By Aly Kamadia, Editor-In-Chief, iDose

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Dear Readers,

Don’t you just love it when politicians lecture us about ‘not pointing fingers’ when it comes to assigning blame?

In the midst of yet another emergency Covid-induced lockdown in my home province of Ontario (Canada), the familiar ‘let’s not point fingers’ line was touted by both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford.

I am not sure if either Trudeau or Ford are mindful of it, but one of the very pillars of any vibrant democracy is something called accountability. By exercising the freedom of speech (as an example that strengthens accountability), the engaged citizen has a responsibility to point fingers.

Thus, when Ford makes decisions that not only betray science but also common sense, as he has often done since the inception of pandemic, it becomes important for scientists, journalists and intellectuals to ‘point fingers’.

Of course, engaged citizens are not limited to calling out elected clowns. The spirit of democracy demands that we also draw attention to those who present ideas worthy of engaging with.  

Two such voices that we feature this month include a member of the British House of Lords and the President of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Offering commentary on the post-Covid economic recovery and the topic of racism in America, both Robert Skidelsky and Jeffrey Sachs have long distinguished themselves as voices of reason – a blessing during a time in which it is in short supply.

I hope that you enjoy this month’s commentaries, including my own brief Q&A about Covid-19.

Stay safe,