New Year, New Normal?
Dear Brentwoodians,
The beginning of January is a natural time to reflect on the past year, and to look ahead. I think it is safe to say that most of us will be glad to see the end of 2020, and all the challenges that it has thrown in our way. With vaccines becoming available, we are eagerly awaiting the day when we can spend time with loved ones in person instead of virtually, attend concerts and sporting events, or even just do our shopping, without having to socially distance or worry about getting sick. And for many, go back to work and try to recover from the financial blow the pandemic has brought with it.
It is, of course, important to not let our guard down too early. Wearing masks, limiting our movements, and keeping distanced, will continue to be an unwelcome, but necessary, part of daily life until everyone has received the vaccines, which could be months away. In the place of mandates and rules, we all need to take responsibility for our safety, and the safety of others in our community.
Thinking ahead to post-pandemic life, a number of questions remain unanswered:
- Will the businesses in our neighbourhoods and city recover? Small businesses were already struggling in the face of Alberta’s economic problems, and competition from huge multinationals before the COVID-19 crisis.
- Will we keep working from home? Many of us have had the luxury to do our work remotely, and businesses may continue to offer this option to employees who want to continue doing so. Who wants to sit in traffic to commute to a desk job that could easily be done from home?
- Will business travel return? Once travel restrictions are eased it seems likely that people will return to the skyways for vacations and visiting family, but many businesses have found over the past year that costly travel for in-person meetings can be greatly reduced through videoconferencing.
- Will the provincial economy make another comeback? A global price war had already depressed oil prices and caused havoc in Alberta’s oil and gas industry before the pandemic, and the drop in travel mentioned above compounded the problems.
- Is there another pandemic around the corner? This is the last thing anyone wants to think about, but as humans exploit the last remaining wild spaces on Earth, the likelihood of encountering new diseases remains high. COVID-19 is unique for its rapid spread and huge impact on the entire planet, but is by no means the only novel virus that has appeared in the last few decades.
We may not get complete answers to these questions in 2021, but hopefully the picture will get a bit clearer.
Building Bridges
I am pleased to introduce a new series in the Bugle. Over a number of issues, local writer Rayan Alfuhaid will look at the stories of immigrants to Canada who have made Brentwood their home. See his introduction in this issue and stay tuned for more!
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Jucker, editor, Brentwood Bugle
