2022 was a year, alright.
Globally, we had Queen Elizabeth II pass away – something nobody actually believed would happen, despite humanity having a 100% mortality rate eventually. Her death was met with surprise and mourning – and for a lot of my generation, general indifference and anti-colonial annoyance at people celebrating the figurehead of what was an oppressive regime.
The Queen was a fixture in our nation’s imagery and nomenclature, and I guess now it’s the King, since Charles stepped into the Crown (keeping his name, thankfully, since it’s hard enough to remember that he’s King Charles now).
I’ve never held any love for the monarchy, to be honest, but I know she was important to many Canadians, who hold many of the country’s traditions in high esteem.
The Cobden Fishing Derby: I lost my wallet when trying to get a picture of the fishing derby. I spent my time wandering around the ice shacks, looking for the black threadbare lump that contained most of my banking life. It wasn’t until a local from Cobden called me to let me know they’d found it that I realized I’d dropped it in Veterans’ Park.
I am terrible with names, so I don’t remember it.
I do recall the Derby being quite busy, and walking across Muskrat Lake to get the picture on the front of this issue; me and my camera, walking amid shacks and past trucks parked on what would be flowing water in only a short few months. The mood was high – it was nearing the End of Covid-19’s run, and people were finally out and about.
Perreton Road got it’s new name, which was almost immediately put onto the signage for the road (but not the highway, which isn’t handled by the municipality.) The old name was a slur for indigenous people, something that is no longer acceptable due to public reveal of the atrocities committed at the residential schools. Given a name that honoured the history of the area and free from an outdated term, it was ultimately for the best.
The Freedom Convoy got me some rather unpleasant attention – the only time I’ve really gotten negative feedback. I suppose pointing out the Nazi and alt-right presence and the general harassment perpetrated in Ottawa annoyed some people who were caught up in the passionate message when the trucks came through Cobden, though I still don’t quite understand what they thought they were protesting. The Covid vaccine restriction was respected by Canadian trucking associations; the protest seemed like a lot of noise with no clear message.
Most importantly for this year, however, was the end of Covid-19 restrictions across the country. The disease is still present – considering I tested positive for it in November, I’m not saying it’s over. But this winter marks the attempt to return to normal, without having to wear masks or distance. Older people and cautious people like myself still wear the masks, and since Canada is already putting in lockdown procedures for flights from China, where outbreaks are occurring more frequently, I think we’re probably going to see a lot more of this virus.
Normal is always changing, and now that Elon Musk owns Twitter and NFTs are still a part of the marketplace, things are almost inconceivably different from even five years ago.
But more on that next week.
