by Shirley Price
The closing words of the Queen’s speech last week brought back memories of the wonderful songs that meant so much to people during the dark days of World War II, when she closed her speech with, “We will meet our friends again. We will meet our families again. We will meet again.” ‘We’ll meet again” was the song of hope during World War II for all those who were hoping and praying for the safe return of those who were serving overseas.
I was also reminded that we are, indeed, at war once again. This time, we have a common enemy as we face a pandemic of the COVID19 virus. Once again, we begin this war short of the tools and equipment needed. Following World War I, which was touted as the “War to End All Wars”, people were tired of war. The Twenties era arrived, and priorities changed. Then in 1929, the Great Depression hit, the stock market fell, and priorities changed again. The Great War was forgotten. But the warnings were clear. The building up of Germany’s armed forces was well known. There were more than rumours of the cruel treatment of Jews. While all this was going on, Canada was allowing its armed forces to diminish in manpower, equipment, ships. Then Germany invaded Poland. War was declared, and Canada and other democracies were caught with their pants down. Industries had to quickly re-tool and get ready to build planes, ships, tanks, guns, and our Navy had to be re-built to be able to escort these essential tools across the Atlantic.
As we face this new kind of war, we are once again having to catch up. We are short of personal protective equipment. Our hospitals are ill-prepared for an influx of patients infected by the COVID virus 19. Our long-term care facilities are overcrowded, despite knowing for years that, with a rapidly increasing senior population, more and more modern LTC facilities are desperately needed. The lesson learned is harsh when the COVID19 virus spreads through these facilities like wildfire, especially when there are four residents to a room with no extra space to move those who are ill. There is no one government to blame for this lack of preparedness, as this slippage has been going on for years.
Premier Ford seems to have learned the lesson the hard way, as he declares that never again will Ontario rely on foreign suppliers for the equipment essential for protecting our health care workers. Other leaders are saying the same thing. Five years from now, when a vaccine providing protection against this virus has been developed and in common use, will these promises be kept, or will priorities again be the wants and desires and goodies demanded by voters when a new election is looming.
In the meantime, we will get through this by staying home, washing our hands, and trying our best to reach the top of the curve so that we can look forward to the day when “We will meet again.”
