Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Donald McNeil discusses how inconsistency in state-level policies and a lack of federal leadership have combined to result in the coronavirus epidemic manifesting in radically different ways across the U.S. And Karen Wang points out the ticking clock facing Canadian students, parents and teachers as schools are set to resume operations with far too few precautions. And CBC News reports on Alberta's excuse for a forum to answer questions about its plan (which stands to be mirrored by Saskatchewan) - though it omits the justified dissatisfaction of participants.

- Robert Reich points out that Donald Trump's attempts to create distractions from a pandemic are doomed to failure. And James Politi notes that any economic rebound resulting from premature reopening looks to have come to a quick and disappointing end.

- Brigitte Pellerin discusses how Ottawa's altered use of streets arising out of the need for social distancing has made its public spaces far more welcoming and functional. And Paul Shaker examines how the same trend is playing out across Canadian cities.

- Meanwhile, Nick Falvo writes that the pandemic offers opportunities for our governments to ensure the availability of housing for everybody, particularly in meeting commitments to provide supportive housing for people who need it.

- Finally, the Globe and Mail's editorial board offers a reminder of the opioid epidemic which has thus far killed more people in the western provinces than COVID-19 - and is especially critical of Jason Kenney's government which (like Scott Moe's) refuses to fund any harm reduction measures to save lives.