On Parliament Hill

Last week, one of my Liberal colleagues asked a profound question.

“How do we get over the fear factor that’s been established in Canada by governments at all levels?”

Given that it is National Mental Health week in Canada, it seems an appropriate time to discuss the tremendous damage that lockdowns, as well as internet misinformation and disinformation, and wall to wall COVID-19 coverage by the national media, have inflicted on the mental health and overall wellbeing of Canadians.

We are all familiar with COVID-19, however this past year has spawned a destructive pandemic of fear.

Canadians are afraid.

Afraid of the virus.

Afraid for loved ones.

Others are afraid of the infringements on their rights and freedoms by governments.

Afraid that their businesses will never recover.

Afraid that the Canada they love will never be the same.

Others still have been driven to fear by the flurry of conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation circulating online.

Whether we agree these fears are justified or not, we can agree that fear, by its nature, leads to anxiety, division and poor decision making.

When people are afraid, they move away from logic, common sense and compassion and move to extremes.

Over the past year, governments – often motivated by fear themselves – have stoked these fears by their actions and their inability, or unwillingness, to communicate a clear plan to move beyond restrictions.

So have many of those in the national media.

Whether intentional or un-intentional, whether by mainstream, fringe or social media, misinformation, or information reported without context, has been breathlessly reported as “facts”.

Perhaps they too are afraid that once COVID is gone, so too will their relevance. Their power.

As one veteran journalist told my office:

“There’s no context anymore. No attempt at objectivity. Not even a healthy skepticism. Just a regurgitation of government talking points and opinion.”

As governments grapple with growing resistance to cycle after cycle of restrictions and vaccine hesitancy, the media continues to saturate COVID-weary Canadians with news cycle after news cycle of 24/7 COVID-19 coverage, as if there is nothing else that matters anywhere in the world.

Small wonder people are exhausted and mental health issues are on the rise.

In the days and years ahead, governments of all levels will need to be held accountable for their actions. I hope that those in both the national and fringe media will face a similar scrutiny.

In the meantime, perhaps it would benefit all of us to take a mental health break from media. Give yourself a break from fear and anxiety, anger, and blame. Turn off the TV. Get off social media. Put your phones in a drawer. Take some time to go for a walk outside. Reconnect with your spouse. Spend quality time as a family. Talk about something else.

There was a world before COVID-19. There will be a life after COVID-19. This too shall pass.

For my part, as your MP, I will continue to advocate for common-sense policies and a safe but swift return to normal life. The sooner we can do that, the sooner we can begin to heal and, once again, prosper as a nation.