This is a good read, and fair in its' assessment of how the Government responded out of the gate. However, far more weight should be given to the cultural realities and differences between S.Korea (and frankly, Asia as a whole) and Canada. https://twitter.com/stphnmaher/status/1250210013127286785

South Korea is still only 4 decades removed from living under what was effectively a dictatorship, meaning millenials likely have both parents and grandparents still alive who will reinforce a different understanding and respect/fear of government order...

S.Koreans also live with a dangerously unpredictable (and potentially more lethal) neighbour on a spit of continent that functions as an island. It's also worth noting South Korea is 1/10 the size of the Province of Ontario. (Seriously. I couldn't believe it either)...

All this to say that effecting government order and control, and getting the entire population to buy-in to support such a bold exercise, isn't easy. But a small island of 50m people, next to North Korea, and 40 years removed from prison squads, sure helps to ensure alignment...

Late February, in the days prior to sending 3 teens down to Florida for spring paddling, we were practically laughing off the questions of one astute parent who was asking if the Canoe Club had contingencies in place for COVID at the pre-camp parent briefing....

Point being, the Canadian public was not taking this seriously, and it is doubtful more proactive actions by the Government in February, particularly a lockdown, would have been respected by Canadians at large. It took the tragedy in Italy for Canadians to take notice...

But locking down Canada was and remains a massive logistical challenge on the grounds of geography alone, let alone the diversity of our economy and our people...

And similarly, one could argue the cultural difference (and gap) between S.Korea and Canada reflects the difference in where we are in Canada compared to the US - the values P.O.G.G. vs. Freedom and Liberty.