Premier Ford: Don't make plans for Easter - sounds like a lock down will be announced

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

March 3oth, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

He does it almost every day of the week.

Stands before a teleprompter and does his best to tell people to stay at home until we have the COVID19 virus beaten.

He always has several people with him; Minister of Health, Minister of Finance – whoever can amplify the point he is making.

Hiller and the Premier

Hillier speaking fluidly and directly said if the vaccines were available everyone would get a vaccination. What he couldn’t do was say that he didn’t know when the vaccines would be delivered.

Today he was at the Humber River Hospital vaccination clinic.  Retired Army General Rick Hillier, wearing a smart looking black suit – no medals, and not much in the way of a smile on his face either.

The Premier ranted about the province being ready to put needles in arms but he didn’t have the vaccines needed. He ranted about the delays – each time laying another critical comment on the shoulders of the Prime Minister but not before saying the federal government was a good partner.

Problems galore on getting what the public told was promised.

When Hillier told the Premier he was quitting – saying his job was done – he didn’t elaborate.  The Gazette had picked up a number of comments on how bad things were between the General and the Premier but nothing we could get a quote on.

The General spoke for a few minutes assuring people that he believed every person who was eligable for a vaccine shot would get one by summer June 2oth.

Hiller walking away

Hillier leaves the podium – does not look at the Premier. They never did make eye contact during the period of time they were walking to and from the podium.

When Huller approached the podium to speak he didn’t use a teleprompter not did he flash a smile at the Premeir.  They did not make eye contact.

Same thing when Hillier left the podium – no eye contact with the General.  No handshake either but an elbow bump would have made the point.

The new infection numbers are higher than they have ever been.  The deaths are higher and the variant version of the virus seems to be making a tough situation worse.

Many of the people who know what they are talking about have urged the Premier to invoke a three week shut down.

The best the Premier could do today was say to the public:  Don’t make plans for Easter.

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4 comments to Premier Ford: Don’t make plans for Easter – sounds like a lock down will be announced

  • PClark

    If anyone can point to a confirmed case where two individuals in public, both wearing masks properly, transmitted the virus to one another, now would be a good time to share it. I can’t find a single case. Schools, stores and other businesses operating safely are not the problem (I agree; restaurants and gyms are another issue entirely). And if that is the case somewhere the odds were astronomical.

    The problem seems to be people not following the rules, keeping 2m apart, and not wearing the PPE properly. Besides blatantly not following medical guidance, it’s the relaxed attitude towards mask use and social distancing while carpooling, or on lunch and smoke breaks that are causing the new cases as far as I can tell. Then I assume they are spreading to cohabitants and family members.

    More rules won’t help if people aren’t following the ones we already have. Everyone will be suffering another lockdown because about 4% of the population is being selfish and inconsiderate.

  • Tom Muir

    Premier Ford is making the same mistake that far too many other governments have made. You can’t politicize the policies of public health and trade it off with economy, and have something that succeeds or an economy that works. This is especially in the case of this virus and its growing number of variants.

    But instead of admitting his repeated mistakes, he wants to blame the PM.

    I remember very clearly, months ago, the PM reminding us that we are customers and not producers of vaccines. We have to get in line, but that we should have enough vaccine for all by August. Then manufacturers shut down for a week or two to retool. And now the vaccines flow at a better rate but not without limit. Mr. Ford knows all this very well.

    Previous lock-downs are the reason why cases went down, and why they go back up when lifted. It’s the way the virus works. Open the economy in our present situation, and you get more cases, and over time surges.

    The worst places to open are indoor restaurants, bars, (where part time or no masks are required), gyms, and any close contact spaces. That’s just what Ford did, and more, and he even opened shopping malls. Capacity limits are Fire Code and these hardly ever matter. Apparently, from case counts, some places cannot be made “safe”, but only to meet an “acceptable” level of restrictions.

    The cumulative effect of all these people free to go out and frequent these places, and thereby mixing and mingling in congregate crowds everywhere, increases contacts and cases follow.

    On the real situation, that Mr. Ford can’t apparently hear over the complaints of business about money, what’s happening has been told to him by numerous experts, including his own. They rightly think, for a while, that your policy is too fast and wrong – you are beginning a third wave.

    This can go on and on as you know and the health consequences are even now in our face. No body wants a ratchet from openings to lock-down and over again in a roller-coaster, but it seems like that is where we are headed because your policy is causing it..

    Vaccines are not the problem as they can’t save us in the present situation. It’s Mr. Ford’s crazy policy thinking you can have your cake and eat it too.

    Don’t try to project the blame on the PM – this is on you. Like Perryb said – a dollar short and a month late.

  • perryb

    The Ford team of Keystone Cops has completely lost it. The Province is again speeding through a red traffic signal with no sign of the ‘emergency brake’, even as the passengers become more nervous. It will be another case of a dollar short and a month late.

  • g.fraser

    “The Premier ranted about the province being ready to put needles in arms but he didn’t have the vaccines needed. He ranted about the delays – each time laying another critical comment on the shoulders of the Prime Minister but not before saying the federal government was a good partner”

    Call it ranting, complaining, bellyaching, bleating, fussing, griping, growling, kvetching, moaning, squealing, wailing, whining, yammering, yawping or whatever. It all is truthful, you CANNOT vaccinate individuals without the vaccine.

    The procurement of the Vaccine is a Federal mandate and not Provincial. So the blame lies with the current Federal gov’t and not with any of the Provincial gov’ts. Not to hard to grasp. I have no idea about your innuendos in regards to Ford and Hillier’s relationship but this still does not change the fact that the Federal gov’t has NOT done their job on the Vaccine supply chain.

    cheers