Impact

Three totems: my work companions.

I don't know if anyone cares about what public servants do during an election, except, perhaps, the public servants themselves.

When the election is called and officially there is no government, public servants go into "caretaker mode" so that, even though there is no one in charge, welfare cheques get issued, public infrastructure gets built and the Ontario Provincial Police issue speeding tickets on 400 series highways, among many other important things.

Before the election, there is the frenzy of activity called "transition" where shops like mine frantically prepare briefing materials in anticipation of the new government. 

This is also the time when public servants fret about whether or not they will have a job after the election.

I went for lunch this week with the two other Directors that work in my Division and it was all they could talk about. They have young families. They are terrified.

Also terrifying was the "Yonge Street Incident" this past week, where a clearly disturbed individual used a rented truck as a weapon to mow down innocent pedestrians. 

Maybe he was inspired by the incels, but I wonder if the driver had anything so rational as a motive; rather, an overloaded sense of grievance and a lot of bottled rage.

These days, the combination of these two things seems like the most powerful force in the universe.  

The people killed and injured by the deranged driver did not have the benefit of foreknowledge that they were going to be the targets of this force. 

People working in the public service, on the other hand, do. 

Thanks for reading!

Have a great week!

Karen