Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Lisa O'Mary discusses the sharply increased risk of severe outcomes from a second (or later) COVID -19 infection. Lauren O'Mahoney et al. examine the large number of long COVID patients with unresolved symptoms. And Kyra Markov writes that Alberta (like so many other jurisdictions) has failed to learn any lessons from the pandemic to date, or take obvious steps to protect public health as it continues.  

- Max Fawcett offers a reminder that the CERB and other pandemic supports were mostly successful at achieving absolutely essential goals. Scott Martin calls out the corporate media for a targeted set of attacks on the CERB which helped to keep working-class people afloat, particularly as it pays relatively little attention to the larger amount paid out to employers in CEWS wage subsidies. And Ally Lemieux-Fanset discusses how a new era of austerity is likely to drive people back into poverty. 

- Meanwhile, James Tapper reports on new research showing how working-class people have far less opportunity to work in artistic careers than they did 50 years ago. And Don Wright questions why governments are choosing to drive down wages even while echoing corporate complaints about a "worker shortage"). 

- Finally, Doug Allan discusses how the Ford PCs have cut compensation for health care workers while claiming to be investing in health care by funneling money to the corporate sector. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- John Nichols interviews Bernie Sanders about the importance of resurrecting the principle of economic rights. Gallup examines how the American public is again recognizing the value of unions. And Simon Goodley writes about the positive effects of shortening the work week to 4 days by pointing out how productivity increases in weeks which are shorter due to holidays.

- But of course, we can count on our right-wing demagogues to never let evidence get in the way of their goal of shredding social bonds. On that front, Michelle Bellefontaine reports on the UCP's first fiscal update, featuring their declaration that they'll keep corporate tax giveaways in place regardless of whether or not they result in promised jobs or investment. And Doug Allan points out how Doug Ford plans to slash funding to Ontario's health care system which is already struggling to meet patients' needs.

- Geoff Zochodne reports on BMO's decision to exit the reinsurance market - with the risks of climate change representing a substantial part of the reason.

- Janyce McGregor reports on the Libs' insistence on pushing a free trade deal with the same Bolsonaro regime that's facilitating the destruction of the Amazon rain forest. And this - as Scott Gilmore points out - at a time when the rest of the world is learning to work around Donald Trump and his ilk.

- Finally, Christopher Guly writes that the Libs haven't succeeded in stifling any discussion of electoral reform - and that they can expect any possible multi-party negotiations to include that as a must.