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Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
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4 Nov, 9 tweets, 3 min read
How do we prevent US style polarization from wrecking Canada?

Already here we are seeing signs of populist echo chambers, fueled by new right-wing news sources and through private Facebook groups.
Like it or not, the US election was far closer than expected, especially given Trump’s missteps on Covid19 and ethical and many other lapses. Exit polls of his voters consistently showed that law and order as well as economic issues were their main concerns.
Hidden Tribes breaks the electorate into a number of camps. What’s interesting is the centre-left and centre-right folks form a silent majority. It’s extremists on the fringes who drive polarization, and the same is happening here.
hiddentribes.us
1) Invite centre-right conservative ideas into the mainstream. Outside of Postmedia and Andrew Coyne you would be hard pressed to see anyone articulating clear conservative views in the pundit class. There’s also the specter of cancel culture, which hopefully stays in America.
2) The CBC used to have (pre crazy) Rex Murphy and Kevin O’Leary, there’s probably better people now. Missing are 1st/2nd gen immigrants, who decide key suburban districts, and like the Latinos who flocked to Trump, are attracted to fiscally and socially conservative ideas
3) Regulate social media - we don’t tolerate outright lies in our broadcast and print media like the Americans do, we shouldn’t either in social media. I’ve had many patients repeat falsehoods from manipulative memes from private FB groups. This is well within CRTC powers.
4) Handle law and order and societal problems effectively - opioid overdoses are at their highest in BC, gun violence is reaching new heights in Toronto. Voters notice a lack of attention to these topics.
5) Keep our institutions strong - we’ve got a great base to build on, our government services are top notch and we have much to be proud of. We are a long way from US style dysfunction. I’ve written about these here:
Would love to hear any other ideas as well!

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More from @KashPrime

Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
4 Nov
Many of you are undoubtedly shocked by the election outcome tonight. Our American neighbours will endure 4 more years of brash, incompetent populism.

Can it happen in Canada?

I couldn't sleep, so here I’ll list reasons how I think we can avoid a similar outcome
The rot that takes place with the loss of democratic norms requires a society to be in great distress, like hyperinflation in Germany in the 1930s. A well functioning government anticipates and cares for its citizens and heads off these crises through shared action.
Firstly, our government is much better run. A strong civil service was able to roll out funding during the Corona lockdown in record time. We have non partisan judges, who issue perfectly bland rulings. Hardly anyone here would be able to name a judge on the supreme court
Read 10 tweets
Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
3 Nov
Great to hear that the Ontario government is going to adopt clear metrics on when to open and close regions. This will keep politics to a minimum, especially now that things may have started to turn around in parts of the province.
R = 1.04, but growth is still happening in some of the restricted regions, particularly in Peel region
And Ontario has the lowest active case count per capita outside of the Atlantic bubble

Read 5 tweets
Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
2 Nov
There’s talk in Ontario of relaxing restrictions on restaurants and gyms, which were responsible for 40% of cases that could be traced in TO. Here are economic reasons of why this is a terrible idea, especially when much of Europe and the US is falling apart

Thread:
Ontario and Quebec are doing fairly well since imposing restrictions; growth in cases has been linear, not exponential, and hospitals have not been overwhelmed. If we can live with ~1000 cases and 10 deaths per day in Ontario, that is.
If you look at economic data from StatsCan, the economy contracted by ~15% during the peak of the first lockdown in March/April, and has largely bounced back to normal in the last few months
www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.…
Read 6 tweets
Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
7 Oct
Wanted to build on this media piece with some background and concrete steps that we can take to start protecting the most vulnerable communities in our big cities. Thread:
Many of us in health care are very appreciative of all the things @fordnation has done to keep us safe. Unlike the US very few health care workers have gotten sick, and hopefully will stay that way. He listened to us at @conquercovid19 in March and got things done.
To his credit, Ford is also one of the only premiers who has kept pushing for rapid tests, the rapid PCR and rapid antigen tests, and his constant pressure at the federal level, I think was instrumental in them getting approved this week. cbc.ca/news/politics/…
Read 13 tweets
Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
27 Aug
We've been compiling info on school reopening plans across the country. No clear winner yet, but Nova Scotia seems the best, Quebec the worst

We're going to keep updating this as more info comes in, and you can check here

masks4canada.org/safeseptember/…

#masks4canada #SafeSeptember
School reopening depends on all of these important factors being optimized
1) Masks for children of all ages can be difficult to accept, but evidence is increasing on their effectiveness. @ChildLifeMorgan goes over some basics on how to prepare your kids for school
Read 12 tweets
Kashif Pirzada, MD Profile picture
19 Aug
It’s clear not enough is being done to ensure a safe return to schools. Covid-19 numbers are low but rising, and what progress we’ve made will be lost if we mishandle this crucial transition. We at #Masks4Canada we are recommending an approach with the following points
1) Masks K-12: There is increasing evidence that kids spread Covid with gusto. This is a big but necessary cultural change, but it has to be done. Start preparing your kids to wear them, make it fun, make it a game.

Some resources:
masks4canada.org/resources/for-…
2) HVAC - a crucial and overlooked step. modern hospitals can exchange air rapidly, many older schools don't. Schools need to be tested. Windows must be opened, HEPA filters installed in rooms or added to central HVAC systems. Avoid any enclosed spaces with stagnant air
Read 10 tweets

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