We've learned so much about humanity thanks to the COVID 19 pandemic.  We have seen moments of great sacrifice and others of humiliating indifference in the face of our greatest health challenge in a century.  From the outset, we were warned by health experts that, regardless of infection rates going down over time, a second wave would arrive with the colder weather as people inevitably moving back indoors to carry on with their lives.Perhaps we were fooled by those incessant graphs we saw on our screens every day, showing curves flattening, establishments reopening, vaccines in the offing.  It turns out that the experts had predicted things correctly – we're moving back into the thick of it and we're left to wonder what comes next.John Hopkins University School of Medicine just released a lengthy series of graphs depicting a resurgent virus in countries across the world.   Almost all look depressingly the same – the first mountain of shock, followed by the valley of hopefulness, and now the rising peak of challenge before us.  In fact, they're alarming, with some nations getting close to the levels of their worst days back in the spring.   Of course, there are the U.S. levels, but we've known about them for months, relentlessly playing out on newscasts.  But when you look at India, Colombia, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Iraq, Peru, Mexico, Ukraine, Iran, Netherlands, and the rather scary numbers in Israel, it looks like an endless series of tidal waves emerging on the horizon after the first wave of warning crashed on our shores.One would think this is a slam-dunk - wear masks everywhere, get your flu shot, avoid needless social contact, washing your hands, get tested – but things have evolved since the first wave challenged us.  A great amount of polling has emerged in many countries, revealing that more and more people distrust the experts.  They are tired of the self-disciplines required for survival and are proving increasingly skeptical of government measures.  Rather than coming to grips with a never-ending pandemic, a growing number of citizens everywhere seems to be humming the old Peggy Lee tune: If that's all there is, my friend, then let's keep dancing.To a degree, the accurate predictions of the experts is, in its own way, comforting.  They were right.  They knew enough about the virus to understand its properties and spread.  And more importantly, they comprehend how to fight it, based on the evidence accumulated in the last six months.But what if people are caring less?  What if they're going to gather regardless of the danger.  And, as in America, what if they use voting seasons to express their displeasure at government's cautious restrains by voting irresponsibly for individuals and parties fully willing to seize power through such irresponsibility?Canadians have earned the right to be subtly smug in this great drama.  We have placed evidence above politics, health above recklessness, and public security over stupidity.  And if the polls are correct, we are growing increasingly worried over what's to come.  That says something about us and we should take a measure of comfort from our caution.Yet much of the world is moving in the opposite direction and Canada can't pretend to be some kind of isolated island in a sea of turbulence.  We still must trade, buy and sell, pursue education, still be in public, still take on global responsibilities.  Things could be about to get a lot more challenging and the Canadian commitment to sound public health security will likely need to be enhanced.It's is both tragic and ironic that all our collective Canadian caution hasn't been able to hold the line on COVID cases this fall – they are rising in most parts of the country.  The irresponsibility of some takes on more acute importance now that the colder days have arrived.  The spread could get worse, the consequences more fatal.This is the time for focused politics and enhanced public citizenship.  We have no other choice if we wish to come out the other side of this pandemic with our famed hegemony intact.  These are the days for designing new systems and funding important initiatives on health, poverty, climate change, gender equality, racism and a renewed democracy.  We stalked of working on these issues during the first wave of COVID, perhaps this second wave will bring us to an ever-greater level of commitment on these issues.  It will require a politics that is less opportunistic and a citizenship that is more accountable.Glen Pearson was a career professional firefighter and is a former Member of Parliament from southwestern Ontario. He and his wife adopted three children from South Sudan and reside in London, Ontario. He has been the co-director of the London Food Bank for 32 years. He writes regularly for the London Free Press and also shares his views on a blog entitled “The Parallel Parliament“. Follow him on twitter @GlenPearson.