‘We’ve been out on the water with friends, meandered all around Gambier Island and watched the seals and birds on the Christie Islets and the Pam rocks and had a picnic at Halcett Marine Park. We do live in paradise Camp. An old Canadian warship 334, HMCS Regina, did a tight turn right in front of us. Maybe they heard there were pot smokers and three immigrants on our boat.’

            ‘Lucky you, I had to work but I do have that million-dollar view out the back of the bookstore. Much like here at the pub. The only downside is wearing a mask all day long. Gives me a headache by the end of the day.’

            ‘Talking about million dollars. What do you make of Alberta’s million-dollar lottery to entice people to get vaccinated?’

            ‘It doesn’t even make sense. You don’t have to get vaccinated to buy a lottery ticket for the 3 million-dollar prizes and only the winner is then somewhat obliged to get vaccinated or maybe not.’

            ‘You mean to tell me that they spend 3 million bucks to get 3 people vaccinated? Who thought up this scheme?’ 

            ‘When Adrian Dix, the health minister here in BC, was asked what he thought of a lottery incentive scheme he said: The incentive is that you don’t get covid. I think he nailed it,’ Camp said.

            In the US they have all kinds of incentives, ball game tickets, Indy 500 T-shirts and cash prizes. Anything to get people to take the jab, protect themselves and those around them. Nothing else works,’ I said.

            ‘We have to trust each other and the science. It’s what got us out of the dark ages, and gave us electricity, mobility and communication, knowledge of the natural world and our bodies, space exploration, antibiotics and vaccines; against polio, small pox tuberculosis, pneumonia and incredibly against this latest virulent virus, covid-19.’

            We both drank to that.

            ‘Kashechewan, an isolated first nation’s community in northern Ontario with over 75% vaccinated now have a dramatic spike of 230 active covid cases, most of them children and adolescents, none of them vaccinated,’ Camp said.

            ‘I read about it. Chief Friday said the dramatic increase is linked to substandard housing conditions where it’s not unusual for up to 20 people living in a single home.

            ‘Yes, this is a very sad and shameful situation but ironically it is also a perfect model of how well the vaccinations work. ‘The immunizations created a firewall which protected those who were vaccinated, mostly the elderly,’ Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller pointed out.’

            ‘According to Reuter’s vaccination tracker, Canada is now at the top of the list with 66% having at least one shot and declining cases and deaths. And yet we lack a federal plan for opening up travel, the US border and lifting the restrictions.’ I said.  

            ‘Maybe they are waiting for the hockey playoffs to be over or Trudeau to cut his hair and beard,’ Vicky said when she put down our refills. Camp and I both looked at each other and noticed that our hair is in need of some serious maintenance.as well.

            ‘Covid-hair is in, I said.

            ‘It’s not a sports event, boys, it’s a pandemic,’ Vicky said.