Commentary

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Tough guys sometimes just run. Or hide. Or hoard.

I would love to be holding my newborn granddaughter. She lives in the Netherlands. I would be in my beer-league hockey playoffs this week. I’m the goalie, so admittedly our prospects would be limited.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, most Canadians were compelled to spend another weekend without many of the regular distractions that the season usually brings.

In an ideal world, every government would like its programs to play out with the confidence and elegance of time-tested classical music.

In politics, it’s called a pivot. And in politics, a weekend is an eternity. Thus the move Monday by the Justin Trudeau government to widen the breadth of its proposed wage subsidy. Plan A was faulty, Plan B is likely less so.

As municipal and provincial governments begin to ponder firmer measures to enforce social distancing guidelines and stop the spread of COVID-19 in Canada, residents of the country are starting to show signs of despondency.

At first blush, Justin Trudeau’s announcement Friday to subsidize employee wages got the principle dead right, but the application dead wrong.

I am learning more about myself in the COVID-19 era. I’d expect you’re doing the same, even if you or I don’t instantly notice. I am newly aware of how much time I was spending on things I cannot spend time on any longer.

With each day that passes with no word from Ottawa on a wide-ranging wage-subsidy program, our economy is slipping into perilous shock.

To our readers and advertisers: I hope you are safe and well during this unprecedented time as we deal with COVID-19. Our team is working from home to keep you abreast of news and to provide our sales and circulation services.