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News and Commentary A Problem That Is Revealing ItselfA problem that is revealing itself more and more during this COVID-19 pandemic is the necessity for the people to have their own forms of organization in the face of these disasters so as to lead governments to take up their social responsibility under the circumstances. The government and the state are not organized to mobilize the people to be part of solving problems. Instead they appear to be only capable of doling out public funds, whether to individuals or private interests. Or, they play the role of asking for others to take up solving the problems, such as small and medium-sized businesses. Instead of solving problems using their legal authority they are using their powers to criminalize the response of various individuals to the lack of solutions from the government, such as the issue of hoarding goods or people not staying home for a 14-day quarantine. Both of these are important issues, but the only way the government is capable of dealing with them is issuing orders, shaming or threatening fines or jail time. They are not in any way able or willing to involve the people in forms of organization to contribute to solving the problems themselves such as the need for an internal supply chain of food for all or proper sanitary supplies or medical equipment.
Similar problems exist in the provision of food and necessities under the circumstances. All provinces are issuing orders for travellers to go right home after returning and not stop for food or other necessities but to immediately self-isolate for 14 days. This is an important measure. However, no public organization is mobilized to guarantee food and necessities for these people or to check up on them regularly to make sure they are okay. This too is left to chance and creates a dangerous situation where people have to rely on family or friends, and if that is not possible, then they are either to violate the law and risk infecting others or stay home and starve. Neither is an acceptable option. Then there are those who are homeless or those without the means to get food. Using social media, various initiatives have sprung up to fill the role that the government should be playing for ensuring people are fed, have shelter and are taken care of or that health care workers have proper protective equipment. But, this is on an ad hoc basis and is based on a charity-type mentality of doing what you can for those less fortunate or making do with what you have. It is lofty but not a solution. It is not able to fulfill the right of the people to their basic needs or workers for their proper working conditions. Governments with their legal authority, resources and bureaucracy could put them in the service of solving these problems; however they are not doing so. The people are seeing they cannot rely on governments to solve these problems. However, the solution is not to respond with charity. The working class is taking the lead to demand that governments and elected officials take up their duty in a socially responsible manner. This first and foremost shows what is required from elected officials to solve actual problems and involve the people in their solution. The working class is showing by example what governments should be doing in times such as these.
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An example of
problems which the government should solve, but
appears unwilling to do so, is on the issue of
providing lodging to health care workers so they
don't infect their families. Border towns like
Windsor, Niagara Falls and Sarnia in Ontario have
many health care workers who work in the U.S. They
are going across the border each day to do their
vital work and then coming back to Canada and in
many cases living with their families, sleeping in
their garages, etc. There is a definite objective
need for the government to organize accommodations
for these workers so they can look after others.
In Windsor, as an example, the mayor is asking for
hotels to volunteer to take in hospital workers.
The whole problem is left to chance and worse, to
the whim of a private company, in the hopes they
will provide a room. Those that agree are
presented as heroes who the workers are supposed
to thank. This problem requires the government to
commandeer hotels. In the case where the province
owns hotels, such as at casinos, they have the
legal authority to easily do so, however
municipalities are left begging for hotels to do
their civic duty with the caveat that, at the end
of the day, these are private business decisions.