By Pepper Parr
February 17th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Yesterday Premier Doug Ford said: he’s “eager to get these mandates moving.”
It has always been about business for Doug Ford.
“I hate as a government telling anyone what to do. We’ve just got to get moving forward and get out of this and protect the jobs,” Mr. Ford said at a manufacturing announcement in Hamilton.
“The world’s done with it, so let’s just move forward.”
The government intends to fully lift capacity limits on businesses and social gatherings on March 1. Its vaccine-certificate policy – which requires certain businesses only admit vaccinated patrons – is set to end the same day.
Mr. Ford said Tuesday that he was “never sold” on the proof-of-vaccination policy, but that he introduced it on the advice of the province’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kieran Moore.
“Dr. Moore’s phenomenal, but you know something, he’s reasonable, too. He’s reasonable, he gets it, he understands the economy,” Mr. Ford said. “Thank God, on March 1, we’re moving forward out of this … I just can’t wait.”
And there you have a Premier doing a Class A hissy fit in public. The 1500 plus new infections Ontario is experiencing each day is a clear sign that we are not “done with it” yet.
Apparently his heart was never in the fight to conquer.
The comments made by the Premier are so irresponsible. He has never understood that it really isn’t all about jobs – it is about the health of the people he serves. The thousands of deaths recorded so far are a testament on just how serious this has been.
There is hope however, early in June the people of the province can decide with their votes if they are done with Doug Ford.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
Hans
Anyone that categorizes all of protestors/dissenters as anarchists that are still on the streets yesterday in Quebec City, Halifax etc. is precisely why the situation became extreme in Ottawa. Putin and Xi must be celebrating the incompetence and fragility of western institutions and democracies. A Canada led by Trudeau is a joke or nightmare.
I expect any Prime Minister to represent all Canadians and not just those that agree with him and not alienating all dissident’s as fringe, racists, misogynists, unacceptable views, should we give them real estate. etc. Oil on the fire. The first rule to de escalate any situation like this is through engagement and dialogue. It never happened. Was that intentional?
The failure here is with the institutions and police services that allowed this convey to arrive and to become entrenched in Ottawa. Do you really think that serious cash made it to the majority of those protesting in streets of Ottawa? This is nothing more pure deflection of the root cause of the extended protest. Mark my words protests will continue across Canada until all federal mandates are removed.
In 2014 Corporal Nathan Cirro was murdered in Ottawa and the gun man made it into Parliament. You would think the capital would be better organized. After all they experience hundreds of annual protests. The response is a complete failure of local, provincial, and federal systems fueled by the words and inaction of an absent toxic Prime Minister and then to go nuclear with the Emergencies Act. Conservative politicians that rubbed shoulders are equally culpable.
Doug Ford is a disaster for this Province. We need to replace him this June and get our Province back on track as “a place to grow”.
Not a fan of Ford, his two immediate predecessors were worse & frankly the options are worse.
Thankfully it looks as if the useless vaccine passports will be abolished in most if not all of Canada in March
Editor’s comment: This is the time to do everything possible to elect a minority government. Let the Liberals prove that they have mended their ways and let the New Democrats find a leader that could form a government.
Put a hobble on Doug Ford and see what he can do when there is true transparency and accountability. It means voting strategically – holding your nose if you have to – think long and hard about this one.
So, seniors like myself will be the ones paying the price of re-opening – again. We either hide away in our homes, or take the chance to venture out and die. Most of us have underlying conditions. You don’t get to this age without something, it’s the cost of living a long life. But then, who cares eh? As long as Dougie looks good to his base, wins his election and paves over paradise to appease his developer pals. We’re expendable apparently.
You are correct, it is about the health of the people Doug Ford serves.
As I have been told by many commentators on here “we have to believe the science” and Dr Moore, the head doctor of Ontario is Fords advisor on this. So are you saying we only believe the science when it fits OUR narrative? Countries and provinces are listening to their own scientists and opening up, not just Ontario
There are many elements to this health crisis. 2 year backlogs for surgeries due to lockdowns. Children who have suffered irreparable harm because they didn’t adapt to online learning. Parents who lost income, Businesses that closed and left people unemployed because of the lockdowns. Suicides and other mental health issues due to this and the Premier has to look at all the elements, not just the one.
Denmark ended its restrictions and the increase in deaths is being called a “disaster”.
Res ipsa loquitur.
Where has it been called a disaster?
I searched for this and cannot find a single instance of that
yesterday’s yahoo news.
How about a reliable source and a link
Re: “Dr. Moore….he understands the economy.” made me laugh, since there is no way that Doug Ford could know that. Doug Ford certainly doesn’t understand “the economy” and neither do most of the people who call themselves “economists” (it is probably worth noting that “economist” is not an actual profession; e.g, doctor, engineer, architect, lawyer, nurse, teacher, accountant).
I empathise with Bonnie as I am elderly, and the body requires maintenance. I will not hide from this corona virus or the 12,000 or so roughly other viruses circulating globally at any time. The CDC stated a few weeks back that 75% of all deaths attributed to Covid were folks 75 and over with four or more comorbidities. I thank thank the freedom fighters coast to coast for expediting an end to mandates, vaccine passports etc.
I’m a “senior” as well, with a different perspective. Mandates were instrumental in achieving the high vaccination rates that have protected us and they may be needed again, if another “wave” occurs.
The “freedom fighters” are nothing but anarchists who were largely funded from outside Canada and wanted to overthrow our democratically elected government by intimidation with large vehicles. Some had weapons and ammunition too. The most important freedom that was at risk was every citizen’s freedom to choose our government representation. Nobody is being forced to get vaccinated but the unvaccinated are over-represented in those requiring hospitalization; i.e., hospital capacity is affected by their freedom of choice and I consider it my patriotic duty. I watched an interview with a disabled man (wheel chair bound) in Ottawa whose freedom was taken away because he could no longer feel safe on the streets of his city. That should be unacceptable for all of us.
Another senior here.
Time has shown that the vaccinations protect the vaccinated. Forcing someone else to take it is not helping you whatsoever. What it does is hopefully decreases the chances of hospitalization if someone does catch it.
Your argument as to the ‘anarchists’ as you put it there have been 170 charges laid in Ottawa, the vast majority were Mischief and Counselling to commit Mischief.
Not one was gun related. As to you saying “the most important freedom that was at risk was every citizen’s freedom do choose our government representation”. We just did that and 67.5% of the population did not vote for the Liberal government. In fact, the Conservative party slightly outnumbered the current government in votes counted.
He is the worst premier ever…totally abdicates health and education
Nothing but business and development interest him
Giving false dates for re-opening so he can win an election instead of enduring our safety first and foremost.