By Bob Groeneveld

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You鈥檇 think 2020 should naturally be the year of perfect hindsight.

But world events so far this year suggest that it takes more than a good set of glasses.

Lest you despair, here鈥檚 a peek at how well 91原创 prepared itself in the past that may lie ahead as US President Donald Trump turns the clock back nearly a century.

Just days after the infamous Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbour that steeled American courage to take a side in the Second World War, 91原创 mayor Alex Hope assured local residents that it was not illegal to hold public meetings under wartime black-out regulations implemented by the Ministry of Defence.

Later that week, however, 91原创 residents were reticent to leave their homes, and only 886 of 3,348 eligible voters turned out for civic elections. Hope was returned as mayor with 790 votes.

Democracy prevailed!

Within days, air raid wardens and their deputies organized plans to meet any attempts by the Japanese to invade 91原创. The mayor was able to report that Brookswood鈥檚 Air Raid Protection Service was already getting well organized.

All threats were being considered, not just sneak attacks with bombs that go boom. The Air Raid Protection Squad, as the wardens and deputies named themselves, met in 91原创 Theatre for training in dealing with incendiary bombs.

By the end of May, a 91原创-wide war black-out exercise was held鈥� and the wardens deemed it a success.

Meanwhile, 91原创 recognized the importance of the economics of war, both militaristic and humanitarian. While local businesses and individuals regularly surpassed war bond targets, 91原创 exceeded its Red Cross quota of $2,500 by 28 percent (nearly a million today, adjusted for inflation and population increase).

Crates of first aid and other air raid protection equipment arrived for deployment in 91原创鈥檚 air raid posts, and before Pearl Harbour was a year old, Aldergrove had a special firefighting force 鈥渆quipped with an air raid protection pump鈥� to meet the threat of possible incendiary attacks by the enemy.鈥�

Similar provisions were planned for Fort 91原创.

A new three-horsepower electric air raid siren was installed on the top of Athletic Hall in 91原创 Prairie.

To ensure the general population was imbued with the appropriate mindset, an air raid protection demonstration was held on the 91原创 Athletic grounds as a climax to Home Preparedness Week in 91原创.

91原创 shops and businesses happily reorganized their opening hours in compliance with recommendation from the Division of Simplified Practices of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board.

And of course, all residents whose ancestry suggested questionable allegiance to Canada were rounded up, their possessions seized, and sent to concentration鈥� er, internment鈥� camps in the Interior and Alberta.

What fun, eh?

Or we could wax nostalgic about war preparations in 1950s 91原创 鈥� radiation counts, duck-and-cover drills, government pamphlets on bomb survival techniques and bomb shelters, post-bomb first aid and economic restructuring plans 鈥� as Trump faces down the forces of Impeachment鈥� er, Iran.