In Canada, like in any country, it is absolutely essential for public safety to be maintained. This is so that everyone in the country can live happily without fear of anything going wrong. Nonetheless, when dealing with large countries with millions of people, it is likely that public safety challenges will emerge. If you are interested in knowing what those could be, then you are in the right place, as this guide has been created in order to give you a complete overview. Read on now to learn all about it.
Contents
The coronavirus pandemic has been a huge issue across the world, and Canada, while not as hard hit as its southern neighbor, the USA, has suffered massively. Additionally, while it seems like the entire world, bar China is slowly returning to some semblance of normal life, the pandemic is still not over, especially when it comes to the rise of new and dangerous variants.
This means that public health officials need to make sure that the most vulnerable in society, from people with underlying health conditions to people over a certain age, are protected. This can come from facemask recommendations and mandates to making sure that the rollout of third and fourth vaccine boosters is effectively managed.
Border Safety
Keeping the Canadian border safe from dangerous elements is absolutely essential. This is true when it comes to people migrating to and from the land border with the USA, covering both Alaska and the USA mainland, to flight corridors. By maintaining border safety and making sure that only the right people are coming into the country, Canada can be a much safer place for everyone to live in. This is all the while maintaining Canada’s historic hospitality towards immigrants and refugees.
This is a topic that has risen in prominence due to Canada’s large Ukrainian population, as Canada actually has the largest number of Ukrainians living outside of the country. This will be a challenge as many Ukrainians are fleeing the country as a result of the conflict with Russia in order to be understandably reunited with their family in a safe place. It is up to border and immigration officials to make sure that this is done in the right manner to protect people’s safety.
Public Unrest
As the trucker protest in Ottawa has shown, the likes of which involve children, Canada does have a problem with public unrest. While it does have some relationship to the coronavirus pandemic, there are other issues to consider as well, including a current distrust of the current political climate as well as the rise of certain far-right elements. The key for public safety officials is finding out ways in order to deal with public unrest in a way that seems both fair and proportionate. This is especially true due to the way that the crackdown on these protests has attracted a fair amount of criticism.
If you are interested in public safety issues such as these and want to work in a job that relates to the issue, then it is absolutely essential that you make sure you have the necessary education. One of the best ways for you to go ahead and actually achieve this aim is to take a good look around for an online master of public safety degree. By having the necessary MPS online degree, you will be able to easily find a great job that aligns completely with your interests and can pay a good salary in the process.
Hacking of Public Systems
When thinking about public safety, it’s not just enough to focus on physical threats; you need to be aware of all the issues that exist in the virtual sphere as well. As the Global Affairs hack has shown, Canadian systems can often be vulnerable to outside forces. This is especially true in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, given the support that Canada has given to Ukrainians both in the form of military assistance, sanctions against Russia, and giving refuge to Ukrainians. As a result, cyber-security needs to be tightened in order to protect Canadians against hacks.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are part and parcel of living in the modern world, especially as the threats that result from man-made climate change have started to rise in prominence. The types of natural disasters that Canadians have to be aware of include, but are not limited to, forest fires — which are now becoming a yearly occurrence — as well as floods resulting from heavy rains, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, avalanches, and ice storms.
Many of these disasters are preventable, but some will happen no matter what preparations the Canadian government might have in place. This means that not only does Canada need to step up its commitment to the Paris Agreement and do its bit to be able to combat against all of the worst effects of climate change, but it also must make sure that it has a plan in place in order to ensure that when natural disasters do happen, Canada is ready to respond quickly and to be able to help people as quickly as possible when they are in need. As a public safety official, you will need to study the threats that can arise from natural disasters as well as the various responses needed to fight against them.
Conclusion
It has been the express aim of this guide to tell you everything you need to know about the different public safety challenges Canada currently faces. As you can see, the topic is diverse, with many issues being left out of this guide. Nonetheless, whether you are seeking a degree in public safety or you are simply interested in the topic, this guide should serve as an overview of all of the different crucial issues. Please feel free to revisit this guide in a year or two if you ever need a refresher on this complex and interesting topic.
