Editorial—Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

The Alberta government has increased the restrictions, with those additional restrictions coming, as is appropriate, today, Friday the thirteenth.  Unlucky if you’re a gym or a pub owner.  But many Albertans also feel unlucky that the government is not taking stronger actions, noting that the reason the disease is ramping up so quickly already is because too many people are not taking the personal responsibility that Premier Kenney says is what he expects them to do to slow the viral spread.

I went shopping the other day in Ikea here in Calgary.  In retrospect, it wasn’t the best of ideas, as their rat warren-like store doesn’t help with social distancing in the first place, but on top of that I spotted two separate groups of people taking absolutely no COVID-19 precautions, and IKEA staff blithely ignoring it.  Of course, I have to admit, I did little better, not wanting to take the initiative to confront these people and ask why they had so little concern for those around them or for the businesses in the province, as it is actions like theirs that are adding to our current outbreak and pushing the province to take increasing lockdown actions again.

Then again, it’s not my job to act as store security.  I’m not getting paid to do so, after all.  The frustrating part is that those who were getting paid to do so weren’t doing the job.  We are why we can’t have nice things, people.

However, the snow on the ground has reminded me that we’re rapidly approaching the end of the year, and, as always at this time of year, I need your help.  I need you to remind me of some of the best articles we published over the past year, so that, come January, I can start us off with a Best of the Voice issue.  If there’s an article you read over the past year that you think more people should see, or an article that just tickled you for some reason, let me know at voice@voicemagazine.org.  There may even be some swag in it for a few of the better responses.

Meanwhile, this week, we interview student Jo-Mary Crowchild, a student pursuing an ecology focussed program, which may mean that she ends up having to transfer away from AU, but right now, she’s pursuing her Bachelor of Science here and using the freedom of AU to allow her to continue her advocacy work and hiking with her dog.

We also have a look at what is happening to those people who have “recovered” from COVID-19, with some information on why simply not dying may not mean the type of recovery that many people seem to think it means.  Natalia Iwanek expands that to look at other long-term illnesses and the difficulties that western medicine has in identifying and treating such problems, and what COVID-19 may mean in that respect.

We’ve also got the latest council meeting report, from our news Council Meeting reporter, Emily Viggiani.  The next council meeting is coming up this Wednesday, November 18, and all students are welcome.  Plus, of course, our usual selection of helpful advice, recipes, news, scholarships, events, and even some ergonomic assistance.  Turns out, those old paper textbooks may still be useful for something.  Enjoy the read!