COVID: "Challenge" vs "Problem"

Politicians and bureaucrats love to use the work 'challenge' when describing something difficult. Developing economic opportunities & creating jobs is a challenge in these tough times. Achieving reconciliation is a challenge. Managing tariff threats is a challenge. Its a benign word, presumably everyone understands it & can read it.

Rare is the politician or bureaucrat, and possibly corporate leader, who uses the word 'problem'.

I've heard the world 'challenge' used time & time again throughout the COVID pandemic by all levels of governments, repeated, in part, by various types of media. It got me thinking. What are the real meanings of these words in our pandemic context?

Dictionaries help. I used Google for this post.

"Challenge" is defined as: (1) a call to take part in a contest or competition, especially a duel; (2) an objection or query as to the truth of something, often with an implicit demand for proof; or (3) (in medicine) exposure of the immune system to pathogenic organisms or antigens.

"Problem" is defined as: (1) a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome; or (2) (in math/physics) an inquiry starting from given conditions to investigate or demonstrate a fact, result, or law.

Words & meanings matter, especially in an emergency situation, like a COVID pandemic. Here's why.

Recently, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce called the school bus driver shortage in Ontario a 'challenge' as schools open up for physical pandemic classes.

Think about it. Is the Minister talking about the bus driver shortage being a contest or competition or duel (against whom?)?. Is the Minister objecting or querying/questioning whether this bus driver shortage is true? Is he implicitly demanding proof that the bus driver shortage exists? Or is he suggesting that bus driver immune systems have been exposed to pathogenic organisms or antigens resulting in some impact?

What if Minister Lecce called the school bus driver shortage in Ontario a 'problem' as schools open up for physical pandemic classes.

The Minister was say that the bus driver shortage is an unwelcome & potentially harmful situation facing school-age children, families & communities and that it needs to be dealt with and overcome if the Province of Ontario's back to school plan were to succeed and reduce community transmission. He might also say that all people are impacted by this problem would need to work together, across party lines & jurisdictions to solve it to the best our ability, knowledge & resources. One option could be calling in military drivers in local communities to pitch in, just like they did in long-term care facilities, until more stable, longer term solutions are found.

"Challenge" vs "Problem".

Plain language in a pandemic should be the key to conveying simple, direct & truthful messages that are quickly & easily understand by the majority of the public.

Like using the confusing phrase 'social distancing' to mean keep 6 or more feet physically apart from someone wherever you are. "Physical distancing" would have been better understood. Especially when memes came out explaining that the hockey stick could be used for measuring physical distances, a innovative purpose other than pushing a puck.

Its the same problem when the phrase 'taking action' is used. A September 9, 2020 Global News report highlighted that Caitlin Clark, a spokesperson for Education Minister Stephen Lecce, pointed out in a statement the $100 million in funding the ministry has committed for various aspects of transportation to schools during the pandemic, including protective equipment for drivers and driver recruitment.

“We will never hesitate from taking further action to protect the health and safety of Ontario’s students and education staff,” she said.

Action is "the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition." Execution is "the carrying out or putting into effect of a plan, order, or course of action." Here's the rub: if you can't execute a plan that is clearly understood & communicated, then the 'action' will never be accomplished. Never mind, accepted.

And that, is a problem, not a challenge.

Chrystia

voice | vision | visuals mine