Attitude should be “We, not Me” in Huron-Kinloss, says reader

To the Editor:

The following is an open letter to Huron-Kinloss council

It is time to change our tune. Some property owners in Huron-Kinloss are working on the front lines against the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. They risk their lives daily to try to stop the spread of the virus. They are fighting for our community, our province, our country.

Is life safer in Huron-Kinloss than in London, Waterloo, Toronto, etc.? Yes. Should these front-line individuals be allowed to try to keep their families safer by sending them to their cottages, so they can keep a safe distance? Yes. Would their families be reckless and ignore safe-distancing? Highly unlikely.

Is there a chance that an elderly person living in a high-rise condominium in those big cities also owns a cottage in Huron-Kinloss? Yes. Do these seniors understand safe-distancing? Probably. If they haven’t become sick, to date, then they already “get it.” Will they swamp our health-care system if they get sick?

Let’s look at France. Their foolish behaviour has caused their health-care system to be overloaded. They are transporting those needing ICU (Intensive Care Unit) care to other hospitals in France, Germany, and Switzerland.

If somehow we had a small outbreak in Huron-Kinloss, our health-care system would instantly be overwhelmed. Fortunately, we are part of Ontario’s health-care system. We wouldn’t need to negotiate with London to please take our overflow. Those hospitals would take them with open arms.

Residents in Canada, Ontario, and Bruce County keep telling us we are in this together. Together means “We, not Me.” If there is a shortage of food over the coming months, are the distributors going to tell our grocery stores no more food because you have too many people living in your area? Really?

We need to welcome cottage owners, remind them that they must continue to practise the social-distancing they started at home. Will the hospitals in London accept our overflow of COVID-19 cases? Yes. Shouldn’t we accept their overflow of healthy people?

How did Huron-Kinloss respond to this pandemic? the township threatened property owners with a $100,000 fine if they turned on their water. Really? Of the 414 cities, towns and townships in Ontario, only one threatened property owners with a $100,000 fine. It’s time to reverse the “Me, not We” attitude.

Brian MacEachern
Huron-Kinloss