I have fiercely loved my country since I was old enough to know where I lived, but right now I’m feeling nothing but disappointment, confusion and disgust for the place that declares we are “strong and free’ — heavy emphasis on the myth we’re free..Let me explain: My mom, Dawn, is dying. Soon..We knew her days were numbered a few years ago when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer..Multiple myeloma is an especially insidious form of the disease that attacks the bones in one’s body. So far it has robbed my mom of her sight, most of her hearing and her mobility..I’ll give it to the old girl, though; she surprised me with the grit and courage she showed while battling a disease that involved endless chemo treatments, radiation and all forms of medical therapy meant to stop or slow the advance of her cancer..A couple years back I moved my newly widowed mom from her Winnipeg home to live with me here on Vancouver Island, where she continued her battle with cancer..As she grew older — and despite the excellent medical care she received — mom’s already frail body was unable to put up any more of the good fight, and the cancer spread to her spine. The new development put my mom in excruciating pain, and doctors are still trying to find a way, some combination of drugs that will make her final days as comfortable as possible. I’ve experienced few things more horribly gut-wrenching than hearing my mom scream in agony as I’d help her to bed. The thought of it makes me weep..Finally, a few days ago, the pain became too much and an ambulance whisked her to hospital, where she still resides..My 85-year-old mom — the wife of a career Royal Canadian Navy sailor who raised her five children mostly alone while her husband was at sea, sometimes for nearly a year at a time — now lies in a hospital bed in a surreal haze of drug-induced realities..Naturally, her children want to be with her during her final days. Two of my siblings live in Canada, so no problem..My sister, however, lives in Michigan..She’s still Canadian and will never give up her citizenship..Still, we knew there’d probably be some obstacles for her when she crossed the border — and, of course, there were..Prior to booking her plane ticket, I ventured into a Government of Canada website where it was promised all my questions with respect to my sister’s travel would be answered..I’ve been a journalist for more decades that I care to recall, and am used to reading government documents, etc. However, I should have sprung for the Government of Canada decoder ring because the last time I tried to read a more confusing, contradictory piece of writing was when I first cracked a Bible..Anyway, we looked at the info and realized my sister should be fully vaccinated. Check that one from the list..The feds then demanded a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of my sister’s arrival into Canada — and it must show a negative result. Check..They also required the names and telephone numbers of my mom’s GP, her oncologist, and any specialists who are tending to her. Big check mark next to that one, as well..So, my sister lands in Calgary Sunday night hoping to catch a connecting flight to Nanaimo. But she was immediately stopped and delayed. Turns out Canada wanted a COVID-19 test as well..“That wasn’t listed on your site,” I argued with the border person, after my sis handed her the phone..The person of authority indicated the info was indeed on the site. I must have missed it..My sister argued she was fully vaccinated and complied with the regulations Canada demanded, and, moreover, she had a connecting flight to catch..Her words fell on obtuse ears, no doubt muffled by the miles of red tape that blocked her from making the connecting flight to Nanaimo..So, as I write this, my sister is wallowing in a $500 per night hotel room in Calgary, waiting for test results we know are negative while being constantly monitored. (When I asked the border person in which hotel my sister must stay, I was told, “Can’t tell you, it’s classified.”).My sister still enjoys a cigarette or two, so there’s a designated person assigned to take her outside the Westin Hotel at the airport twice a day for 15-minute smoke breaks. When she finally got settled in her room, she needed a drink, but when she tried to order room service, that, too, was denied..Again, my mother is dying and may have days, minutes or hours left to her, we can’t be sure..(It’s nearly 2:30 p.m. as I write this from my home in the Cowichan Valley, and my sister just now texted me to tell me her Canadian COVID-19 test came back negative, as we expected it would. Back on the plane, right? Not so fast there, said the feds, who are now demanding a note from my mother’s GP.).A sympathetic officer at the airport terminal told my sis she could’ve avoided all the hassle if she simply would have driven to BC..“There’s not a damn thing anyone could have done about it,” the officer said..Look, we’re not expecting special treatment here..We’ve obeyed every single rule the government has demanded, and will continue to do so while the pandemic continues to rule most of our lives. I would, however, expect a little more compassion and empathy from a government that has no problem welcoming thousands of immigrants a year to their new homes, pays a known, convicted terrorist millions of dollars to ease his angst over the treatment he received while in custody, and, at the very top of the chain, a leader who feathers his own — and other family members’ — nests with Chinese money..This is not the Canada I love, the Canada my dad, grandad, brother and other family members proudly served while in the military..I’m at the point I’m really not sure who we are anymore, but given my sister’s experience in her own bloody country, I truly fear what we may become..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
