theory as to why this may be. Could our larger uptake be due, at least in part, to our having received our large shipments of vaccine much later? The later arrival of vaccines in Canada created space for critics of Justin Trudeau to flood the airways with demands for more vaccines sooner.

Could relative scarcity early on in the vaccine rollout have created more demand than there otherwise might have been? Perhaps Canadians who were on the fence about becoming vaccinated became swayed by hearing constant calls for more vaccines. After all, it's human nature to want what everyone else has. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Diane, it's an interesting theory. I still think the thing that's driving people to vaccinations now more than anything else is fear of the Delta variant. And when we look around the world, there's cause for that fear. And the simple fact, you know, when you look in the States, they're having a rough time right now. You know, their vaccine hesitancy has reared its ugly head again, and people aren't getting vaccinated at anywhere near the rate they have been getting vaccinated in Canada.

The Delta variant is hitting. And I'm sure you've seen what I've seen, that more and more analysis of those who are suffering the worst and in fact dying from COVID-19 in the States now are almost 100% those who are unvaccinated. Need I say more? Susan Janke from Waterloo. We've got a fair number of listeners in Waterloo. On behalf of all your listeners,

I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to the good doctors Saxinger, Bogoch, Chagla and Barrett and to you for the inspiring conversations you've had over these many months. I'm a retired nurse and stem cell transplant survivor. So sometimes my medical awareness has made me very wary of how we are making our way through the pandemic. The doctors have provided much-needed information, advice, and encouragement. In particular, your conversations with Dr. Bogoch and Dr. Saxinger this week have given me more hope. I appreciate the guarded optimism. I hope that other listeners have had the same response. I trust that these hard-working doctors will get opportunities for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation this summer. Yeah, don't bet on it.

That group, those four and the many others like them across the country are remarkable people. You know, most of them have families. They've been trying to, you know, look after and spend time with their families as well as doing their duties as doctors and nurses and other medical practitioners over this past year and plus. And I don't expect many of them to take much time off this summer. Their time may come for rest, but it's not there yet for them. Carolyn Black writes, also from Waterloo, just a quick note of thanks for all your programming since March 2020. I've listened to every episode, and like so many others, they've been so helpful and at times

entertaining. My husband is going to miss the daily updates I provide him with after I listen to your podcast and points of conversation that you provide. I hope you have a great break and hopefully you'll be able to get to Scotland. That would be nice. I don't know whether that's going to happen anytime soon because the rules and regulations keep changing. I mean, you can do it, but do you really want to go through some of the, especially quarantine protocols that are involved, both ends? T-Bone Bilgin. His real name is Tyrone, but he goes by T-Bone.

A couple of thoughts passing on, and he's in Toronto. A couple of thoughts passing on regarding the horrendous U.S. driving accident stats. Remember we talked about these a few days ago and said driving accidents are up in the States, not down, which was surprising because so many fewer cars were on the road in the last year. In a way, I think this ties in with those that deny that there is a pandemic

or like those giving bad reviews for a restaurant with a sign regarding for those who are vaxxed and those who are not. If this selfishness that underlines it all, the it's all about me crew that refused to see that, like Dr. Saxinger mentioned the other day, the true miracle of sharing, communicating, and teamwork that went into producing a vaccine is so awe-inspiring. The sense of community and watching out for others is lost to those with a selfish attitude. And hopefully we all collectively get through this summer and can move on with our lives and that the spirit, the idea of community grows beyond COVID-19. Also knowing that Bruce is a smart radish farmer,

he must use compost. I bet he does. He does. In fact, that's a very first program where we touched upon his little radish farm was about how he'd spent the day out there with compost, fertilizing his crop. Here's one from a familiar voice from North York, Ontario. Mark Bulgich, my co-author for Extraordinary Canadians,

number one bestseller, national, last year. I'm sure you have a copy. If you don't, you can still get one. You know, Indigo, Amazon, your independent bookstore. You name it, you can find it. It's a great book. Extraordinary Canadians. Did I mention that it was a number one national bestseller by the way on the book front

stay tuned over these next few days you're going to hear about another new book coming out this october by a certain person who you may know, which I think you will find partially inspired by this podcast. But stay tuned. Watch your social media. Watch your Twitter and Instagram feeds,

as well as any number of other things. Enough about that. Mark Bulgich, North York, Ontario. My co-author on Extraordinary Canadians, number one national bestseller. I mentioned Mark the other day because I talked about traveling inside Canada and about how he and his family had always done that when his kids were young. Every year they went to a different province. So Mark writes, I heard you mention my family travels on the podcast. Rhonda and I, Rhonda's his wife, Rhonda and I did indeed make it a point

to show our daughters their country. Like you, I've been in many places because of our CBC work, but those are often hectic trips. You get a little feel for each place, but our summer vacations were three full weeks each time, and that was a much better way to meet our fellow Canadians. We've been to Europe as a family a few times as well, and as enjoyable as they were, those trips were foreign trips. What we always felt, from Cape Spear in Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, to Whitehorse, Yukon, in cities, towns, and national parks, staying in hotels, motels, and even on family farms, what we felt is that we were still at home. I think we would see fewer national divisions

if more Canadians could meet more of the wonderful people we share this country with. That's nice, Mark. You know, a nice little note, especially as we approach Canada Day. Now we're going to have a few questions and maybe a few answers about that as well when we come back. And welcome back to The Bridge for this Friday. It's the weekend special number 66, the last one before we take a little bit of a hiatus for a few weeks this summer.

Your letters, your comments, your thoughts, your ideas. And it's great to have you with us, whether you're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, or if you are listening on your favorite podcast platform. On with the letters. Marcy Campbell McNabb in Enterprise, New Brunswick. Your discussion on increasing layers of management on the June 17th podcast is not only true in the journalism field, but it has become a reality in the healthcare system. It goes so far as to impact the patient care when there are so many levels of management. How, do you ask?

Budgets remain the same, but with putting more levels of management, the actual hands-on health care workers receive less of a budget, less new positions, and an unacceptable workload that ends in burnout, all the while the levels of managers expect more productivity, examinations, tests, direct patient care, and yet question or shut down workers that try initiatives to improve the conditions. And this was before COVID-19. I worked as allied health care professional for 29 years and saw the change occur over time.

The last three years saw me on disability from mental stress and burnout for two years. I went back for a year of working five hours a day and had to take early retirement. I only hope that managers have learned to trust their employees and make the workplace one of mentorship, trust, learning, and support. Get these layers out of the system and put more emphasis on direct patient care. Also, while listening to the June 23rd podcast, I realized that you and I have something in common. I've visited every province and territory, including Nunavut. I lived in Yellowknife for 29 years.

I've also been to both Newfoundland and Labrador. I use this factoid when attending seminars, meetings, when they use an icebreaker. I have been to only four other countries, including our neighbor, the USA, and I've never had much desire to travel internationally. Our country land is amazing, beautiful, and every part has its own unique beauty. But the one thing in common from coast to coast to coast is how welcoming and friendly the people are. I feel this only adds to Canada's beauty. I've met folks with amazing backgrounds,

with some unique stories. Despite our vastness, many of us have connections in places we never dreamed of. Three years ago, my husband and I were driving back to Yellowknife on the McKenzie Highway. The final stop for gas and the necessities is the big stop in Fort Providence. We started chatting with the manager, and it came up that I was originally from the Tobik River area of New Brunswick. Come to find out that I went to summer camp

for three years with his aunt. Out in the middle of the wilderness, I found a connection. If folks weren't so friendly, this unique connection would never have been made. I love your podcast, and I find it comforting in these unpredictable times listening to the voice I grew up with.

Thank you, Marcy Campbell McNabb, Enterprise, New Brunswick. Nice letter. Yeah, it's a nice country. It's a great country. But is it the country we want it to be? Or we think it is all the time? I guess that's one of the questions this year.

As Pat Wharton writes from Vernon, B.C., I'm writing today to get your opinion on the July 1st celebrations. I'm not sure how I feel about not celebrating Canada Day, but I do feel that it can't be as it has been in the past. A little background. I was born in Alberta, attended Catholic school there until I moved to B.C. I remember having chalk thrown at me, my knuckles wrapped with a yardstick, and was once put in a broom closet because I was giggling,

so I have had a little bit of the Catholic school experience. We settled in Kamloops when I was 11, and I lived there until recently. While in school, in Kamloops, I attended basketball tournaments at the residential school, and it was not a happy or hopeful place. In public school, I had Chinese, Japanese, American, and Indigenous friends. The residential school was never talked about, and I never gave it a second thought, but was glad it was not my school. So after all that, I'm so conflicted as to what and how we as Canadians move forward in a positive and meaningful way to reconciliation.

I'm sure you have thoughts about this since the discovery of the unmarked graves. So what are your thoughts? How will you be celebrating Canada Day? I'm a proud Canadian. I love this beautiful country, but I know our past and even present is not always fair and equal. So any of your insights would make me much appreciated.

Pat Wharton in Vernon, BC. Pat, I'm like you. I got to tell you, I'm conflicted on this. You know, I don't deny that July 1st is Canada Day. It is Canada Day, and it is a day to celebrate the good in our country. The problem this year is the weeks preceding Canada Day, including just yesterday, have brought us confirmation of what some of us thought and knew, many of us did not know or think,

of a time that is not one to be proud of, one to be more than just ashamed of. It's a terrible mark on our past and in some ways continuing today in our present. So what do we do about it on Canada Day? And do we use Canada Day to acknowledge the fact that we have issues in this country? As part of what Extraordinary Canadians was about, Mark's book with me last year, there are incredible stories of success and innovation and courage. But in some of those stories,

it underlines how the fact remains that some of what we're trying to claim to be in this country doesn't exist yet. We need to acknowledge that and work at it. So the Canada Day one is going to be a very personal experience for a lot of people about how they deal with that day and what they're thinking of on that day. We all love being Canadian.

That's at our core. But does it mean we're satisfied with what being a Canadian today means? I'm not sure. I know there are... We all base these things on our own personal experiences. And I've had experiences across this country over my 72 years. In small communities, in remote communities, in communities with a major impact from Indigenous peoples. So I've seen things I wish I hadn't seen.

I've been impacted by some of the things I've experienced. I've wished I'd handle situations better. So all of those things will cross my mind on Canada Day. But like you, Pat Wharton in Vernon, BC, I'm conflicted about how exactly to act on Canada Day. So I'm not asking for your letters or your thoughts. I'm asking you to think about it. I'm asking you to come up with your own plan about how you want to feel about that day and about us as a country. Moving on to our last letter of the day.

And for, you know, this, I think this will strike close to the bone, as they say, for a lot of people. You know, my son, Will, graduated this week from University of Toronto. Four years, worked hard to get his honours Bachelor of Arts degree. Not Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts degree. Political science, majored in history and politics. Very proud of that fact. All his life growing up in this little town of Stratford, Ontario,

he'd wanted to go to the University of Toronto. Got there, worked his tail off to graduate. With the hope of that day. In convocation hall. In his robes. With his family in front of him. That's a huge achievement. Right? I never graduated university.

I never graduated high school. Same with his mom. She graduated high school. But her degrees are like mine. They're honorary. Awarded for life and work outside of school.

But not willing. He did the real deal. But was there that ceremony? No. Like for thousands and thousands of other graduates across the country, the ceremony was virtual. And I've got to tell you, it was a letdown. Didn't take anything away from the pride.

I mean, I was in tears as his name scrolled across the laptop screen after a couple of pro forma speeches on tape had been done who knows how many weeks ago by the university officials. But nothing will ever take away from the fact he's a U of T graduate. He's a scholar and we're sure very proud of him. Anyway, which leads me to this letter from Charlene Gulak from Gilbert Plains,

Manitoba. And now it's a very long letter, and I'm sorry, Charlene, I'm not going to read it all. But I am going to read a few chunks of it, because it's very good, and it's so timely. Dear Mr. Mansbridge, I have been enjoying your podcast regularly since last fall. I'm often walking Jake, our faithful dog, down the gravel roads of Gilbert Plains

or the local grass airstrip reserved for spray planes amidst the big prairie sky as I listen to your thoughtful and wise analysis of the pandemic and global politics and events. I love that paragraph because it's once again the image, the image of how you listen to the bridge. And I can picture it. You paint the picture. The gravel roads of Gilbert Plains, the local grass airstrip reserved for spray planes amidst the big prairie sky.

I love it. Late May, you referred to Manitoba's COVID situation as ugly. This was an accurate description of the frightening hold the pandemic's third wave had on the province, precipitating a flow of COVID patients out of province to deal with the overwhelmed health system. Sadly, I think this description also characterizes the narrative of our current provincial leadership.

Governance through arrogance seems to be the preferred leadership approach in Manitoba. Most Manitobans have followed public health restrictions, sacrificed many losses in family gatherings, and witnessed a struggling small business sector endure financial hardship as they follow the pandemic restrictions to restore lower case counts. Our families and Manitobans deserve a collective break once we get to the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.

Boy, I know that, Charlene. You know, I have my daughters and my grandkids live in Manitoba. I haven't been able to see them for a year and a half. And we're hoping, fingers crossed, that this summer we are going to be able to somehow get together. Charlene says, I'm a school trustee for a division which comprises of several rural schools, some with less than 100 kids. When forced amalgamation of centralized or centralization occurs in Manitoba, it translates into devastating rural losses in services and jobs and indifference to Indigenous communities. If our current provincial government has its way, I will be a rookie trustee terminated all in the same term.

My most important role is a mom of four vibrant daughters, ages 19, 17, 16, and 12. The 12-year-old is Katie, who in fact today, today turns 13. So all four of them are teenagers now. Last week, my eldest graduated virtually from the University of Manitoba's Agriculture Diploma Program with a specialty in crop management. A cap and gown photo requires another trip to the University in Winnipeg, which will hopefully happen this summer once

restrictions ease. Because of remote learning, much of the late fall and second term in January and a miscommunication with student services due to her not being on campus. She was required to take nine courses in her final term to graduate on schedule. She graduated with a GPA of 3.6. That's incredible. This is the epitome of rural resiliency. Epitome is bolded, and some of you will know why that is. She is successfully employed this summer with Richardson Pioneer, a leader within the agricultural sector and is committed to remaining in the region. Sector-specific

post-secondary education, employment and retention in rural Manitoba is the gold standard, not standardized test scores. My second daughter, also graduated last week from high school in Gilbert Plains, a class of nine. Due to the smaller class sizes of the school, the cohort was able to continue in person learning this spring, while many larger schools were mandated to transition to remote learning. Charlene ends her letter this way. When we see relief from the pandemic and travel resumes, please consider a golf game at the Gilbert

Plains Golf Course. It's one of the most beautiful courses in Canada. Thanks, Charlene. Charlene included the website for the Gilbert Plains golf course, and I clicked on it, looked at it. It looks like a great course. There seemed to be a lot of hazards there. So if I actually ever get to play Gilbert Plains,

I'm sure I will be leaving a few things around the course in those hazards. Nice letter. Nice letter. Nice thoughts from all of you this week. I really sincerely appreciate, and so do the doctors, so does Bruce, and so do all our other guests, the fact that the bridge has been something to you over these last 16 months. Now, as I said, we're just taking the exit ramp for a pause. We're going to be back. There are lots more stories

to tell. We haven't finished this journey together yet, and we don't know exactly when it's going to end or how it's going to end. So we'll be there for it. In the meantime, we are going to take that break.

But back right away on monday with a special on the residential schools question a really important one and it's the dedication of this podcast and serious xm to covering the stories that matter in special ways and that's what we will do on monday times to be announced shortly all right other than that we'll see you next wednesday for smoke mirrors and the truth that will be on every wednesday through the summer for the regular edition of the bridge we're taking a pause we're taking the exit ramp but we will be back i'm peter mansbridge this has been the bridge thanks so much for listening we will talk to you again soon Thank you.