As we face continuing low oil prices, a low dollar, rising food costs, and increased use of local Food Banks, hope, especially in Alberta, is low. Towards the end of January 2016 prices were especially low. Gloom and doom were almost tangible as we heard of more and more layoffs in the oil patch and in related industries. There was a bad joke going around; even the comedian, who shared it, said it was bad. Then, the price of a barrel of oil was around $21 a barrel and cauliflower was seven dollars a head. The joke went like this: “Hey, did you hear the news? You can get three heads of cauliflower for a barrel of oil.” That joke described how bad things were. People were feeling down and depressed. Most people knew someone, a family member or friend, who was out of work or took a cut in pay and worked longer hours to keep their job. Some people were feeling hopeless. Media was playing a part too, day after day, by stating this was the lowest price for oil or the dollar since 2002, 2008 etc. Most reports were negative and in my opinion fostered even more gloom and doom. About this time the former Premier of Alberta, Don Getty, died; reports were that during his tenure oil prices were even lower than those we have just experienced. Premier Getty’s government rode out that bust and we went on to experience several more booms and busts in Alberta.
This got me thinking about historical perspective. If we know our history we can better deal with booms and busts. Depression, anxiety and fear paralyze. Those who know the past can better deal with the economic ups and downs of global economics. They can see the patterns and responses of the past and respond accordingly. They have hope and hope helps turn things around; it does not depress as do repeated gloom and doom scenarios. Constant negativity begets more negativity. A positive attitude even in the midst of difficult economic times can make a difference. I think of Sir Wilfred Laurier’s “sunny ways" that Prime Minister Trudeau has adopted. These “sunny ways”, not pollyanna ways, do foster hope. When we put things in perspective we can usually find hope and a positive way to move forward. Things may get worse especially as EI programs run down. However, recently we have seen oil prices and the dollar go up. As Christians prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery and the great feast of hope, the Resurrection of Jesus, we focus on hope in Jesus who through his passion, death and resurrection has overcome the power of sin and death. We look forward in joyful hope trusting that “all will be well” as we do our best in these difficult times and trust in the resiliency that is part of our humanity.
Lynn Rouleau, CSJ