Covid: Semi-Democracy in Canada

in 2021 Western democracies responded identically to a pandemic by listening to the World Health Organization. Health authorities were told that a new type of vaccine was the only answer to a virus and politicians trusted this. There was a rush to create vaccines and the usual lengthy research trials were not completed before the vaccines were given to the population. Media was told that the response had to be coordinated and dissent was seen as disinformation. Doctors, such as Dr. Charles Hoffe in British Columbia, were censored if they questioned the safety of the vaccines when some patients had adverse reactions. The fear of the virus spreading led to government mandated lockdowns and challenges for citizens and closure of businesses. Infected corona virus patients were told to stay home until they got really ill and then hospitals struggled to help them. Early therapeutic interventions were not offered by the World Health Organization nor by local government health authorities. Doctors who tried to do so were actively dissuaded. The population was told to ‘trust the science’ but few asked who defined and interpreted the science. Science traditionally was open to debate but now it was to be explained by ‘experts’ who we were not to question. If anyone questioned the prevailing narrative they were told they were contributing to “vaccine hesitancy”.

When people expressed concern that the vaccine ingredients might cause them harm they were told they could discuss this with their doctor. It became increasingly difficult and then seemingly impossible for a doctor to grant a patient a medical exemption even when medical staff agreed harm was likely. People with clearly identified allergies to the vaccine ingredients were denied exemptions. People with serious reactions to the first dose were told to ignore this and have their second dose. Risk analysis was not done for them. Individuals lost the right to personal health for the sake of “public” health.

Medical and religious exemptions were scorned. Australia, Canada and the United States, supposed bastions of freedom, threw their own people under the bus. Citizens in democracies were told to get the vaccine or lose their job. There was no concern for their individual health. Nurses, who had treated covid patients heroically but were concerned they would have a personal reaction to the vaccine, were terminated. People lost the ability to earn their living and were told they could not access Employment Insurance either. Getting the vaccine irregardless of your health was the official solution to a potential job loss. The Vancouver Sun, December 13, 2021, reported Melanie Bitner nearly died after her first shot in April due to multiple blood clots, known as vaccine induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia. She has not yet been able to get an exemption for her second shot despite attempts by her hematologist. Without the second shot she is subject to the vaccine mandate and has lost job income and attendance at family and school events. This defies logic.

Children are now being told to take the vaccine. People who are pregnant are told to take the vaccine. The authorities are not discussing the long term effects or even the immediate response to this vaccine by so many developing bodies and everyone is told the vaccine is ‘safe’. Sadly those who participated in the early Pfizer trials also had serious reactions and children like Maddie de Garay suffered terribly. Her mother had enrolled her hoping to assist in the fight against covid but there was little help after she unexpectedly became seriously ill in the trial. In our previous vaccine history there have always been people whose bodies differed in responses. Patients have traditionally been informed of the risks and benefits of treatment but now this is no longer offered. Doctors, like Dr. Francis Christian in Saskatchewan, who had always operated with the belief that informed consent in medicine is crucial, lost his job.

Those who did not want to take the vaccine were soon labelled as ‘selfish’ and the term the ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’ became a phrase government leaders like Biden and Trudeau used in the media. People who hadn’t had the virus nor the vaccine were told to stay away from vaccinated family members.

People who were healthy were told they could not access businesses or facilities if they did not have a vaccine passport. It did not matter why they did not have one. Seniors and those without cell phones or internet access, disabled citizen, and those with health concerns are barred in Western democracies from various locations. Increasing pressure like this is seen as likely increasing vaccine compliance.

Scientists, doctors and researchers who disagreed with the World Health Organization and their own government’s health authorities were silenced and threatened with loss of hospital privileges, job termination, and ridicule by colleagues. Respectable scientific journals refused to publish their studies. Facebook and Twitter began censoring or banning them. Yet some of these people, like Dr. Robert Malone, had been the top authorities in their field. Questioning the narrative became dangerous and open discussion about alternatives was censored.

Pharmacies were pressured not to fill a doctor’s prescription. Monoclonal antibodies sat on hospital shelves rather than being administered. A media campaign to slander ivermectin portrayed it only as a dangerous horse dewormer and hospitals refused to let even dying patients access some hope. Clearly the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh did well in covid statistics when the government was allowed to distribute kits with ivermectin and therapeutics to households. These kits cost little. Western democracies only offered a vaccine.

It has been reported that pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer are not liable for damage caused by vaccines. Governments in Western democracies have said they would have a compensation program available. How many Canadians are aware of this, have accessed it and received a response? There is little on the nightly news about these concerns. Pharmaceutical companies have done extremely well financially as Western democracies rushed to purchase doses. Increasingly the public is demanding boosters for new variants in their fear of illness. Long term research of extended vaccine doses on the immune system has not been done.

Questions remain.

Does the mRNA spike protein in the current vaccine affect the blood or organs? How long does it stay in the body? Is having vaccine induced myocarditis now going to affect youth later in life? Does it affect reproductive organs at all? Why are some women experiencing menstrual cycle irregularities? Why are health authorities not discussing citizen concerns? Why are the voices of those negatively impacted by the vaccine stifled?

Where is the information on non genetic vaccines? Does the Medicago plant vaccine cause less reactions? Is it a more adaptable candidate against new virus mutations? Why does the mainstream press not ask these obvious questions and encourage independent thought? Is government Legacy Media funding inhibiting investigative reporting? Does the interconnectedness of directors of pharma companies, WHO, FDA, CDC and Trusted Media companies and U.N. organizations create a coordinated response all have to follow without dissent?

Citizen in European countries and Australia have had massive rallies against vaccine mandates.This has barely been seen on our evening CBC news. Citizen in many democracies have been used to freedom and find being forced to take new substances problematic. increasingly we are seeing countries threaten citizen with further restrictions, quarantine camps, job and pension income loss and fines if they do not comply. These are new measures not normally associated with democracies. Freedom is easy to erode with threats of financial loss. Sadly societal trust is being undermined and divisions between fellow citizen are being fermented by politicians in the name of health. It is easier to blame the ‘unvaccinated’ for a continuing virus than to investigate medical options and increase the number of hospital beds and spots in nursing schools.

In a functioning democracy there are branches of society able to analyze and discuss concerns and improvements. A free press can send an investigative reporter to see what issues citizens are facing and ask others to respond. Members of the public can band together and anyone can call their elected representative for assistance. Members of parliament might start a petition on an issue to send to the governing party for discussion. People can call their local police detachment with public safety concerns. A lawyer can defend you. A little digging and you can find an agency site listing where to lodge complaints and what regulatory bodies can be contacted. None of it is perfect but it gives one avenues to pursue and hope that change is possible when people care.

When you do not allow medical exemptions or free debate you weaken democracy. When medical specialists say someone will react badly to a vaccine but are overruled by mandates then individual health is ignored. You must obey. Truth is silenced. Your personal health is not a priority. Individuals are no longer valued in these semi democracies unless they comply.

In Canada we are seeing more division and sadly, less effective opposition by our elected representatives. The Liberal government is eager to expand its euthanasia program and is currently studying how those with mental health issues can access it. Next it will be expanded to include mature minors as we cannot be seen to discriminate. We are being pushed to devalue human life and trust in authority. Canadians are also promised a bill in 2022 to deal with hate speech. Will dissent be labelled as such and will vaccine discussion qualify as hate speech if it deviates from the norm?

As citizens increasingly are pushed to comply and lose their freedom of choice they will be more likely to accept a powerful authority that will unite us all globally. We will be one.

Reality in life and politics is important. Truth is worth guarding.

“Sunday Sentence Project”

You may be interested in reading or joining David Abrams “Sunday Sentence” project if you get excited when you notice an intriguingly well written sentence. Do you stop, inhale and read the sentence again?

Maybe even grab a pen and underline something?

David Abrams “Sunday Sentence” project posts the best sentence he read in the last week, ”out of context and without commentary.” This concept made me more conscious when devouring or scanning  paragraphs. I applaud the writer when there is a unique placement of precisely chosen words. Sometimes I even want to write their phrases in a book but, since that takes effort, I rarely do.

By joining this “Sunday Project”, whether literally or just in my mind, I hope to savour and celebrate my fellow writers’ contributions more and, who knows,  perhaps improve my own scribblings. Wanna join me?


“Authorities decreed, for instance, that only 36 people should drown in the capital in 1993.”

Source: Jan Wong, “Jan Wong’s China” Doubleday Canada.

.

Grow Your Song: Appeal to Writers!

Those of us who love words can’t help notice song lyrics. Valdy, a Canadian folk singer and Order of Canada recipient, recently held a concert in Nanaimo. His ability to  sing the words clearly and with volume kept his audience happy. It was a pleasure to see his energy, enthusiasm and stage presence.  Valdy sang a few songs with John Gogo and played some he’d done with Gary Fjellgaard. I could hear Valdy’s chords, see the music move his body, and feel the emotion as he sang about Ginger Goodwin and the impact he’d left on our society.

If you love words you’ll likely listen for the lyrics in a song. My brain searches relentlessly and automatically to find logic in the phrases. Maybe that’s why I feel slightly irritable when I can’t hear all the words. I want to know what the song writer meant.

Note to aspiring song writers: writers value your word choice, measure their effectiveness and appreciate meaning.

Singers: please sing the words clearly. Writers really do want to hear what you are singing about. We could be your biggest fans.

WordStorm; a community resource

Suppose an agent and publisher had just accepted your book and wanted you to do a book tour. Are you ready to stand up in front of strangers and read a passage? Might as well begin to practice now!

In my city I discovered WordStorm, a place where writers of all stripes can sign up to read a three minute excerpt from their work. I signed up two minutes before it started by putting my name on the bottom of the list on the table by the door. The audience claps enthusiastically for each reader. There’s then a brief intermission with snacks and then two featured poets/writers shared their creativity. It’s a good way to hear some published authors as they share some of their journey directly.

I can state with clarity that I know what will happen if you never let anyone see your writing. Nothing will happen. Maybe someone will appreciate it once you lose the ability to protest but who knows if you’ll be conscious then to notice.

Begin by reading a passage from your writing to someone in your community. You may get another shy writer to sidle up to you at the break and whisper that they liked your poem. Maybe your bravery will encourage them and you’ll have the honour to have nudged the author of the next great North American novel forward.

 

 

 

 

 

Crime Writers of Canada

I am just beginning my investigation into the resources that are available to new writers and am happy to have found a Canadian Association which, so far, seems friendly and welcoming. I have joined Crime Writers of Canada and can’t help smiling as it sounds official! As I haven’t published a book yet I joined as an Associate Member and save a bit of money until I do. My name was added to their website and I could add a bio.

Readers can browse the site and see the variety of writers, styles, crimes, settings and book covers offered. It is a practical service which promotes these books to bookstores and interested readers. There are author event notifications as well as a newsletter.  I was in Chapters recently and started recognizing some of the Canadian authors on the shelves! Had no idea some of them were so well known internationally.

So far I have already been invited to attend several events. The holiday one in the pub sounds fun but Toronto is a bit too far to drive to. In January some authors will have the chance to have their books presented to librarians.

Writers who, in 2015,  published “light mystery” books, meaning those  with minimal gore, could try to win The Bony Blithe Award and receive a thousand dollars. Others can vie for the Arthur Ellis Awards and there’s even the possibility to win something if you have not yet published a book. I am looking forward to learning more about Canadian crime books and becoming a Professional Author Member!

Easy Tips Before You Pitch

I am just beginning to explore this world of writing and publishing and, as always, find that a bit of research at the onset saves brain cells later.

Before you head out to that conference or send off that email or letter to an agent or publisher, take a deep breath and congratulate yourself on having come this far.

Then analyze again as to how your book, poem or script will benefit the particular audience you are targeting. If you are wanting your writing to get a serious response, then make sure you know what it is they are looking for right now, how they want it presented and how they want it sent. If  you skip these steps and don’t bother reading their requirements, how likely is it they will read your submission long enough to see if it is quality work?

If you are at a writer’s conference, and have paid all that money to go, why not google the presenters in depth and really see which agent and agency sounds like it would be a good fit? Do they have a website listed and perhaps a blog as well? Do you feel comfortable with what they have shared so far and does it line up with what would be best for your writing style?

So you did the handshake and smile very well. You did not slouch! You even made sure your shoes were somewhat clean, your outfit classy and you just knew you exuded confidence. Why? Because you are a writer and you know you write well and you are eager to show off your work because you know it has potential! You want them to be interested in representing you!

Do you have a catchy one line hook to tell the agent what your stuff is about?

Are the pages you present to the agent at your pitch neatly presented, easy to find, and professionally edited? Even those with degrees in English may benefit from a veteran grammarian!

Did you research to figure out what the rules of your  genre are? I did not realize I was expected to open with action and that my nicely crafted page of setting was not a suitable first page! Ouch!

I found out there are rules for the number of words for each genre and that newbies might want to adhere to them until they become famous. Make sure you read up on the formatting of the pitch. Add details in the first two pages like your writing biography which may include other works you have published or your education. You may want a section that lists some  current comparable books and their publishers and dates to show it is a viable commodity.

Your writing baby is now a commodity as you try and flog it to the nicest bidder. This is business. Make sure you list some suggestions as to how you will help market your infant. Sure, you will do a book tour or website or facebook page, won’t you? LinkedIn has groups you will join quickly

So when the agent asks you what the book is about and you throw out that hook sentence, you are ready to share a brief synopsis of the story.  After all, you wrote out the two pages the night before. You know it flows smoothly and is intriguing.  This morning you sat on the hotel bench outside and repeated those two pages loudly, over and over, until they were fully memorized!

You are just waiting to be asked what your book is about and you know the agent will then want to read a few pages of your actual writing!

As you wait for the reading and answer any questions, you know you have prepared yourself well and you can handle it calmly when you hear the words, “Please send me the manuscript.”

 

,

Welcome

Welcome to my website. I live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

I am thankful to live in this beautiful spot and for the amazing people I have met.

I am interested in social justice, political science, intriguing literature, and a good cup of coffee.

I am working on my novel and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!