FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

Aug 1

In Both Canada and the U.S., Things Will Have to Change in National Postal Services

by bcurry

With the advent of the Internet leading to the ability to communicate via social media and electronic mail, there has been a continuing decline in the need for hand delivered mail provided in both countries by national postal services.  Their entry into more express parcel delivery has also not blossomed as expected given the stiff competition by more cost-effective private sector providers.

In the U.S., the result is that its Postal Service reported a $6.5 billion net loss in the 2023 fiscal year for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, and has said that it will not breakeven next year as first-class mail fell to the lowest volume since 1968.  This deficit is despite the fact that the U.S. Postal Service aggressively hiked stamp prices and is in the middle of a 10-year restructuring plan announced in 2021.  The plan aims to eliminate $160 billion in predicted losses over the next decade, and had initially forecast 2023 as a breakeven year.  However, despite substantial planned reductions in its cost of operations and growth in package revenues, the service is still predicted to not reach breakeven results in 2024.

In Canada, Canada Post lost $748 million in 2023, and now warns of ‘critical’ financial situation. As a Crown corporation, it is projected that Canada Post could run out of money in less than a year, citing declining revenue and stiff competition.  Even with Canada Post’s recently proposed stamp price increase, the Corporation projects that, without additional borrowing and refinancing, it will fall below its required operating and reserve cash requirements by early 2025.  The company noted that the cost of delivering mail and parcels is increasing.  Canada Post has struggled to compete post-pandemic with the rising number of new, privately owned delivery companies that use what it calls a “low-cost labour” business model.  In its most recent report, the Corporation noted that competitors grew rapidly, leaning on their low-cost-labour business models that rely on contracted drivers to provide lower prices, plus greater convenience with evening and weekend service.

If you’re like me, I receive hardly any mail via the postal service.  Like most people, I do my banking on line, read the news on line, have funds directly deposited or withdrawn from my bank account, and correspond most frequently via electronic mail or social media networks.  As for parcels ordered on line (e.g. Amazon), the majority are delivered via private companies.  One can see such delivery vans pretty well every day on our block.

Given this situation and the loss of revenue of both national postal services, one has to ask if mail needs to be delivered directly to homes on a daily basis each week.  Perhaps, one could cut down to every two to three day delivery, accommodating those individuals who continue to rely on written mail for their dealings.  In many communities, notably in rural communities, there will continue to be a need for an outlet provided by a national postal service.  After all, a convenient outlet is most likely the only federal presence in the community.  In urban communities — especially new developments, there are increasingly postal boxes where people can access their mail, thus reducing the need for mail deliverers.  In both cases of Canada and the U.S., traditionally the national postal services were subsidized by the federal governments, and in turn by taxpayers.

Given the rising cost of doing business and declining revenue base, it only makes sense that both national postal services look at creating cost-cutting efficiencies in their operations.  In light of the expected political backlash, such a move will no doubt be tough for both federal governments to initiate.  However, it now seems like they won’t have much choice.

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Jul 8

More Than Just the Temperature, Politics Is Getting Very Hot South of the Canadian Border

by bcurry

Canadians are becoming very concerned about what is happening with respect to the upcoming American elections.  Many of us, myself included, closely watched the televised debate between President Biden and former President Trump.  Clearly this was a defining moment for both presidential candidates, and especially for 81 year old Joe Biden.  Almost immediately, one could see that something was not quite right with Biden.  Frankly, it was hard to watch and one could only feel a sense of sorrow and dread for his haltering performance.  Sorry, something is not quite right in the Whitehouse.  All kinds of excuses and denials began to emerge from his immediate family, his Vice-President and several key Democrats.  Now, the pressure is apparently on from several top Democrats to reassess Biden’s continuation of his campaign and leadership.  However, the President insists that he will continue to run and that he is capable of performing the duties of the most important leader of the Western world.

So where does that leave us?  The U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner and closest ally without doubt.  The prospect of another presidency under Donald Trump has major implications for our relationship, especially in the domestic and international settings.  Given Trump’s campaign promises, nothing that would result has much benefit when looking at future U.S.-Canada relations.  No, this is not an exaggeration!  Right now, the Canadian government is closely examining each and every statement released by Trump.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is seriously lagging in Canadian polls, may even use the possibility of a future Trump administration to suggest that he is most qualified to confront Trump on matters of trade and defence.  Remember that Canada had to fight tooth and nail to get the Americans to agree to Canada’s new trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico — the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA — back in 2018.  There are some experts who claim that Canada lost out in agreeing to the USMCA, especially with respect to each country’s monetary and exchange rate policies and their trade in autos.  One has to wonder if Trump will push to reopen the USMCA to the detriment of the Canadian economy?  More tariffs anyone!

Between now and the November elections, a lot of things can happen.  However, time is running out for the Democrats.  Like a significant number of American voters, most Canadians believe that President Biden should step aside.  Given his latest public appearances and debate performance, there is a lot of concern about the President’s cognitive capabilities.  Donald Trump and the Republicans will continue to harp on the President’s general health, using it to increase their polling results.  Most observers believe that President Biden’s chances of winning the election are increasingly slim.  More importantly, what will the situation mean for the Democrats in congressional and state gubernatorial elections?  All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 34 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested.  Trump may not get the popular vote, but all he needs is a simple majority (270) of the 538 electoral votes to win the election.  At this time, the odds are that he could very well achieve this.

In the still unlikely scenario in which Biden steps down as the nominee, the delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August in Chicago would suddenly be charged with picking a new nominee.  Who that nominee would be is still anyone’s guess.  There is little doubt that an intense and hot debate is going on among Democrats behind the scene.  The heat keeps mounting every day and President Biden must be feeling it right now.  To my knowledge, at no time in the history of United States has such a development occurred between the two major parties!  With all the ongoing speculation, mainstream and social media are having a field day.  When it comes to the divisive nature of this issue for the Democratic Party, no one can really comprehend where it’s going at this time.  I, like many Canadians, hope that the Party can resolve the issue prior to the Convention.  Personally, the situation makes it very difficult to support President Biden’s bid for a second term in office.  The world is watching, including our adversaries.

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Jun 12

Is Inflation On The Way Down?

by bcurry

This past week, both the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Statistics Canada indicated that the general inflation rate trend is gradually going down.  As a result, the Bank of Canada reduced its central bank rate by a quarter of a point.  However, such an interest rate reduction will not immediately affect mortgage and loan rates offered by the banks and other financial institutions.  Also, for the average American and Canadian, the cost of living is still high as demonstrated by food prices and the costs of homes or rents in urban centers.  These costs do not necessarily have as much to do with inflation as they do with regards to other domestic issues and foreign markets.  For this reason, there is little likelihood that food costs, rents and housing costs will decline in the near future.  There is a general lack of affordable housing across both countries and the impact of climate change is already being felt in the agriculture sector.  We will have to wait to see what the U.S. Federal Reserve will do with respect to the current central bank rate.  With inflation sticking at a level above their 2% target, they’re apparently downgrading their outlook for interest rate cuts.

Politically, this situation does not bear well for the governing parties in both countries.  The economy, and especially inflation and high interest rates, is still the priority concern for most voters.  Remember the old adage: “It’s the economy stupid”.  In light of the coming American elections next November, the possibility of major economic improvements is increasingly unlikely every day.  The same can be said for the Canada’s federal government and its ruling Liberal Party under Justin Trudeau, which could call an election next year. 

In general, the current economy has also particularly hurt younger voters, such as Generation Z and the Millennials.  They have been especially affected by the lack of affordable housing and the continuing difficulties surrounding the cost of living and failure of wages to keep up with rising costs.  Their votes in coming elections will be very important and may very well determine which parties are successful in their bids to govern.

Both the Federal Reserve and Bank of Canada have admitted that maintaining very low interest rates over the last decade has contributed to the current economic dilemma.  For example, it created a major imbalance in how the mortgage markets operate, encouraging many people to overspend and helping to cause incredible rising costs in housing.  In addition, new housing developments could not keep up with the created demand.  As a result of the pandemic, there was also a substantial increase in construction costs due to the resulting scarcity of materials.  It has taken some time for the markets to rebound and for supply chains to catch up to the subsequent demands.

While the markets did well during the pandemic and continue to do well, this primarily benefited the large corporate sector and shareholders, but not average Americans and Canadians.  Many of them suffered wage and job losses during the pandemic, and many have not recuperated those losses after the pandemic.  The pandemic significantly altered our economies and our lives.  The consequences will be around for years to come.  Just look at subsequent changes to our labour markets.

Yes, it would appear that the inflation rate is slowly on the way down.  However, for the existing political parties it may be too little and too late.  For the average person, the damage has already been done, resulting in a great deal of anger, frustration and increasing division in political views.  There is little doubt that both the Federal Reserve and Bank of Canada will continue to be cautious in how they handle the central bank rates.  Fearing any potential new inflationary pressures on the economy, don’t expect any major changes in the near future.

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May 21

Why Is It That Anti-Semitism Has Recently Become Associated With The Left?

by bcurry

Historically, anti-Semitism has been primarily associated with extreme white supremist groups in both Canada and the U.S., some of which are known neo-Nazi organizations.   For example, such groups in both countries include the Aryan Brotherhood, Ku Klux Klan, the White Patriarch Party, the American Front, the Heritage Front, the National Socialist Movement, etc., etc.  The list includes political parties, terrorist cells/networks, radical paramilitary groups, criminal gangs, social clubs, organized crime syndicates, websites, internet forums, football hooligan firms, religious sects, and other organizations alike.  In North America, there are dozens of such organizations.  Some have even claimed that such groups have infiltrated the MAGA movement in the U.S., an accusation that former President Trump has never adequately dealt with and more overtly confronted and condemned.

Today, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has raised the spectre of anti-Semitism once again in both countries.  Only this time, the rise of anti-Semitism is being blamed on the left by conservative groups in both countries, particularly in connection to the student and faculty protests in support of the Palestinians.  Conservatives have conveniently associated these protests with their past general accusations that certain faculties in universities and colleges are spreading liberal or so-called “WOKE” ideologies.  Their arguments push the belief that the protests are anti-Israel and therefore consequently promote anti-Semitism on campus.  The conflict, being such a highly emotive and divisive issue, will no doubt give rise to some slogans and elements that could be construed as anti-Semitism.  On campuses, the protests have understandably made some Jewish students uncomfortable, and in some cases even making them feel somewhat unsafe.  However, most protests have proven to be peaceful in nature and even involve some Jewish bodies opposed to the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza.  They are opposed to the policies of the Netanyahu coalition, the most right-wing and religiously conservative administration in Israel’s history.  The opposition of the Jewish community in North American mirrors many of the current protests in Israel itself motivated by a variety of issues — such as the return of the remaining hostages, ending the war, and frustration with military draft rules that allow exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.  Certainly, one cannot claim that the protests in Israel are anti-Semitic in origin.

Unfortunately, in both countries the student protests have often been met with force, particularly where the police have been brought in to remove encampments on certain campuses.  Ironically, some of the arrested students were of Asian American, Native American and Latino ancestry who simply identified with the plight of Palestinians.  I have argued before that the nature of activism on campuses is nothing particularly new, as evidenced by past student protests against the war in Viet Nam, apartheid in South Africa and universities’ investments in the oil and gas industry.  Most of these protests were peaceful and even supported by some college administrations at the time.

Today, it’s not unusual to have conservative media sources blaming much of the unrest on elements deemed to be leftist, although there is little proof that anti-Semitism is the basis for the protests.  In particular, they downplay the obvious desire of protesters to resolve the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza as a result of the Israeli- Hamas military conflict.  Needless-to-say, the extreme right-wing groups are jumping on an opportunity to promote anti-Semitism where it supports their political aspirations.  The reactions of campus administrations and conservative political leaders lend proof in their views as to the influence of Jewish leaders in North America, especially when it comes to support for Israel.  People conveniently tend to forget the historical foundation for anti-Semitism laid by extreme right-wing, mostly white groups in both countries.  They also forget that such groups promote Islamophobia at the same time, which has led to increasing violence and hate speech against Moslems.  Hopefully, one can better tackle the emerging conspiracy theories surfacing around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and leveller heads will surface among our leaders, including those on our campuses and in mainstream media.

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May 15

U.S. Protectionist Trade Policies Will Drag Canada Into Similar Trade Patterns

by bcurry

By signing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2018, the ability of Canada to negotiate a trade deal with China or another “non-market economy” was greatly restricted.  Current or future protectionist policies concerning trade with China or other countries will have a direct effect on Canada’s trade patterns.  Under the USMCA, the U.S. will remain Canada’s biggest trade partner (75.4% of total Canadian exports in 2023), especially in the automotive and energy sectors.  One other result has been that the U.S. bought more goods from Mexico than China in 2023 for the first time in 20 years, evidence of how much global trade patterns have shifted. The U.S. under President Trump and now under President Biden has become the most bilateral-trade-focused government in its history.  Like the U.S., Canada is also looking to conclude deals with the EU, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and India and other democracies eager to share in the benefits of bilateral trade agreements.  For example, as a result in December 2023, Korean exports to the U.S. surpassed Korean exports to China for the first time in 20 years, driven by shipments of vehicles, electric batteries and other parts.

However, in an apparent effort to protect strategic American industries, President Biden’s recent announcement regarding a sharp increase in tariffs on an array of Chinese imports — including electric vehicles, solar cells, semiconductors and advanced batteries — will have an impact on Canada as well.  Initially, the President had pledged to repeal at least some of Trump’s tariffs imposed on China.  However, the upcoming election in 2024 changed all that.  Mr. Biden’s moves, to be phased in over the next three years, now represent the latest trade-war escalation suggesting that the Democrats refuse to cede any ground to their rivals via a tough-on-China appeal to swing voters in the industrial Midwest and beyond.  Politics appears to be overriding economic considerations once again.

Multinationals operating in both the U.S. and Canada are affected by the array of tariffs imposed on Chinese imports, especially when it comes to the need for parts, pharmaceutical ingredients, or rare earth elements essential for many high-tech devices.  However, not everyone in the business community is happy with the most recent tariff increases on these imports.  The National Retail Federation in the U.S., which represents many companies that source or sell Chinese products, called on Mr. Biden to reverse course and lift tariffs.  As consumers continue to battle inflation, the Federation argues that the last thing the administration should be doing is placing additional taxes on imported products that will be paid by U.S. importers and eventually American consumers.  Although the USMCA eliminated tariffs on all Canadian-purchased goods manufactured in the U.S., if a product includes components that were made outside of the U.S. — like China, for example — then the Canadian customer very likely has to pay tariffs on those components.  The same argument can therefore be made with respect to the impact on Canadian consumers and on the inflation rates in both countries.

Mr. Trump has apparently promised to go even further if he wins in November — restricting investment between the two countries and banning some Chinese products from the U.S. entirely.  Back in 2018, with President Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion (U.S.) of Chinese imports, experts noted that a full-fledged trade war between the world’s two economic superpowers would damage Canada’s economy.  At the time, the Retail Council of Canada declared that such U.S. tariffs that would raise the prices of Chinese consumer goods, such as electronics, sold in the U.S. and while prompting more Canadians to shop at home.  However, such a situation today would very likely lead to a further inflationary increase at a time of already high inflation.

Economists have long argued that trade protectionism leads to a misappropriation of global goods and inefficiencies by interfering with the normal benefits offered by free trade.  Cheaper Chinese imports to the U.S. and Canada led to many more affordable consumer goods which otherwise would not have been available in both countries, while also raising average standards of living in China.  In addition, bilateral trade agreements can be broken at any time by either party to an agreement, unaffected by normal global market considerations and swings in trade patterns.

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May 2

Student Protests in U.S. and Canada More Than Just About Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

by bcurry

As most people know who follow current news and social media, college student protests in both countries have escalated in recent weeks.  Students have now set up encampments on campus grounds and have even occupied university buildings.  In numerous cases, especially in the U.S. to date, the university administrations have called in the police to physically force the protesting students from their encampments on campuses.  Universities are doing so under the guise of protecting the safety of their student population, especially in the case of Jewish students who appear concerned for their safety on campus.  In some cases, faculty members have joined the protesters in objecting to the use of physical force, especially where the protests have been peaceful.

However, the fact of the matter is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has also galvanized the unrest witnessed among student bodies over the last two to three decades.  As one observer notes, in many students’ eyes, the war in Gaza is linked to other issues, such as policing, mistreatment of Indigenous people, racism and the impact of climate change.  More than likely, protesters have been joined by others who oppose the role of their governments in terms of their global policies and lack of action on tackling climate change viewed by many as the first priority in terms of today’s issues.  There is a lot of pent-up anger among young people over a number of social issues that they are facing on a daily basis.  In addition, many college programs and policies supporting diversity, equality and inclusion have been watered down, particularly in the U.S. as a result of recent Supreme Court decisions.

In addition, there is the apparent lack of transparency among university administrations concerning the allocation of resources and investments in various domestic and foreign industries and businesses.  Students pay a lot of money to attend these universities and are asking for greater transparency and accountability in such transactions at home and abroad, not only with respect to Israel but also other global matters.  One has to ask whether such student demands are indeed reasonable under the circumstances?

Most would agree that violence on campus, including hate mongering, is not the answer.  Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail over the course of the coming weeks.  However, with pro-Israel students ratcheting up their counter protests on a number of campuses, the climate could grow even more strained in the coming days.  The current disproportionate involvement of an increasingly militarized police force is a major concern, and can only exacerbate the situation on many campuses.

Young people have a right to peacefully protest, which is part of the freedom of expression normally supported in universities and colleges across Canada and the U.S.  Unfortunately, college faculties in many states have come under attack by governments over what is being referred to inappropriately as the “woke” effect.  Critical thinking has come under attack by conservative elements in both countries.  Some faculties are being told not only what they can teach but also how they go about teaching certain subjects.  We must all agree that this is a major affront on the fundamental rights and obligations of universities to offer open and considered dialogue on today’s important issues.  These attacks have once again frustrated many students in light of the increasingly apparent lack of respect for these institutions of “higher learning”.

Universities have often served as one of society’s important settings for activism, given the very nature of examining and questioning many of our daily issues; whether political, economic, environmental or technological.  Activism can often lead to open peaceful protests in a democratic society and must be supported, especially on our campuses.

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Apr 25

Worsening Air Pollution Leads To Worsening Health

by bcurry

The findings in a new report from the American Lung Association (ALA) show the worst toxic particle pollution in the 25 years since the Association released its first annual “State of the Air” report.  More than 131 million Americans live in areas that indicated unhealthy levels of air pollution.  Higher pollution rates have been found to lead to higher rates of chronic health problems such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.  In the long term, researchers have even found that pollution very likely is linked to brain damage that puts people at higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. 

The ALA report used only data from 2020 to 2022.  It did not include the impact of the historic wildfires across Canada in 2023 that choked many eastern U.S. and Canadian cities, often turning skies orange.  Air quality across American and Canadian cities is once again expected to deteriorate due to an early start to the wildfire season already underway this spring, notably in Alberta and British Columbia.

The costs of health impacts due to pollution, especially on the health care system, are enormous.  A University of B.C. study in 2007 claimed that pollution is killing 25,000 Canadians a year and costing the health care system more than $9 billion (Can) annually.  A recent analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggested that further lowering the level of allowable particulate matter in the air would save lives and health costs.  By 2032, the EPA estimates that it would amount to $46 billion (U.S.) in cost savings and help the U.S. avoid 4,500 premature deaths, 800,000 cases of asthma and 290,000 lost workdays.

Paul Billings, ALA’s senior vice president of public policy, told USA TODAY that, despite a lot of progress on air pollution cleanup, we’re seeing the impacts of climate change, particularly wildfires.  The impact is overwhelming a lot of cleanup, particularly with respect to these daily spikes of particle pollution.  There is little doubt that much more needs to be done in both the U.S. and Canada to reduce air pollution and improve air quality.  Both countries have managed to do this with respect to ozone levels which have declined in some places due to governments acting on implementing regulated restrictions and encouraging new greener technologies.

So when you go out for your daily run or bicycling in urban locations, don’t forget that you may be breathing in air that very likely will not be overly healthy for you physically.  If you must, do so in the early morning hours when pollution levels are at their lowest.  Take the appropriate precautions, especially during the wildfire season by wearing an appropriate mask and limiting your outdoor activities when applicable.  Fortunately, most municipalities have good air quality monitoring on a continuing basis which can be accessed daily via the Internet.  I know that I’ll be using these information sources once again this coming summer.  Good luck and good health!

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Mar 25

Electorate in Both U.S. and Canada Appears to be Very Disgruntled. I Wonder Why?

by bcurry

George H. W. Bush Senior, going into his bid for a second term, was frequently told that it’s all about the economy stupid!  The U.S. economy went into a recession in 1990; the unemployment rate rose from 5.9% in 1989 to a high of 7.8% in mid-1991; and the debt percentage of total gross domestic product (GDP) rose from 39.4% in 1989 to almost 46.8% in 1992.  By the presidential election in1992, many conservative Republicans’ support of Bush had waned for a variety of reasons, including raising taxes and cutting defense spending.  Americans were less concerned with his foreign policy successes (e.g. Persian Gulf War victory over Iraq) than with the nation’s deteriorating economic situation.  Thus, despite having once been a relatively popular president, he lost to Bill Clinton.

Today, the primary issue among voters continues to be the economy, and especially the high rate of inflation and high interest rates affecting people’s mortgages and the cost of loans in general.  Yes, there is low unemployment and more people are employed today than anytime since the pandemic.  However, unfortunately for Joe Biden, the average American is struggling on a daily basis to make ends meet, especially since average wages have not kept up with increasing inflation over the last few years.  Many people and businesses are still recovering from the pandemic, which has created a real sense of insecurity and a general malaise within the population.

Taking all of this into account, and that people are not happen with another Trump vs. Biden election, there is a general mistrust with governance.  The same can be said for in Canada where you have a Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and a party that has been in power for over nine years.  The opposition is continuously harpooning about the high cost of inflation and high interest rates that average Canadians are facing.  There is also a good amount of discord over the government’s intention to raise the national carbon tax this coming April, despite it being only one element of several policies aimed at tackling climate change.  However, right now, climate change has taken a back seat to the economy.  A federal election will very likely be called next year in Canada, and all the government can hope for is that the economy will improve and inflation will come down.

Overall, these are tough times for governing parties.  There appear to be no win-win situations.  Government deficits have been climbing steadily, partly in earlier response to the pandemic, with no end in sight.  Wars overseas in the Ukraine and Middle East are not helping.  Funds are being allocated to support the Ukraine against Russia, Israel’s military and the plight of Palestinian refugees in Gaza.  The situation has placed both the U.S. and Canada in a difficult situation given the evolving humanitarian crisis in both conflicts.  In terms of foreign policy, domestically it is a no-win and highly emotive situation for both governments in terms of supporting one side or the other particularly in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In addition, stability in the energy markets is constantly under threat as a result of the sanctions against Russian oil and natural gas exports and the general unstable situation in the Middle East.  As a result, there has been a measurable direct or indirect impact in the form of rising costs for gas and heating fuel in North America.

There is little doubt that we live uncertain times.  There is also little doubt that voters are concerned with the cost of living and continuing hard economic times.  This bleak outlook does not bode well for President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau.  The question then becomes whether their political opponents can take advantage of the situation?  I guess time will tell.

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Mar 16

Why Are So Many People In North America On Antidepressants?

by bcurry

At no time in our history have so many Americans and Canadians been prescribed antidepressants.  Firstly, one should remember that patients who take the drugs often get them from their regular doctor rather than a so-called mental health professional.  Feeling down or unhappy with your life, go see your doctor and get prescribed some form of antidepressant.

According to a 2011 analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, antidepressants were the third-most common drug used by Americans of all ages between 2005 and 2008.  They were the most common drug among people aged 18 to 44.  According to the same survey, U.S. women are 2-1/2 times more likely than men to take antidepressants, and whites are more likely than blacks to take the drugs. Also, fewer than a third of Americans taking one antidepressant drug and fewer than half of those taking more than one have seen a mental health professional in the past year.

Canadians now rank among the highest users of antidepressants in the world.  In 2011, Canadians consumed 86 daily doses of antidepressants for every 1,000 people per day. One of Canada’s top psychiatrists stated that too many Canadians are treating life’s normal spells of misery the way they would handle something they dislike about their bodies: by asking a doctor to make their lives better.  Canadians take twice as many antidepressants as Italians do, and more than Germans or French.  In 2011, Canada reported the third highest level of consumption of antidepressants among 23 member nations surveyed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

What’s even more alarming showed up in a large 2015 American study containing data about the state of children’s mental health in the U.S.  The study found that depression in many children appears to start as early as age 11.  By the time they hit age 17, the analysis found 13.6 percent of boys and a staggering 36.1 percent of girls have been or are considered depressed.  These numbers are significantly higher than previous estimates.  As recently as the 1980s, adolescents were considered too developmentally immature to be able to experience such a grown-up affliction. Today, most scientists recognize that children as young as 4 or 5 years of age can be depressed.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Diagnosed clinical depression is a very serious mental illness.  Many of us are familiar with persons with such a diagnosis, and who are undergoing treatment which includes antidepressants.  In such cases, antidepressants are essential in treating severe, debilitating and life-threatening depression.  However, the pills including Prozac and its cousins that were held out to be miraculous when they hit the market in the late 1980s, are increasingly being swallowed by millions of Americans and Canadians every day.  However, recent studies suggest that, in cases of mild depression where one is still working and functioning, the drugs often don’t work, or they produce a temporary placebo effect which doesn’t last.

One observer declared that “drugging unhappiness” has far too often become the easy solution, especially one taken by family physicians.  Remember the 1960s and 1970s when someone complaining of some form of anxiety was prescribed Valium.  With its launch in 1963, diazepam, which was patented in 1959 by Hoffmann-La Roche, became one of the most frequently prescribed medications in the world.  In the U.S. it was the best-selling medication between 1968 and 1982, selling more than 2 billion tablets in 1978 alone, prescribed particularly to women.  For some its continuing use became addictive.  In addition, besides dependence, long-term use can result in tolerance and withdrawal symptoms on dose reduction.  Abrupt stopping after long-term use can be potentially dangerous.  For these reasons, the drugs became less prescribed in later years.

Today, our societies must begin to question why people believe that they require medication to deal with their everyday lives and a state of so-called unhappiness.  What’s even more worrisome is the fact that more and more children are being diagnosed with some form of depression at an ever younger age!  Given these facts, one cannot but conclude that something is terribly wrong with our general state of mental health and with our health care systems.

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Feb 26

Future of Child Care Up in the Air in Both the U.S. and Canada

by bcurry

Providing adequate child care has been a major issue in both countries.  From an economic point of view and in terms of economic growth, the continued participation of women in the labour market is recognized as being extremely important.  A 2019 Washington Post article reported that in 1990, 74 percent of American women between the ages of 25 and 54 either had a job or were looking for one, the sixth-highest rate among 22 rich countries.  By 2017, though, that number had risen to 75 percent, by then the fourth-lowest share among the same group of wealthy nations.  In Canada, statistics have shown that the participation of women in the labour force has consistantly been well above 60 percent in recent decades.  There are more working couples than ever, especially now that more women have chosen professional careers and many are needed in numerous labour-intensive sectors such as in health care, education, retail and the services.  Interestingly, a Statistics Canada study in 2019, noted that approximately 60 percent of children aged 0 to 5 years were participating in a formal or informal type of child care arrangement.

In order to support women’s participation, numerous jurisdictions have taken measures to reduce the costs of child care.  In both countries, child care is a direct responsibility of the states and provinces, with support funding often provided by the federal governments.  In 2003, the Canadian federal government announced a $1-billion, multiyear investment proposal in child care, requiring negotiations with the provinces to eventually establish a national child care program.  Consequently, Canada recently introduced a program to subsidize universal child care, in due course providing an average fee of 10 dollar-a-day child care by 2025-26 to all Canadian families.  During the pandemic in the U.S., there was temporary relief to keep the industry afloat.  The federal government made $24 billion available to the states.  Many providers were given thousands of dollars a month, depending on their size, which they used to pay for expenses, the biggest of which was wages.

Running a child care business has long been a very challenging math problem.  Many providers can barely afford to operate, yet many parents cannot afford to pay more.  It has also become harder to recruit child-care workers, one of the lowest-paying jobs in both countries.  With the termination of pandemic federal funding, some states, including a few led by Republicans, have invested state funds to make up for the pursuant loss of federal funds.  For example, this year Vermont will start to spend $125 million a year for large expansions in eligibility for subsidies for low-income families, and Kentucky spent $50 million on grants after federal funds expired.  Reportedly, the Biden administration has asked Congress for $16 billion for one year of additional funding for child care.  Apparently, a group of Democratic senators support it.  However, it is unlikely that it would get the Republican approval needed to pass.

There are additional considerations that have a direct impact on the current use of child care.  During the pandemic, many women began working from home.  Known as remote work, this has permitted some parents to increasingly provide home-based child care, further reducing their family costs and reliance on outside services.  In addition, the current high inflation has had a direct impact on the costs of running a child care operation, hitting the bottom line of many businesses.  Expenses include payroll, utilities, mortgage payments, food and supplies.  Like everyone, low-paid child-care workers have been affected by high inflation, and the result is a greater turnover rate among such workers.

While there are always debates over whether home care or external child care are more effective regarding a child’s early development, the fact is that the provision of quality child care is considered an essential element of a modern economy and its growth.  Those providing child care services are facing very difficult circumstances, everything from increasing costs to a shortage of qualified child-care workers.  In particular, the pay and working conditions for such workers, many qualified in early learning, has to be improved.  It is inexcusable that a society doesn’t adequately support those responsible for caring for our children, be they parents or child-care workers.  This is certainly one of the most crucial issues of our decade.

Child Care Child Care Women's Issues Women's Issues

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