Despite 'glaring missteps,' governments have responded well to pandemic, Newmarket man says

#OurChangedWorld: Freedom Convoy 'hijacked by a range of extremists,' Rex Taylor says

yorkregion.com
Lisa Queen
Feb. 23, 2022

With two years of restrictions to fight the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, capped off by the “Freedom Convoy” demanding an end to mandates, governments have been in our faces like never before.

Love or hate the federal, provincial and municipal directives on cross-border travel, vaccinations and access to local recreation programs, the pandemic has brought the role of government and our perception of it directly into the spotlight.

“All levels of government have had to be more assertive, more directive and more communicative during the pandemic. Consequently, the public has had little choice but to be more engaged with their governments,” retired Newmarket teacher Rex Taylor said.

While there have been some “glaring missteps that tragically cost too many lives,” Taylor believes the governments have responded reasonably well.

“Never before in my lifetime has the importance of good government been clearer. Governments across the country have made decisions -- imposed rules, closed schools and businesses, restricted access to things -- in order to prevent a health-care disaster,” he said, adding that Canadians have generally responded with good grace and a willingness to be part of the solution.

Maintaining peace, order and good government is at the heart of the Canadian Constitution, said Taylor, who has helped bring a family who fled Afghanistan to Newmarket, has helped with drives for the Newmarket Food Pantry, volunteers with Shelter Movers, sits on the town’s appeal committee and hosts a weekly program on Pickering College’s community radio station 102.7 CHOP FM.

“We expect -- we want -- government to do its job for the benefit of us all,” said Taylor, whose charity, The Small Project, sends children to school in Kenya.

“In exchange for accepting these responsibilities and these restrictions on our individual freedoms, we get to enjoy the many benefits that our society provides.”

Taylor believes the Freedom Convoy ignores the perils of lifting public health restrictions too quickly and feels the movement was “hijacked by a range of extremists and fringe elements with different agendas, some of whom have been displaying hate symbols and behaving in a manner that is repugnant and incredibly disrespectful to the rest of us. Quite simply, any sympathy many of us might have for the truckers evaporated right then.”

While Mayor John Taylor defends the right to peacefully protest, he called the Freedom Convoy movement in Ottawa an occupation that significantly impacted business owners, residents and the city’s finances.

The pandemic has reminded people that the government has the ability to -- for good or bad, depending on one's perspective -- directly impact their lives, the mayor said.

Most people are following government directives, he said, adding that residents being more engaged with government “is the cornerstone of building a great community or a great country.”

With Zoom council meetings dramatically increasing residents’ participation in local government, Taylor said that going forward, the town will find ways to engage with residents both remotely and in person.

All governments were unprepared for the pandemic, including Ottawa failing to maintain supplies and Queen’s Park’s inattention to long-term homes, former Newmarket-Aurora Conservative MP Lois Brown said.

She feels three areas emerged as crucial lessons learned: the importance of local communities, the significance of mental health and global inequities in access to medicines.

Hopefully, politicians have learned to “build in systems that are lightning-responsive, highly resilient and compassionately reactive to the needs of our local communities,” Brown said.

In times of crisis, governments are well-placed to protect citizens’ lives and livelihoods, regardless of income and access to resources, Yvonne Kelly, co-chair of the Social Planning Council of York Region, said.

“I hope we will take away from this experience that the survival of the fittest is not a humane response nor should it be the default position,” she said.

Some people rebel against governments because they feel their personal liberties are being curtailed, Kelly said.

“I don't expect these folks are appreciative of the role of government in their lives. However, I'm sure they will still be glad that hospitals are open to them when they need them,” she said.