Disarray east and west

The media seem to have difficulty focusing simultaneously on two large problems on opposite side of the world, the uprising against the Libyan tyrant Qadaffi, and the earthquake, tsunami and threatened nuclear catastrophe in Japan. If I were editing Canada's national newspaper, I think I would divide the front page into two vertical columns, one on Libya, one on Japan. In long perspective, the triple whammy in Japan seems more significant than the Libyan uprising, which seems now to be settling into a protracted conflict with uncertain outcome, no-fly zone and other interventions not withstanding. It is already having some impact on energy policies in other parts of the world including Canada: the price of gasoline creeps higher almost every day; today it's $1.25/litre. True, events in Libya are probably influencing policies of ruling factions in Bahrein, Syria, Yemen, but I think these are evanescent events, whereas energy policies, especially the use or non-use of nuclear energy, requires really long-range policies and planning, measurable in decades rather than months or years. Public opinion should never direct public policy, although in Canada now, ruled by unprincipled populists who do not seem to have a 'vision' of where they want to take Canada over the next few decades, this truism probably doesn't apply. As for the current nuclear threat in Japan, it seems to have come about as a direct result of the foolish design decision to locate the emergency generators that kept the water cool around the fuel rods in a place vulnerable to tsunamis, close to sea level. Now, a few days after I started this post, things are no better: In Japan, the 'safe zone' beyond the range of dangerous levels of radiation has been extended a further 10 Km, from 20 to 30Km. In Libya, the intervening forces seem unable to prevent mayhem and bloodshed affecting civilians in besieged cities. And here in the little backwater called Canada, whose current leaders take their foreign policy directions from those of Israel, we will know by the end of the day whether there is to be another election. If there is, will it make any difference? We can hope for that at least because it's up to us, even though we can't do much about what's happening in Japan and Libya. I for one would prefer to live in a nation led by women and men with a vision of where to direct Canadian potential than one led by populists with seemingly no vision.