I was grumpy this past week and a little depressed. It took me a few days to figure out why. Things were good with my family and friends. My wife and I are relatively healthy, although I have learned that getting older is not for sissies. I generally enjoy what I am doing and very seldom feel sorry for myself. I lead an active and enjoyable life. We treasure our children and grandchildren. So, why, I asked myself, was I feeling down?
Part of it, I think, was due to the double murder and apparent suicide just down the street from us in Huntsville a little more than a week ago. A friendly neighbourhood dog was killed as well.
Police were pounding on our door late at night, telling us there was an “incident” in the area and we were to turn off our lights, lock our doors and go to the basement. We learned only later that the reason we were told to go to the basement was because associated with the “incident” was the threat of a gas explosion.
This, of course, was a terrible tragedy. Whether it sprang from unchecked mental illness or pure anger is now moot because nothing will bring these poor individuals back to life. I admit that I was stunned to know that something like this could happen so close to home, but of course, it could.
That tragedy was the catalyst that caused me to recognize how much life has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic now several years ago.
Generally speaking, we are not the happy people we once were four or five years ago. We are, in my view, more inclined to find fault in others, particularly those who are in a position of power where it is easier to dump our frustrations and anger. We tend, I think, to be more critical of others and yet, ironically, at the same time, more tolerant of those who spread disinformation and promote violence.
Just a day or two ago, former President Donald Trump called Liz Cheney, a prominent Conservative politician who happens to strongly oppose him, a “war-hawk” who should have nine barrels directed at her face, a thinly disguised reference to a firing squad. He also said he would “finish off” Americans who don’t support him. “We are in great shape to finish off these people,” he said.
Five years ago, in my view, those statements would have caused an outrage if not prosecution. Today, on the cusp of an election, barely a whimper.
The week ahead will undoubtedly be an interesting one. The outcome, whichever it is, will have serious consequences for Canada, the United States, and the rest of the world.
Donald Trump has made no secret about what he will do if elected again as President. He will get even with his perceived enemies, he will reward his friends, he will cater to the rich, he will protect women “whether they like it or not.”
At times Trump is incoherent and shows signs of confusion. His biggest problem, however, is that he absolutely believes in himself. It is a core belief that transcends everything else. It was there twenty years ago when I knew him, and it is there now. He is better than anyone else, smarter than anyone else, and more competent than anyone else. That is why he admires despotic leaders like Putin and Jinping. That is also why he believes he can do anything he wants to.
The astonishing thing to me is that there may be enough people in the United States who buy all of this and, in spite of it, could have the numbers to once again catapult him into the catbird seat. For this to happen or even to potentially happen, there must be a level of anger, hate, and frustration in America that trumps (pun intended) any kind of rational thinking or commitment to democracy. That is frightening.
There is currently a huge amount of anger in Canada as well. The result is a significant decrease in public discourse and a lack of respect for the opinions of others.
Canada’s Parliament is dysfunctional because members won’t talk to each other. We have demonstrations and vandalism all across the country that, for the most part, go unpunished. Racism and antisemitism are at a record high.
Recently, I saw something online that disturbed me, in part because I have also heard similar comments from others.
“What a shitshow this country is becoming. It’s sad. Growing up I used to really enjoy Toronto. Now, I couldn’t care less if I never see that city again.”: Ryan Gerritson.
So much for Toronto the Good, and again, I say, I doubt if you would see such negative language as this prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, our anger and frustration, combined with the plethora of disinformation, are causing us to second-guess some of our basic democratic principles. Examples of those are free speech and censorship. What do they mean anymore?
Today, there was an interesting article online by Elizabeth Thompson of CBC News. It read in part, “Internal documents say the Mounties will use fake online profiles to pursue extremist activities. The RCMP is planning to conduct undercover surveillance online using fake persons to investigate ideological extremists in Canada, states an internal strategy document. Experts in ideologically motivated violent extremism in Canada say the strategy is overdue at a time when online extremism threatens to spillover”.
Really? Has it come to this? Does it undermine free speech?
The honest answer is, I don’t know. On the one hand, it says to me that Big Daddy is watching, and entrapment is a possibility. On the other hand, the safety of our society is paramount and a key responsibility of those in power.
What I do know, however, is that our country has changed over the last five years or so, and activities that were frowned upon then are more acceptable, if not necessary, now.
With all of the above, it is perhaps understandable that I have been somewhat down during the past week or so. When I looked at the whole picture, including two ongoing wars, for a while there, and to my great surprise, I saw the glass as half empty rather than half full.
But at heart, I am an optimist, even though that can be difficult at times. I know that this week will be challenging, but I also know that we will find a way through it. What goes around, comes around.
Canadians, collectively, have a proven spine that will meet any challenge.
As for happiness?
There is always Taylor Swift! 😊
Hugh Mackenzie.
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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Apart from the opportunity to bash Trump more, which is becoming tiresome, I agree with Hugh Campbell when he says it’s hard sometimes to remain positive. That said, I believe the reason this gloom has settled over many of us since COVID is because we’ve lost faith in the institutions that we once respected and looked to for hope.
Firstly our government. We’ve had an unethical, pathological liar running this country for 8 years. With a minority government, Trudeau has abused our political system to promote his own agenda and wreak havoc on Canada. Any systems we thought were in place to hold the government accountable have failed. We have never been as divided and unhealthy as a nation and our national debt is astronomical. He has single-handedly taken us from peacekeepers to war-mongers without having a mandate to do so. But staying on COVID, which Hugh suggests was the start of this depressed feeling, I believe the handling of the ‘pandemic’ was deceitful and manipulative. From the outset, the government tried to browbeat Canadians into taking an experimental drug, dealing out severe consequences for those that did not comply. We all remember how Trudeau appeared before Canadians telling us the vaccine was ‘safe and effective’. It turns out that injuries and deaths from this vaccine have been unprecedented and with so many boosters being offered it’s obvious that it’s not effective either. A recent report from the CDC states that vaccination rates among healthcare workers in the US has plummeted to an all time low, citing safety and efficacy concerns. Yet only yesterday, I read a post sowing Trudeau, in acting mode, taking both the covid booster and flu vaccine, encouraging all Canadians to do the same. I don’t believe for one minute he got either, but it shows a total disregard for mounting concern among healthcare workers. This has not left Canadians feeling good and has added to the mistrust of the government.
Secondly, our Healthcare institutions. They obediently supported the government dictates on vaccines. We have always trusted our doctors but sadly this trust has been eroded.
Thirdly our scientists, like doctors, went along with the forced use of unproven drugs that have had negative consequences for many people.
Then, of course, our media, who have blindly gone along with the Liberal rhetoric and their abuse of power without making them accountable. We should be able to rely on the media to hold governments accountable, and they failed us.
So we have lost trust in the institutions that should make us feel safe, and should have our best interests at heart. It will take a long time to recover from this, if we ever do. A change of government is not the solution. Poilievre has not acknowledged the issues – and there are many, many more than have been mentioned in this comment. So the future does not look good and it’s not surprising that people are feeling depressed about it.
Just a short comment to the above statement by Hugh Mackenzie, again I have to say I totally agree with everything stated, very true since Covid began, things in many ways have changed, and sadly enough, not to the good. It does make me wonder what our children/grandchildren will be up against in the future? Life has certainly always been one day at a time, and that is even more evident in these troubled times. No matter what, think POSITIVE, the alternative isn’t pretty, either. Colleen Little
It’s easy to be optimistic if you ignore the doom and gloom and misinformation spread by the right.
And find out the fact for yourself.
You will find the future is bright with more money in your pocket.
Unfortunately ”More Canadians think Poilievre and Trump are similar than different” according to Abacus.
And “What Pierre Poilievre and Donald Trump have in common”
“we now have a Canadian Conservative leader who trades in the same trademark combination of bombast, belligerence, and bs.”
Lucky for the US at least it looks like Trump and his bs could be history.
The bs continues in Canada.
I’m optimistic we won’t have to tolerate the orange man and his ridiculous rhetoric much longer.
Donald Trump is a liar. Yet he could become president again.
Pierre Poilievre is a liar. Yet he could become prime minister.
Doug Ford is a liar. Yet he could become premier again.
https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/two-leadership-problems/
The future is bright with lower costs for energy, cars and health care, along with fewer power outages.
You will have far more disposable income as a result.
https://southmuskoka.doppleronline.ca/noble-cause-corruption-david-harrison-commentary/
Poilievre keeps saying Canada is broken (absolutely not true).
While Parliament is broken and stalled right now because of Poilievre.
He actually claims the carbon tax is causing a “nuclear winter” for the economy.
Absolutely not true.
Remember “Poilievre ran in favour of carbon taxes multiple times in his career.”
He hopes you have forgotten.
While he consistently fails to even mention the big carbon tax rebate.
Up to $2,160 for a family of 4 in Alberta.
Most Canadians get more back than they pay. Especially low incomes.
Figure it out yourself. Don’t take anyone’s word for it.
Only the rich who consume more benefit from “axe the tax.”
Taking from the poor to benefit the rich is a typical Conservative move.
Anti-Robin Hood.
https://southmuskoka.doppleronline.ca/muskoka-group-urges-elected-officials-keep-the-carbon-tax/