What Covid-19 Has Taught Us About Our Political Leaders

I am a resident of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I live in a city and province where Covid-19 is just about out of control. It did not have to be this way. The warning signs have been there for months. But the premier of this province just did not get it and still does not get it. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a core set of leadership skills that are determinants of how successful a politician is in managing this crisis. Premier Ford has not demonstrated that he has these key leadership attributes.

A Belief in Science

The science has helped us understand the key elements of this highly transmissible virus. The Ontario’s Covid-19 Scientific Table is composed of several very knowledgeable medical experts. They advised the politicians that the virus is spread between individuals who are in enclosed spaces and are close together. The scientists have told us for months that if we stay home, wear masks, and remain socially distant, we can greatly reduce the spread.

In Ontario, we are in the third wave of the virus. The number of new cases is rising on almost a daily basis. But Premier Ford has chosen to close parks, golf and tennis clubs but keep factories, warehouses, and places of worship open. Is there a need to manufacture ladies’ purses during a pandemic? Why place people in congregated indoor settings which increase the risk of catching the virus?

On the other hand, with everyone in lockdown, why not let people get some exercise at a golf course or tennis court? The fact is that the premier of Ontario has ignored the science and the direction of his medical experts. Ontario is paying a severe price for this leadership failure.

Placing the Health of Citizens over the Health of the Economy

So many politicians have believed that if they can maintain the economic activity in their jurisdiction, they will enhance their odds of being re-elected. Will the citizens of Ontario forgive Doug Ford if they, their families or friends get sick or worse, die from Covid? Will they forgive Doug Ford if Ontario runs out of ICU beds and people die from the decisions made by the triage team? Will they re-elect Doug Ford if Ontario must go through one lockdown after another?

Doug Ford could have acted to help the citizens of his province. Why not offer paid sick leave so people with Covid symptoms can stay home and not run the risk of infecting their co-workers? Why not prioritize the health and well-being of the citizens of Ontario over political ambitions?

Evidence of a global economic boom is growing by the day. Indicators ranging from retail sales to unemployment claims to manufacturing activity point to improving growth. The Institute for Supply Management said its index of U.S. factory activity in March hit its highest level in 37 years. A few weeks ago, the International Monetary Fund hiked this year’s global growth estimate to 6 per cent, up from 5.5 per cent.

The corporate sector has consistently posted results well ahead of expectations, providing markets with a constant diet of positive news, thereby reinforcing investors’ upbeat sentiment. The persistent gap between forecast and actual results is a product of a global economic catastrophe averted. Will Doug Ford preserve his position by virtue of an improving economy? This would be very sad.

Make the Tough Decisions in a Timely Manner

We are in a third wave in Ontario because Doug Ford did not make the tough decisions after the first or second wave. Doug Ford was tentative and unwilling to take decisive action. He did not have the courage and fortitude to prescribe the harsh medicine that was required. Now the province is in deep trouble.

Reduce the Spread of the Virus and Deaths by Protecting the Most Vulnerable Citizens

The treatment of people in Ontario’s assisted living homes during the pandemic has been a disgrace. So many of our most vulnerable citizens became ill or died. With multiple seniors sometimes living in the same room in so many locations, this was a recipe for disaster. There was no pandemic plan for our most vulnerable citizens.

Even now, there are certain areas of the province that are Covid hot spots. These are often low-income neighbourhoods where multi-generational families live in the same home. The Ontario government’s plan for the distribution of the vaccine has been confusing and suboptimal in effectiveness. The focus on specific age groups and segments of society has contributed to the current problems. Poor planning and distribution processes have made a bad situation even worse.

When one looks at these four leadership characteristics, they are the same as the ones that were not exhibited by President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump was voted out of office, largely as a result of his failures in managing the pandemic. However, these skills were exhibited by the leaders of Australia, New Zealand and other countries who achieved success in minimizing the impacts of the virus. It will be interesting to see how the citizens of Ontario and other jurisdictions, reward or punish their leaders for their management of this major health crisis.

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