“We’re good! We’re very very good!”.At least that’s what the staff at the federal Public Works department felt about themselves as COVID-19 deaths in Canada were approaching 9,000, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..In self-congratulatory internal emails, the department said it was “very proud” of doing a great job on pandemic management, “a great story for us.”.“I know how difficult it has been,” wrote James Fitz-Morris, director of communications..Fitz-Morris told staff “we should be very proud of what we put out..“It’s a really great page that tells a great story for us,” he said July 31 as COVID deaths that day numbered 8,961..The economy at the time had shrunk 11 percent, and unemployed totaled 2,182,600 Canadians..A handout for reporters said: “The Government of Canada is dedicating approximately $6 billion to buying personal protective equipment, medical equipment and supplies to keep Canadians safe.”. Federal bureaucrats very pleased with themselves at start of pandemic .Staff in a May 29 email exchange cautioned scriptwriters not to refer to “our government” in statements to the public. “You can say ‘our government’ but we can’t!” wrote Elizabeth Lindsay, director general of communications..“We’re everybody’s government!” replied Fitz-Morris. “You sure are!!!!” replied Lindsay..Cabinet in the first weeks of the pandemic heaped praise on federal managers for their pandemic response. At one press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland described public health officers as national celebrities..“I have observed as a former journalist that chief public health officers across the whole country have become this generation’s rock stars,” Freeland said April 14..“Thanks to public servants who have been working around the clock,” Prosperity Minister Mona Fortier told the Commons finance committee May 28..“Our amazing world class civil servants, they are doing an amazing job,” Social Development Minister Ahmed Hussen told the Commons June 17..“Many public servants are working hard to develop and deliver support to Canadians,” Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos testified at a May 8 hearing of the Commons government operations committee..“Federal employees are continuing to be productive in their efforts to provide Canadians with the government services they depend on every day, and to provide critical services and the many new measures quickly developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
