Brian Giesbrecht: Canada’s National Hysteria in the 21st Century

 

Mass hysteria is the spontaneous manifestation of a particular behaviour by many people. There are numerous historical examples: Middle Age nuns at a convent in France spontaneously began to meow like cats; at another convent, nuns began biting one another. In 13th-century Germany, spontaneous dancing broke out and entire city populations danced until exhausted. But perhaps the best-known mass hysteria was the Salem Witch Trials, where people, seized by visions, accused others of bewitching them. Many were executed.

Brian Giesbrecht: Rosa Parks and The BIPOC Café

If you wonder how the social justice war is going, look no further than the University of Michigan-Dearborn. There, in the “diversity, equity and inclusion” activism that has all but replaced education in too many of our institutions of higher learning, the university’s “Center for Social Justice and Inclusion” established two remote “cafés”. 

One, the “BIPOC café” was for the exclusive use of “black, Indigenous and people of colour”. The other, the “non-POC café” was to be for white students only. The geniuses who dreamed this up abandoned the dreadful idea only after some heavy criticism on social media.

Perhaps the people who thought this was a good idea need a bit of a history lesson. One person they should learn about is Rosa Parks. 

Brian Giesbrecht: More Countries are Quietly Following Sweden

Most countries that adopted the “lockdown” model are still in the thick of the pandemic. Typically, there is an easing of rules when infection rates decrease, but when rules are relaxed and infection rates naturally rise, authorities clamp down again. Masks go off – then on again. Meanwhile, the horrendous cost of paying furloughed workers and closed businesses is bankrupting lockdown countries, and taking lives. And there is no end in sight.

Sweden found a better way.

Brian Giesbrecht: Rejecting “Coronapsychosis” Could be Good for our Health

Little Belarus has been in the news due to the political turmoil following its presidential election early last month. While it isn’t high in the consciousness of most people in Western countries, it is one of the last European nations led by the kind of old-fashioned dictator who used to be common in countries like Portugal, Spain and the former Soviet satellites. In Belarus (population 9.4 million, GDP US$60 billion, per capita annual income US$19,240) that man is Alexander Lukashenko. He’s a bit of a puzzle. Although certainly authoritarian and no friend of the Western democracies, he’s also sometimes at odds with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

After the August 8 vote, the 66-year-old who’s held power since 1994 declared victory, claiming a resounding 80 percent of the vote and crushing the self-proclaimed democratic opposition led by Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya. The 38-year-old human rights activist claimed to have won the first-round voting and now, fearing for her safety, promptly fled to neighboring Lithuania. What the West should do, what Putin will do and how this will play out remains anyone’s guess. It is seemingly just another messy situation in a region that’s always been known for such sad sagas. End of story, right?

Brian Giesbrecht: Hydroxychloroquine -The Political Drug

There’s a long-standing convention that applies to the use of all medical drugs: A person considering the use of a drug for medical or prophylactic purposes is advised to consult with his or her physician about its possible use.

It’s assumed that the physician is up to date on current treatments and effective medicinal drugs. The physician is also familiar with the physical condition of his or her client. All drug advertisements end with the advice that a person considering the use of the drug advertised should consult with his or her physician about its possible use.

There has never been a time when either politicians, the mainstream media, or social media vehicles attempted to interfere in that vitally important relationship between physician and client and the use of prescription drugs.

Until now, that is. And that drug is hydroxychloroquine.

Brian Giesbrecht: Systemic Racism

The current Prime Minister recently publicly contradicted RCMP Commissioner, Brenda Lucki, for saying there is no systemic racism within the RCMP. Actually, Lucki said she didn’t know what “systemic racism” is.

In her words, “I have to admit, I really struggle with the term ‘systemic racism’. I have heard about five or ten definitions on TV. I think that if systemic racism is entrenched in our police and our procedures we don’t have systemic racism”.

Brian Giesbrecht: The only thing we have to fear is fear Itself

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Those were the famous words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, spoken at his first inauguration on March 4, 1933, at the height of the Great Depression.

Unemployment had hit 25 percent and there was panic in the land. Roosevelt was the epitome of calm and reassurance. He told the American people truthfully that they must not give in to “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror.” Roosevelt was speaking to a people demoralized and thoroughly spooked by a crushing depression and a loss of confidence in the institutions that had seemed unassailable only a short time before.

The rest, as they say, “is history.” Although difficult years lay ahead, Roosevelt proved to be exactly the president the American people needed, and he led them out of that very deep and dark place.

Brian Giesbrecht: Gender self-identification

The transgender movement advances the cause of a marginalized minority. However, the recent decision by a confused Vancouver City Council to cancel funding for a rape crisis centre, that quite rightly allows only women at its facility, is a sign that the movement has gone too far.

Gender dysphoria is a psychiatric disorder involving an anatomical male who believes that he is actually a female in a man’s body (reverse for women). While the condition affects only about 1/10 of 1% of the population, the condition has received considerable attention in recent years — finding its way into legislation and, even, corporate and institutional policy.

Brian Giesbrecht: Reforming Canada’s Failing Health Care System

Most Canadians think that our healthcare system is a national treasure. One much superior to the system to the south where poor people often don’t get the treatments they need, and the costs can be catastrophic. Instead of focusing on how Canada’s health care system compares to America’s, we should be looking at European systems that offer both better health outcomes and cost effectiveness. 

We have modern hospitals, competent doctors and nurses, and once you are in the system, the care given is usually first class. However, if you are on one of the many long medical waiting lists, then our system fails. You can wait a year or more to see certain specialists. And, if you are held waiting well over a year for a hip or knee transplant – or for a life-saving heart or cancer treatment – our Canadian system is far from first class.

Brian Giesbrecht: Not even Justin Trudeau is above the law

Nearly a month ago, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer called on the RCMP to investigate the Prime Minister’s conduct in the SNC-Lavalin case. 

Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion had found that the Prime Minister had breached Section 9 of The Conflict of Interest Act, when he repeatedly and improperly pressured then-minister of justice and attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould to consider a deferred prosecution agreement with SNC-Lavalin. Ms. Wilson-Raybould had made clear to the Prime Minister that she would do no such thing.

Since then, the RCMP have been examining the issue closely; however, they have not launched an official investigation. As reported by The Globe and Mail on Tuesday, the RCMP’s examination has been blocked by the federal government’s refusal to lift cabinet confidentiality.

The RCMP says it will pause its examination during election season, but it should reconsider.

Brian Giesbrecht: UNDRIP won’t help marginalized aboriginals

Bill C-262, the proposed legislation requiring Canadian laws to meet an undefined measure of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples (UNDRIP) is being held up by Conservative senators.

Tax paying Canadians should be thankful.

Advocates of the Bill say that the legislation will create no additional legal impediments for Canada, but it will significantly improve the lives of poor and marginalized Indigenous people.

Brian Giesbrecht: Is it Okay to Be White?

Last Hallowe’en night a costumed person was seen tacking up posters at the University of Manitoba. The posters said “It’s Okay To Be White”. This strange occurrence was uniformly denounced by the university administration and various student associations who claimed that it was the organized work of white supremacists. 

The administrators also claimed that these racists had deliberately targeted an Indigenous students’ organization by sending copies of the posters to their office. In fact, so seriously has the university administration taken this incident that they called in the police to conduct an investigation into a possible hate crime. If the administration’s claims are true, and this was the organized work of racists or white supremacists the administrators’ actions make sense.

Brian Giesbrecht: Battling the Bottle — The Untold Story

The ’60s Scoop was back in the news this month, and I expect we will hear more about it in the coming years. In fact, I am guessing there are plans in place to make it the subject of the next national inquiry after the missing women’s inquiry has wrapped up.

So, what is the ’60s Scoop? It is usually described as a decade when aboriginal children were stolen from their parents by overzealous social workers attempting to perpetuate cultural genocide by placing aboriginal children in American homes.

Is this story true?

Brian Giesbrecht: Canada's Apartheid Regime

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was interviewed on CBC Radio on May 31, 2018. Although he is now 84 years old, he sounds today just like the feisty, former street fighter he was. From a very young backbencher, through many cabinet posts, and finally to a Prime Minister who only seemed to know how to win majority governments, he is a true legend. He helped us keep this country together, and then navigate through the difficult reconciliation with Quebec. As a finale, he very wisely kept us out of America’s ill-conceived, and disastrous war in Iraq. Jean Chrétien is probably Canada’s most underrated prime minister, and will probably be rightly viewed in the future as one of our greatest leaders.

But, as a cabinet minister in the government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau that he took one of the biggest gambles of his political career. As Minister of Indian Affairs that he tried – but failed – to end Canada’s apartheid regime.

Brian Giesbrecht: Airplane Safety and Alcohol

Ever since Wilbur and Orville Wright proved that heavier than air machines could indeed fly, safety has been the first priority when it comes to air travel. Engines and chassis are inspected and re-inspected. It only makes sense that if some gizmo in your car engine breaks, your car will stop, and you can get out and take a look under the hood. You don’t have that luxury in an airplane. If the engine fails, you fall out of the sky.

And the same goes for in-flight safety. The pilots and crew must have calm and quiet in order to do their jobs. The passengers are entitled to the same.

And that is why rules about alcohol consumption and intoxicated passengers are so strict on an airplane. If a flight attendant believes that a person about to board the airplane is intoxicated, the attendant is required to prevent that person from boarding. After the airplane has left the ground, the attendants are very careful to ensure that a passenger does not consume too much alcohol.

Brian Giesbrecht: You are on Home Land of the Metis Nation

I have recently been paying attention to public event openings announcing that we are now on treaty land. Perhaps the most unusual is the one advising people that they are now on the home land of the Metis Nation.

Consider this: Does an acknowledgement that one is on Metis treaty land not imply that the Metis were the first people to occupy the land in question, or at least that they acquired it lawfully from the previous owners? If so, this is clearly not the case.

Brian Giesbrecht: Are trade wars coming?

The Trump administration has unveiled a long list of punishing tariffs that will affect everyone. This time around they will not exempt Canadian steel and aluminium. 

Is this the beginning of a worldwide trade war, or simply a clever negotiating tactic by a President who sees himself as an expert on “the art of the deal” – an opening salvo in his campaign to get a better deal for American workers?

Obviously, we don’t know the answer to this question yet, as world leaders scramble to figure out their response. 

Brian Giesbrecht: Happy New Zealand’s Suicide Problem

New Zealand is a country that is consistently rated on the U.N. “Happiness Index” as a country that has one of the happiest populations on the planet. And yet, amidst all this happiness there is very deep unhappiness as well – because New Zealand is now also the teenage suicide capital of the world.

How can this profoundly unsettling anomaly be explained?

In fact, the answer becomes apparent when the racial backgrounds of the suicidal teenagers are examined. Just as in Canada, where Indigenous youth account for a tragically disproportionate number of suicides, so it is in New Zealand, where their Indigenous population, the Maori, are disproportionately represented in the suicide numbers.

Brian Giesbrecht: The Arkhipov Calm

Where would we be without Vasili Arkhipov? In fact, would we be here at all?

Who is Vasili Arkhipov you may ask?

Before I get to that, let me talk for a minute about the nuclear world we now live in. There are currently so many nuclear weapons on our small planet that we are literally living on a bomb – a bomb that could go off at any time.

North Korea is bristling with nuclear bombs. As a rogue nation, it is completely unpredictable. South Korea, Japan – and now, apparently North America – are all within range of North Korea’s nuclear missiles. We have no way of knowing what they intend to do.

Brian Giesbrecht: Battling The Bottle — The Untold Story

First Nation leaders need to move beyond victimhood to resolve problems

The ’60s Scoop was back in the news this month, and I expect we will hear more about it in the coming years. In fact, I am guessing there are plans in place to make it the subject of the next national inquiry after the missing women’s inquiry has wrapped up.

So, what is the ’60s Scoop? It is usually described as a decade when aboriginal children were stolen from their parents by overzealous social workers attempting to perpetuate cultural genocide by placing aboriginal children in American homes.