Image Credit: Flickr / Government of BC

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: How is it that the heroes of the pandemic are suddenly bums?

May 10, 2023 | 5:13 AM

HOW QUICKLY we forget.

It wasn’t long ago when we considered Dr. Bonnie Henry — the architect of lockdowns — a saint. Each afternoon, we waited for her and Health Minister Adrian Dix to give us the latest update on COVID, along with news of which businesses and public facilities would have to shut down next.

In the morning, we watched Prime Minister Justin Trudeau step out his front door into the cold and tell us how his government “had our backs” and would see us through the various stages of lockdown.

Similar scenarios played out around the world. In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci became a household name, a respected scientist who stickhandled his way through the politics of the pandemic and provided the unbiased — though often tough to take — information that was needed so that the right decisions could be made.

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The lockdowns, the mandates, the travel restrictions, the COVID passports — they weren’t popular, but we accepted them as necessary. And they got us through it.

Yet, now that COVID is no longer the threat it was (though it’s still definitely with us as we’ve seen recently in a couple of outbreaks in Kamloops) the same people we once hailed as heroes are suddenly bums.

Instead of looking back on the pandemic as a hard-fought battle that was won thanks to the courage and leadership of those in charge, we resentfully condemn them.

The bureaucrats, media and politicians who either made the decisions that temporarily took away liberties, or were the messengers, are now vilified.

Yes, people were hurt. Lives were upended. Mass depression set in. Many died. Many live with long-haul effects.

But where would we be now without all those lockdowns and sacrifices? The answer is that millions more would have died, and we would still be in the height of the pandemic.

We should be saying thanks to those who led us through it, not seeking retribution.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.