Unprecedented Reality

 Vincent J. Curtis

24 Sept 20

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the program outlined in yesterday's Speech from the Throne (which opened a new session of Parliament) as creating an "unprecedented reality.

Everyone was tested, and proved negative for COVID-19, which meant social distancing was unnecessary.  Yet they social distanced.  And social distancing meant than mask-wearing was superfluous, yet everybody wore a mask.  Not an N-95 respirator or a canister respirator, but one of those practically useless cloth masks that can’t filter out a virus.  People elbow-bumped rather than shake hands.  The lack of empiricism was palpable.  The spectacle of the Speech from the Throne is an example of Justin Trudeau’s “unprecedented reality.”

I understand that a drama teacher may be a little light on philosophy, but it should be obvious that our Prime Minister doesn’t understand what reality is.  He, like many others, doesn’t believe in objective truth, and so there can’t be an objective reality.  If he insists hard enough, anything he says is the equivalent of truth, and truth, in turn, is merely a reflection of power relationships.  Unfortunately for Canada, Trudeau holds power, and there is an objective reality.

By his environmental policy, Trudeau believes that Canada can become prosperous without making anything.  He speaks of an economic recovery as being “green” and “equitable.”  These aren’t divisions of economic recovery. The divisions are fast or slow, strong or weak, or led by this sector or that, etc.  “Green” and “equitable” economic recoveries come from a dream world, not reality.  The idea that Canada can eliminate its carbon emissions without economic consequence comes from a dream world, not reality.  That carbon taxes will achieve a green and equitable recovery is not based on any realistic economic analysis.

The plan for handling COVID-19 has never been aimed at a measurable goal, and the goals posited keep changing.  Only the lockdown is constant.

I get that a drama teacher lives occasionally in a made-up world.  But as Prime Minister, Trudeau has to deal with actual reality if he’s going to do us any good.  His talk of an “unprecedented reality” tells me that he doesn’t know what reality actually is.  Rarely does it yield to political will.

The media should be ridiculing Trudeau for his claim of “unprecedented reality”, particularly in view of his lack of empiricism.  Ridicule is a facet of reality he does understand because it undermines his power, and ridicule might be the slap in the face he needs for the good of the rest of us.

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