Seite - 25 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

25Introduction British Columbia and Quebec. Great differences in death rates are seen too in the U.S., with states that implemented strong physical dis- tancing measures recording a death rate 35 times lower than those who did not.103 It is often said in the Canadian context that provincial variations provide a natural experiment where we can learn as much from our successes as from our mistakes, but in the context of COVID-19 these differences could represent needless loss of life. For example, at the time of writing there are concerns that Ontario, Canada’s most popu- lous province, is not sufficiently slowing the spread of infection, with the number of new cases per day at the end of June 2020 remaining near the highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.104 This is not to say that if there was but one governmental decision maker at the federal level that results would have been better, but at a minimum there needs to be a central conduit for clear information on the kinds of precautionary measures that all orders of government should be taking and the costs and consequences of not doing so. Finally, variation in measures taken by various orders of govern- ment across Canada can provide significant challenges in managing a pandemic in terms of communication with the public. We discuss the myriad approaches taken by municipal governments to COVID-19, as well as differences across provinces. Although these many differ- ences may well be justified by different contexts, the end result is a cacophony of different legal requirements, making it hard for people to understand what is required of them and perhaps contributing to compliance fatigue in the longer run. Conclusion: Moving Forward In the months and years to come, there will be important choices to be made as we adapt to a “new normal,” prepare for what is said to be an inevitable second wave of the infection, and implement plans to rebuild our societies and the international order. 103. Charles Courtemanche et al, “Strong Social Distancing Measures in the United States Reduced The COVID-19 Growth Rate” (2020) 39:7 Health Aff 1. 104. Ed Tubb & Kenyon Wallace, “Far More Ontarians are Catching COVID-19 in Community Settings than Previously Known, Star Analysis Finds”, The Star (23 May 2020), online: <https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/05/23/far- more-ontarians-are-catching-covid-19-in-community-settings-than-previously- known-star-analysis-finds.html>.