Bernard Gauthier

I have watched with sorrow the reaction of governments and individual donors in Canada to the flooding in Pakistan. I have wondered too why there has been such a big difference in the response of Canadians to this natural disaster as compared to the response to the earthquakes in Haiti. I agree with those who say the difference stems from donor fatigue, an economic downturn and the suddenness of earthquakes as compared to the slow relentless impact of a flood. But I also think that the image of Pakistan is at play here, as compared to the image of Haiti. As I tried to sort this out in my mind, I kept coming back to a brilliant book by Harold D. Lasswell written in 1935 but still just as relevant and insightful today. Read the rest of this entry »