michael adams

The anguish and confrontations spreading across the United States in response to the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer have captured the attention of news audiences in that country and around the world.

Data from the 2018 Wellcome Global Monitor, a major study of attitudes to science and health conducted by Gallup in 140 countries, shows that most people worldwide trust scientists, and trust a doctor or nurse for health advice over other sources, such as family, friends or religious leaders.

In just a few days, we went from wondering how COVID-19 would affect us to finding ourselves in the midst of a national emergency. Many expect major disruptions to expose the weak patches in our civic fabric, and there have been, and will continue to be, actions and episodes that have disappointed and shocked.

Canadians don’t just want things to get back to normal; they want things to get better. The country has moved on from where it was in 1990.

Americans don’t often talk about Canada, except when they need a foil in a political debate. Bernie Sanders has praised our health-care system. Gun-control advocates point to radically lower rates of firearms fatalities north of the border.

Functional families celebrate their members’ achievements – be they graduations from school, promotions at work, or personal bests in weekend pursuits.

When racist incidents in Canada grab public attention, they usually provoke two reactions: general condemnation, and then a resolution to finally start a serious conversation about race relations in this country.

As the two most powerful parties promise that Canadians can have it all, without sacrifice, surely some voters have a sneaking feeling there’s something important they’re not being told.

There are few certainties heading into an election campaign; the outcome is up for grabs. The one thing many do feel certain of is that it is Canada's turn to be buffeted by the winds of populism.

As recently as a few decades ago, most Canadians didn’t look kindly on sexual diversity. In 1987, just one in ten approved of “homosexuals.” While fewer than one in five thought a job applicant’s race (18%) or religion (14%) mattered, 44 percent believed homosexuality should be taken into account.