The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Weekend Special #6 -- Staying Calm And Carrying On!

Episode Date: April 24, 2020

Another mailbag of great thoughts, comments and questions from you!

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here with the latest episode of the Bridge Daily for the end of week six of the daily edition of the bridge through this whole COVID-19 crisis. And what that means, Angus, we're at the end of Week 6. This is the weekend special, number 6. And you know what the weekend specials mean. The weekend specials mean you, your thoughts, your questions, your comments. And as we found through every week, there have been lots of thoughts from you that have come in by email. I'll read many of them today, not all of them. Some are similar, some make the grade, others don't. And I will try, as I always do, to have one that I'll read in its entirety at the end.

As I was getting ready to come in to record the podcast for today, Cynthia, my wife, said, you can talk about Trump and that whole disinfectant thing. And I said, you know, I'm not going to spend any time on it. You know, to me, the whole thing was lunacy, and I agree with Sanjay Gupta, who I saw on CNN at some point. Every time we spend any time we spend, any time we spend talking about stuff like that, then we're not talking about stuff that's actually real. And we're giving a platform to nutso ideas like that one.

I will say one thing, not about that, but one thing that's happened in the last 24 hours that is reasonable, just should have been getting the kind of play that this crazy disinfectant thing did. And that was the news out of the UK from Oxford, you know, not some run-of-the-mill university, Oxford University, one of the universities that has research labs and scientists working as there are a number in Canada, including the one we highlighted last week at the University of Saskatchewan. The news out of Oxford last night was good news.

They are moving with their potential vaccine from animal trials to human trials. And in fact, they gave the vaccine to a couple of people yesterday as the human testing begins. They are very confident at Oxford University that they have a vaccine that will work to combat COVID-19. But it's going to go through the trials first. How confident are they?

They say 80% confident. You'd like to hear 100% confident. But 80% confident is a good start for the testing. They say they'll know by September. And that if it is a workable vaccine, they can have it in production. They could produce as many as a million doses in September. Now, a million sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But not when you're trying to deal with a world problem, a global problem. But anyway, the whole idea that this is going on, and that's why we spent so much time focusing on it last week,

real scientists, real researchers, not some cockamamie idea being floated, but the real deal is happening in a lot of different places. And if it's happening at Oxford University, you know, I'm going to listen. So that's encouraging. It's not the answer. It's not the solution.

And it may be just another hiccup along the way, but it's a positive stream of news. So good for Oxford. And more money went, I think we mentioned it last night, more money went to the University of Saskatchewan and its lab, which is a world leader. They're near the tail end of their animal trials. I think it's ferrets and hamsters they test their vaccine on. And they hope to be into human trials within the next few weeks.

So we'll see. All right. Enough with my rambles. Let's get to your comments and thoughts and questions. And we'll start off from Ennismore, Ontario. Donna Lockhart writes, The media keep reporting that people are shut in their homes or people are feeling trapped in their homes. I get the sense that people must not like where they live.

Are our residences not supposed to be safe havens and sanctuaries for our lives? Maybe it's just my age. Same age as you, Peter. Okay. But our house is a home because it reflects us and our family times here. We both love being here because it's safe. If the media keep using terms like shut in or trapped, then yes, people begin to feel that way. It's all in your perspective.

And Donna adds this. That feeling led me to join a Facebook group called View From My Window. People around the world are posting a great variety of views they see from their windows as they self-isolate. This gives us a glimpse into the lives of others in self-isolation. This is a common denominator here, but some are also recovering from cancer, some from accidents, some just lost a family member, but they all love where they are and are patient with the situation. They're also sharing and appreciative. People from around the world are connecting and being supportive.

So if any of your listeners feel shut in, tell them to go look out at the amazing view that is all theirs. Thanks, Donna. Andre Odette from Moncton, Brunswick. I'm wondering if you could talk a little about what it's like for journalists to cover tragedies such as the recent one that took place in Nova Scotia. We kind of touched on this last week, Andre.

Most journalists have had to deal with covering tragedies during their careers. And it is hard. You never forget these moments. I remember the very first tragedy that I covered. It was when I worked in Churchill, Manitoba. And I covered a fire that occurred in one of the communities around Churchill where a family, including an infant, lost their lives.

And I was there when the bodies came out. Now, as a journalist, you see a lot of things that you can't unsee. And you see a lot of things that you don't end up showing on the air if you're in the television business or a photographer for a newspaper. There are some things you just determine with your editors that it's too hard to look at, and so you don't show them. But you do see them, and I saw what I saw on that day, and I've never forgotten that. And whenever I hear

about a fire, I think back to that day. But your basic issue about how journalists deal with these things, I mean, in some cases, like the tragedy in Nova Scotia, like covering a famine or a flood or a tsunami or war. You see things you don't want to see, and they do impact you. And a good news organization will ensure that there are people who can help you deal with some of these things. So that's how I'd answer that, Andre. Jen McKinnon writes from Charlottetown. While I've lived in Charlottetown for the past 15 years,

I was born and raised in Nova Scotia. My 70-something parents still live in small town Nova Scotia, as do my extended family, many of my closest friends and loved ones. It will always be my home and my favorite place on earth. What has happened could have been any small town in Canada. It crossed all of our minds, and just like any of the innocent victims that were taken from us, going about their regular routine, you can't help but think this could be any one of us in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is not supposed to happen in safe, small-town Canada. We're a place where we keep doors unlocked. We know our neighbours. We trust. We're fiercely loyal. We're all connected. In this case, one victim was a high school friend of my cousin, another a neighbor to a close friend. There's no seven degrees of separation here. No more often than not, it's one degree of separation. I can't speak for any family members, but every candle, vigil, musical tribute, tweet, or picture of a Nova Scotia sunset unites us and brings assurance that we are in this together. And what we love and trust about our beloved country remains true.

It sure can help the grieving process in this already challenging time. And yes, it is a challenging time, what we are all going through. And we're all sharing some of the things you're sharing. On this day in particular, on this Friday, the day that we record the weekend special, the call was that you wear red in some fashion on this day in remembrance of those who were lost in Nova Scotia. And so I've been wearing a red hoodie on this day in remembrance of those who were lost in Nova Scotia. And so I've been wearing a red hoodie on this day. And tonight at 7.30, I'll be out there on the front porch again,

cheering for frontline workers as we do in our community and as I know many of you do at different times in your communities across the country. Thank you, Jennifer. This one from Sarah Tacone or Tacone, I'm not sure, from Oakville, Ontario. For economic and security reasons, past prevailing thought has been that Canada is blessed to be a neighbor and ally of the USA. I have never been a fan of American arrogance and their nauseating profession as the greatest

country in the world, but of late I find this statement infuriating. In my view, the USA is anything but the greatest country in the world, especially with Trump as president. Ask yourself, would the greatest country in the world need to depend on China for a litany of simple medical supplies to combat this pandemic? Does this government of the so-called greatest superpower of the Western world publicly support the leaders and decisions of dictators? We need to seriously reconsider the criteria and definition of a world superpower in this era. So I ask, should Canada continue to ally itself so strongly with the Americans, or is it time to reflect on what truly matters to Canadians and wisely cultivate

multifaceted relationships with countries that possess genuine integrity? This is a redefining moment for Canada. Let's not waste it. You know, Sarah, I read your comments a number of times. And while at first there's the tendency to go, okay, here's another anti-American rant. And some things in here I don't agree with, but I do find the concept interesting of should we be having a reassessment of what our relationship is. And from time to time, I'll say in Canada, we've done that. I remember in the early 80s, I think it was the early 80s, late 70s, early 80s, when Pierre Trudeau was suggesting a third option,

that we look at relaxing the relationship somewhat, mainly the economic one, with the U.S., and instead find other areas in the world, whether it's Europe or the Pacific, whatever, to have a closer relationship with. So the third option. Now, that really a closer relationship with. So the third option. Now, that really didn't go anywhere. It was discussed a bit.

Now, for a variety of reasons, different, you're suggesting something now. And so you know what I decided to do based on your letter? I decided that next week we'll have one of our podcasts on this issue. I've got the perfect guest for us on that. I won't tell you who and I won't tell you when, but it will be next week. I'll sort it out over the weekend and get things teed up for that. But I appreciate the letter, Sarah. I think it is a worthy conversation.

Not sure where I come down on it, but I think it's a worthy one, and I'm sure others are going to think about this too and perhaps send in their thoughts as well. Jason Dove, Pickering, Ontario. I just wanted to share with you what I've been up to with my time staying at home. While I'm focused on looking for remote work, I'm also engaging in online workshops and learning new skills. I'm hopeful when companies start hiring again that I will have a job.

I'm also volunteering my time with the Durham College 3D Printing Task Force. Our community group is 3D printing away parts to be used for personal protective equipment, PPEs. Good for you, Jason. That's great. Jason also includes for others who might be interested in this idea. Seeing the work they're doing, the hashtag 3DPTaskForce. Hashtag 3DP, that's D as in dog, P as in Peter, TaskForce, all one word.

And you should be able to find out more information there. Kevin from the GTA. I don't know Kevin's last name. I wonder among other things that he has to say, I wonder if you can make another comment on masks. Ever since CDC and Canada's top doctors changed the guidelines on mask wearing,

I noticed the percentage of people putting on some sort of face coverings has increased significantly, especially in elevators, grocery shops. Do you see that in your area? How about across the country? And curiously, would mask wearing or some form of face covering become a norm just like it is common in Far East Asia countries, especially when the flu season hits? This is the way I've decided to look at the masks. It does not surprise me that advice has changed over the last couple of months on masks or not masks. I've decided my position on masks is pretty simple.

If doctors wear masks, maybe I should wear a mask. So that's going to be my position. Kevin also has this to say. Every day before going to bed, I make a point of checking on this site, goodnewsnetwork.org. Goodnewsnetwork.org. Goodnewsnetwork.org. I checked it out. It's only good news.

So if you're one who, like me at times, just can't deal with more bad news, try it out. I mean, it's not perfect, but it's an interesting way of looking at the news developments around. I can tell you that when I was in the job at The National, as host of The National for 30 years, and when I travel the country the most common question I would be asked was some form of why do you only cover bad news of course that's not true we did cover news other than bad news but there's no doubt that bad news often was

a dominant part of the nightly newscast. Because news is about what's different, what's changed, what's good or bad about the day. Are we safe? Is our water safe? Is our air safe? Is our environment safe? Is our politics safe? Is our environment safe? Is our politics safe? Are our leaders safe?

All these things kind of fall into it. And sadly, often the answers to those questions aren't good. You know? Anyway, goodnewsnetwork.org. Bethany Collicutt from Charlottetown. Our lives have no doubt been changed by this pandemic, and undoubtedly many of us will take how we learned to live with COVID and apply it to our after-COVID lives.

What do you think the biggest takeaway will be? Will Canadians begin wearing masks in public like we see in other countries? Hey, another mask question. You heard my answer there. Will we be more conscious of our social distancing and when in public? Yes, I think we will be. Will we all become germaphobes? I think we'll be more aware of concern around the spread of germs. I'm so interested to see where this will take us down the road. I think all of us are looking forward to going down the road, getting past this intersection and finding out what it's like down the road. I like this, though. Bethany's from Charlottetown. I was born and raised in O'Leary, Prince Edward Island,

and was happy to hear that the post office desk, although likely put out of use well before my arrival, has found a good home, treated well. And that's a reference to me talking about being in Wheatley River 25 years ago PEI at the antique store there I'm not sure if it's still there but it was there back then and it was a fantastic antique store where I bought the old post office desk from O'Leary and have it in my in my home in the Gatineau Hills, north of Ottawa. David Oliver writes from Victoria,

I usually listen to you while walking the dog, but a couple of nights ago I was listening to you in bed, trying to catch up on a missed episode. I don't know how, but I must have inadvertently pressed the accelerator button because the phone started playing you at double speed. Overcoming my surprise, I started listening. Peter, have you heard yourself at double speed? You're hilarious. It was like watching a speeded-up film.

I would have laughed out loud, but my wife was sleeping beside me, so I had to laugh silently. Actually, we've had a couple of letters like that over the past couple of months. Some people deliberately listen to me on double speed because they think I'm too slow at normal speed. That's fine. Hey, I don't care how you listen to me, as long as you listen to me. But if you listen to me and all you do is laugh,

that might defeat the purpose. Ann Bellotta from Ottawa. I'm wondering why we are not doing what was being done during the mad cow breakout in 1986. Boy, that takes us back. I remember people traveling and had to walk through a tray of cleaning water before entering or leaving planes

or leaving England would this not help out at least in hospital and seniors homes it was you know that was a very different situation mad cow and the big concern, especially in England,

was people coming out of rural areas where there had been quite a few examples of mad cow disease, and there was concern about what was on there, being carried by their shoes. But that was a particular thing. You're quite right about that, having to walk through a cleaning tray of some kind. And it wasn't just at airports. Ask somebody about that.

I'll ask a public health official. But I think it's because it was a very different thing. Moira Theed. I'm not sure it says here where Moira is from. As I listened to your interview with Bruce Anderson, I thought of a book written by Gina Ross in 2003, Beyond the Trauma Vortex, the Media's Role in Healing Fear, Violence, and terror.

Those trained in media need to understand trauma and the consequences to the human autonomic nervous system. Neurophysical impacts as well as emotional. Neurophysiological impacts as well as emotional. Collective trauma needs to be recognized by those in the media. Epidemics, pandemics are at the top of the list of extraordinary events as sources of trauma. Overwhelming events that few of us could imagine and a collective experience where our mortality is very real. Also grief and loss at many other levels as well. I'm pleased that our media in Canada has been very discerning.

I'm proud of our Canadian politicians at the federal and provincial level. Well, that's, you know, first of all, you're right in the preamble to that, and it's encouraging to hear you say that you think that those in a position of having an impact on that issue have been very discerning in Canada, whether that's the media or the politicians. Thank you. Joel Gray writes from Nova Scotia. I'm writing from Halifax.

I'm originally from a place called Great Village, which is now unfortunately infamous. Just writing to express my appreciation for the podcast, especially during COVID, as well as the terrible incident here in Nova Scotia. I graduated last year from a television production program and have been working in TV since February, and a lot has changed in that time. I have to hand it to my colleagues for adapting so well. Between that and your podcast, it's keeping me going during these troubling times. Well, thank you, Joel.

That's kind of you. They are, you know, difficult times. And sometimes talking about the situation helps. And I'm glad you're in the television production business because obviously you have a sensitivity to the kind of issues that we have to deal with and the way we try to deal with them in the work that we have to do. I, too, agree with you to hand it to our colleagues, especially those who have been at the front lines of both these stories, whether it's the virus or whether it was what happened in Nova Scotia this week. And to those journalists in Nova Scotia who carried the ball for a lot of the national networks, they were amazing this week under very, very trying times. All right. Excuse me. We're around to that point where I'm going to read the last letter.

And I'm going to read it all, as is our custom to pick one letter to read it in its entirety. Because I think this one, in many ways, kind of sums up what's been another challenging week for us. Rhonda Clausen. Lacombe, Alberta is where Rhonda's writing from. Where almost all of the snow was melted, she says. Now, she starts her letter by, in fact, referring back to a podcast from last week. But it's really about everything that's been going on for all of us. Hi, Peter.

I was nine years old when the FLQ crisis unfolded. I lived in Point Claire, Quebec, and attended school in Dorval. While for many the military presence was minor, for me it was right on my bus. A daughter of some political figure was on my route. At her stop, two soldiers would board and inspect the bus. Then she got on. They attended with us all the way to school and were with us coming home.

This made the whole thing very real and scary. Now, every time I hear that famous phrase, just watch me, I'm reminded of those days, just watching what happened and experiencing the very real fear that people experienced who were near to the events. Today, thinking of what happened in Nova Scotia this week, I know from personal experience that sometimes the extra help of the military can help a lot. As my good friend who recently retired from the RCMP said today, I think of how chaotic it must have been for the members. No amount of training would have prepared them for those circumstances. We can all look back at events with 20-20 hindsight and say,

what could have been done or what should have been done. The fact is, we have to trust the RCMP and the military to have our best interests at heart and to be doing the best they can in unprecedented circumstances. Same goes for our health care leaders and government representatives. Loving your podcasts. Greetings from Lacombe, Alberta, where, as Rhonda said,

almost all of the snow is melted. I think we can all share in those thoughts, Rhonda. So that's the weekend special for this week. Your thoughts, your comments, your questions. I really enjoyed doing the Friday broadcast, which is available, obviously, all weekend. And I'll use this moment to do two things. One, to remind you where to write if you want to join in this,

which is themansbridgepodcast at gmail.com, themansbridgepodcast at gmail.com, and to give you fair warning of a couple of programs next week. As I mentioned earlier, I want to do that sort of, where are we in our relationship with the U.S.? Should we be re-examining it as a result of, well, as a result

of a lot of different things. So I'll have a special guest on that, but if you want to write in with your thoughts on it, don't be shy. I may raise some of them with the guests. Here's the other broadcast I'm going to do next week. And I don't want to alienate any listeners.

But you know, I'm a sports guy. And for those of you who know me, you know that. I love basketball, love the Raptors. I really love hockey. I love the Jets in Winnipeg. I love the Leafs in Toronto. And I'm finding it really hard not having any of this stuff to watch right now.

I watched the NFL draft, was it last night? With my son, Will. For a while. Now, I've never watched the NFL draft before, but hey, this was live action sports in a way. And so I watched it. I didn't watch it for a long time, but I watched it for a while. What I really want to watch is a hockey game or a basketball game live now, not some 10-year-old game.

So you've heard the rumors. I've heard the rumors that some things are going to start up over the next couple of months and they may be done in a way we've never seen before. You know, games with no fans, certain degree of, you know, physical distancing going on. I mean, I'm not sure how they're going to do it. But I'm happy to talk about it. So I want to do a program next week. I'm not sure which day yet. I want to do a program on hockey and what hockey could look like

and when it could start and how this all could happen. I've already lined up a couple of great guests to do that. Now, I know not all of you like hockey. Not all of you like sports. But I hope you'll listen anyway

because I think it'll be fun to do something completely different for one day. So I'll give it a try. And once again, if you have thoughts on that and you want to inject your comments, thoughts or questions into this

area, then send them along to the Mansbridge Podcast at gmail.com. The Mansbridge Podcast at gmail.com. All right. Weekend coming up. Stay well. Stay safe. Reach out. stay well, stay safe, reach out,

talk virtually to friends or family, different parts of the country or different parts of your community, check on your neighbors, get out on your porch or balcony at whatever time happens in your community to thank those frontline workers. Spend a little time getting some fresh air. Do some walking, get your steps up. We'll be back on Monday.

I'm Peter Mansbridge. This has been the Bridge Daily and the Weekend Special. Thank you.