Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

RUSTAD -- So many questions. But this is certain, the sun will rise tomorrow


As a beautiful sunset rests on a glorious day, music from one world together plays in the background.

Swans and Canada Geese are still on the lawn gobbling up what food they can find. Dozens of ducks fly in for a landing on the small area of lake that is now ice free. For them, nothing has changed, but for the rest of us, the world is a different place that nobody has ever seen before.

The critical health impacts of a pandemic. The unknown of how it will develop. People’s livelihoods disrupted. Line ups to enter a grocery store and shelves not nearly as stocked as we are used to. Love ones isolated, not being able to reach out and be comforted. Fear, uncertainty and isolation are taking a toll on everyone.

I have spoken with so many whose small business has been significantly impacted. Many are coming to the realization that their life’s work may not survive this. So many ask me, when we will return to normal?

What will normal be? Nobody knows for sure.

How long will it be? Nobody can answer that question either.

But one thing is clear, we will likely be in isolation for about another month. After that, months of limited activity that will ebb and flow with the outcomes of the virus.

What will it take to bring this to an end?

There is hope through medical research. A treatment is the best option for a rapid solution. A vaccine would allow for herd immunity, but that may be a year or two away. And even then, just like the seasonal flu, will COVID-19 continue to mutate?

Will immunization last or will we need to take a COVID-19 shot every fall? Until we have answers, we are asked to be patient and find a new normal. Beyond that, who knows.


Will wearing masks become a daily attire? Will people be comfortable going to restaurants as much as they used to? 

Will countries turn inward and avoid global trade? Will government have to monetize their debt in a desperate attempt to balance their books?

So many questions. But this is certain: the sun will rise tomorrow.

The world will keep turning. We will need to adapt, learn and accept something different.

Change is never welcome. The only thing that will be comforting is that we will all go through this change together.


ABOUT JOHN RUSTAD:

First elected as the MLA for Nechako Lakes (2005), John previously served as the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation ... Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations ... and as Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry.

He currently serves as the Official Opposition's critic on Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations and was appointed to the Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders, and Private Bills.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC’s Forestry Decline Is a Policy Failure, Not a Market Reality -- Forestry Critic Calls for Accountability and Urgent Policy Reset

Conservative Party of BC Forestry Critic, and Kamloops - North Thompson MLA,  Ward Stamer As the Truck Loggers Association convention begins today, BC Conservative Forestry Critic Ward Stamer says British Columbia’s forestry crisis is the result of government mismanagement, not market forces, and that an urgent policy reset is needed to restore certainty, sustainability, and accountability. “For generations, forestry supported families and communities across BC,” said Stamer.  “Today, mills are closing, contractors are parking equipment, and families are being forced to leave home, not because the resource is gone, but because policy has failed.” Government data shows timber shipment values dropped by more than half a billion dollars in the past year, with harvest levels falling by roughly 50 per cent in just four years. At the same time, prolonged permitting timelines, unreliable fibre access, outdated forest inventories, and rising costs have made long-term planning impossib...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eby government signs another land-use agreement, as they say one thing and do another, during DRIPA chaos

While promising to fix DRIPA, the Eby government continues to quietly sign binding land-use agreements that fundamentally alter how Crown land is governed in British Columbia. On January 15, 2026, the government signed four ministerial orders advancing the Gwa’ni Land Use Planning Project with the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, amending the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan and changing how more than 166,000 hectares of Crown land can be accessed, developed, and managed. “This is Land Act reform by stealth,” said Critic for Indigenous Relations Scott McInnis. “British Columbians already rejected these changes once. In 2024, public backlash forced the NDP to pull its Land Act amendments. Instead of listening, this government has gone underground, signing individual deals behind closed doors, just like we’ve already seen in places such as Squamish, Teẑtan Biny, and across Northwest BC.” “The Premier admits DRIPA ( the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act) is creating ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more