by Joel Harden
It’s a wild, unsettling time. Life normally flashes by. Now the minutes of the day stick together as we stay home, and scour for news of the latest updates.
Canada’s public health care system has been our first line of defense. Its front-line staff are our guardian angels, and we are thankful for their efforts every day, never more so than now.
Thank you Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa public health officials, and front-line workers. Thank you nurses, personal support workers, hospital cleaners and support staff, doctors, orderlies, administrators, and other health care professionals. Thank you first responders: paramedics, firefighters, and police. We see your long hours, and we understand this means sacrifice from you and your families. Thank you elders who fought for the public health care system. A brief glance at the United States reminds us of what could have been without you.
Thank you neighbours for looking after each other. Thank you Parkdale Food Centre which has supported so many, including 500 folks stuck in emergency housing at the Travelodge Hotel on Carling Avenue. Thanks for food, puzzles, games, and smiles. Thank you Good Companions Seniors Centre and Ottawa West Seniors Services who’ve mobilized fast to help low-income elders across our city.
Thank you donors and small businesses who have enabled this work. We are seeing incredible generosity across the city.
Thank you parents and caregivers balancing employment and family. It’s not easy to create a fun day inside, even with brief trips outdoors. This is even harder for kids with disabilities or special needs. But children are vectors for illnesses, and staying home is making a difference. Keep at it.
Ottawa is such a compassionate city. I am thankful for all that has happened here to date in response to COVID-19, and mindful of what must be done in government policy to enable even more.
Moves have been made at the provincial and federal level which offer a good first step. As the Ontario NDP Critic for People with Disabilities, Seniors, and Accessibility, I know we can do even better, notably for those without much in employment income.
This is a test of solidarity. Let’s pass it together.