The new year is starting to evolve in a political direction none of us thought possible just a few years ago. I’m referring to the ongoing slide towards the extreme right, not just in Venezuela and Nicaragua or Russia but in stalwart democracies like Austria, Germany, France, Italy and in the USA. Canada is also being blown off course by stiff and cold winds coming from the right and the south.

I met Camp at our usual watering hole by the harbour and voiced some of my concerns once again about the dire outlook for democracy and inclusiveness, virtues we have come to accept as unassailable principles in modern, western societies.

‘Well, my friend, we are in a different world now, a world where memories fade into history and atrocities and events that we accepted as facts are being revised, reworded and even denied. Like the holocaust or the Tiananmen massacre, the Landing on the Moon or the January 6^th Insurrection attempt. And the lie will become the truth as Orwell predicted.’

‘Not exactly an uplifting and inspiring assessment Camp but I’m afraid you’re probably right.’