Premier Doesn't Agree with Haldimand Norfolk Medical Officer of Health

Tuesday, 5 May 2020 16:40

Premier Doug Ford does not agree with a decision from the Haldimand Norfolk Medical Officer of Health, telling people they cannot visit their cottages.

HALDIMAND/NORFOLK - The Premier of Ontario has made it clear, he does not agree with the Medical Officer of Health for Haldimand Norfolk.

Last week Dr. Shanker Nesathurai sent a memo to all cottage owners, stating they are not allowed to visit their cottages or vacation homes right now during the pandemic. Premier Doug Ford says he doesn't blame cottage owners for being upset about this.

"Depending on the health and well being of the people of Ontario, public domain, we are seeing some positive results and to say three weeks down the road, I don't know you can predict, he or she, kind of the first time I have heard of this, how can you predict three weeks down the road, we are doing pretty good right now."

Ford says people have been great so far but you can't keep them away forever.

"How do you tell people that are paying taxes and paying the bills for the vast majority of people there to stay home. People are cooperating, people have been very, very understanding, the cottage owners, just on word of mouth, they haven't gone up there and secondly, do you have enough by-law officers, do you have enough police to enforce this, the answer is no, you don't."

Premier Ford says they will be contacting the Medical Officer of Health for Haldimand Norfolk this week.

"So I have an idea, why don't we work together, the same way we have been working together, all of us in Ontario and we will have to make a call to him or her and find out what the issue is. How do you tell people, don't go to your seasonal cottage, it's going to be tough, people are doing a great job not going up."

The Premier will be going over this issue with the Mayors and Medical Officers of Health at other popular cottage destinations this week.