Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- John Michael McGrath discusses how Ontario (like so many other jurisdictions) has walked directly into a third wave, resulting in people dying for no reason other than government negligence. Matt Gurney likewise notes that there are no longer any excuses for insufficient action given the extensive experience we have with the coronavirus (and the dire consequences of failing to respond appropriately). Andre Picard notes that the attempt to substitute empty words for meaningful action is resulting in the filling of ICUs. And Jen Gerson theorizes that a widespread tendency toward complacency has much to do with the poor responses across much of Canada.

- Meanwhile, Cecile Philippe and Nicolas Marques examine (PDF) what governments have won when they've pursued a COVID-zero strategy - including both superior health outcomes, and far less economic disruption.

- The Globe and Mail's editorial board writes that there's no longer any justification for offering vaccinations by age rather than by more meaningful risk profiles (including exposure to people as an essential front-line worker). And Emma Teitel pairs a similar call to vaccinate frontline workers with another needed appeal for paid sick leave.

- Finally, Bernie Sanders offers a reminder of the obscene gap between rich and poor in the U.S. - and the readily available policy options to close it. Scilla Alecci discusses new research from the International Centre for Tax and Development on the amount of wealth being stashed offshore by corporations to avoid contribution to the social good. John Burbank writes about Washington state's move toward implementing a wealth tax. And Phillip Inman reports on the IMF's call for more progressive tax systems to reduce growing inequality of income and wealth.