By Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller
What a year 2020 has been. It has been difficult for individuals, families, business owners, and our healthcare workers.
I want to start by expressing my condolences to the friends and family of the gentleman who passed away from COVID at Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare. I want to point out that this individual was between 35 and 44 years of age – just a reminder that this disease can impact anyone and we all need to remain vigilant.
This news comes just as we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the approval of two vaccines and the delivery of the first doses of vaccine this week. At the same time our businesses are struggling under further restrictions.
As I’m sure everyone knows, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has been categorized as a red zone under the provincial framework because of the number of cases and outbreaks, the capacity of the hospitals, and the ability of the health unit to keep up with contact tracing. Fortunately for us very few of those cases are in Muskoka. Unfortunately for Muskoka the restrictions are imposed based on health unit boundaries so this change has been driven by the high number of cases primarily in Barrie and South Simcoe.
I have heard from many business owners, local mayors, and from our chambers of commerce that they feel this is unfair. Even the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Gardner, has acknowledged this disparity. In this week’s news conference he confirmed that Muskoka’s incident rate is only 15 per 100,000. This compares to a rate for all of Simcoe Muskoka of 52 cases per 100,000 in the past week. He also acknowledged that if Muskoka were separate from Simcoe it would probably be designated yellow or green.
Based on that information I am advocating for having Muskoka considered separately from Simcoe in terms of COVID cases and transmission rates for the purpose of determining public health restrictions. Because I am part of the government, I am doing this by speaking with the Premier and Minister directly rather than through more public means like petitions. That being said, if you agree you can write to Dr. Gardner and copy Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr. Williams and I. My office will collect your letters and share them with the Premier and Minister of Health.
[Ed.: You can email Dr. Gardner via the SMDHU Health Connection here, Dr. Williams at [email protected], and MPP Norm Miller at [email protected].]
The other way we can all help our local businesses and our communities is to, as much as possible, shop local for presents and all holiday purchases this year. We have so many great businesses across Parry Sound-Muskoka that have supported our communities through this pandemic with donations to the hospitals, food banks, and other community groups. They deserve our business every year but this year they need our support more than ever.
In order for our advocacy about public health restrictions to work we all need to ensure we keep the COVID numbers in Muskoka low. To this end I ask that everyone continue to follow public health advice. Avoid large gatherings, maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from other people, wear a mask anytime you are in an indoor public setting or if you can’t maintain that six-foot distance, wash your hands frequently, and avoid close contact with anyone outside your own household.
I know these measures are difficult, particularly at Christmas. Like the song says, “Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow.”
Unfortunately, the fates are not allowing us to be together this year. My wife and I are sad we won’t be spending Christmas with our family. But we will be together in spirit and thanks to modern technology we will be able to see their faces when they open their presents.
Finally I want to remind you that this season is hard for some people. That will be even more true with the restrictions this year. If you know someone who might be struggling, please reach out. We know that outdoor activities are safer so invite them to go “walking in a winter wonderland”, have a virtual sing-along, surprise them with decorations or a snowman outside their window, or find another safe way to connect.
This year the greatest gifts we can give our loved ones are to protect their health and support their spirits.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and most importantly a healthy new year.
Photo of MPP Norm Miller is courtesy of his office. Queen’s Park photo “June 2012 Ontario Legislature Toronto” by Priscilla Jordão, via Wikimedia Commons, is licensed under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from original.
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Ray Vowels says
We should not have to e-mail anyone about getting Muskoka separated from Simcoe The govt knows full well what is going on so if they used there heads all they have to do is separate Muskoka from Simcoe should be no big deal. So lets get with it and make the change.
Terry Clarke says
Keep up your good work, Norm
Dr. Don Keedic says
Terry Clarke – Good work? The party has had 7 of the last 12 months off. If these MPP’s were teachers you’d be up in arms. And yes, I know you used to work in education. ‘Good work, Norm’ might have some resonance if he had the guts to use his voice – is Muskoka really in favour of McVety getting endorsed by Ford’s government? Good ole’ Norm has voted yes every time. Speaking to Ford and the minister is nice but it’s not going anywhere. If the GTA didn’t exist downtown TO would not be locked down. If this came to a vote I’m sure Norm would vote along party lines, against his own riding. Grow a pair Good work, Norm!
Dr. Don Keedic
Jim Logagianes says
Dear Mr Miller
As our elected MP is it not your responsibility to lend your voice to issues pertaining to your riding..Why don’t you do what you were elected to do represent the people in your riding. The provincial govt is responsible for health care if I’m not mistaken. Save us the trouble of sending out emails, do what you were elected to do represent the people in this riding. Show some true leadership.
If and elected official from the governing party cannot address a problem of this nature maybe being a career politician was a bad choice.
Laurie Christie says
The fact that there are thousands of cases a day 2.5 hours away from Muskoka is alarming. Many people are still coming up from the GTA despite advice from the government and the District of Health. I believe we need to hunker down. Also I wish that the daily report of covid 19 cases reported on the CBC radio would include the age group of citizens who have contracted this disease. It might hit home more.
Jim Logagianes says
Dear Mr Miller
The people in your riding really need to work to avoid the economic challenges this pandemic and the preceding lockdowns have brought upon us. We can’t all go on social assistance now can we.
Merrill Perret says
We are indeed fortunate that we haven’t had more cases in Muskoka than we have, but there is no magic barrier between Simcoe and Muskoka. Sadly, there is no Muskoka bubble like the one that has kept cases relatively low in the Maritime provinces.
I sympathize with the long-term need for jobs and business income, but why can we not recognize that these creeping half-measures only make the economic pain last longer?
We need politicians willing to make—and to stick with—the tough decisions necessary to curb the COVID spread, so we can all get back to normal as quickly as possible. This needed to be done a month or more ago, but better late than never.
Please stop pretending we in Muskoka can relax restrictions and still somehow keep this pandemic from expanding in our little neck of the woods.
Jacquie Howell says
I am concerned about the entire Province. It is proving to be true that splitting areas up only leads to people (virus) traveling to the next “safe/open zone. This is evident every night on the news.
The only solution is to shut down the province for 28 days (2 incubation periods). I know this is tough on the economy but do people’ s life not have a value???? Grocery stores need to be open but with a very tight protocol. (not always done). We kept the curve low in the late winter and early spring.
It will take until late January with lock down from Christmas for 28 days for any results. Great time to get more vaccinations and hopefully with summer coming we can start to enjoy some limited freedom.
Crystal Kerr says
Gotta keep us separated
Kirsty Williamson says
I was appalled when l heard someone say that we will probably move into lockdown because of ‘those people in Simcoe’. All zones probably have some sections that have fewer COVID cases that others. I am remembering a time, before the different colour zones were created, when we were so proud to be ‘all in this together’. I am ok being included with Simcoe and noticing a new influx of people coming to Muskoka to shop, have been able to relax a bit more when we moved into the red zone and were all reminded to stay vigilant in our efforts to control this virus. I will continue to help out businesses in Muskoka, especially the smaller ones, l will continue to help others through this time and to trust those creative minds to keep coming up with new ideas to help us all get through these troubling and complicated times. Let’s get back to the spirit of us ‘all being in this together’!
Dave Wilkin says
Norm, your shop local message is good, keep it up.
However, I don’t see what emailing Dr. Gardner accomplishes. There is no rational reason to lockdown Muskoka based on the current pandemic zoning criteria, other than we were unlucky to be connected with Simcoe health region years ago for political reasons. Please talk to Doug again on this, and persuade him to do the right thing for Muskoka residents…
Locking down all of Southern Ontario isn’t the right move either. That puts us back to where we months ago. It won’t be for a few weeks if it happens, that’s very clear.