Listen up! Clout matters | Commentary

The provincial election is now 4 days away. Lots of have voted previously and those who have not and intend to do so have possible created up their minds. But in restricted ridings like that in Parry Seem- Muskoka, it ain’t in excess of ‘til it is in excess of.

In the new previous I have made my possess posture really crystal clear when it arrives to this election and quite a few of these that disagree with me have done the identical. All of that is truthful ball.

My finest worry is that the two new full-provider acute-care hospitals for Muskoka now committed to by the Ford Authorities will be in jeopardy if we do not return a Conservative member to the provincial legislature for Parry Seem-Muskoka.

Indeed, this presupposes that the Ford Govt is re-elected on Thursday, but at this place in the campaign most signs position to it being the very best guess, whilst continue to a guess. And indeed, I have read the accusations of anxiety-mongering when I suggest that the consequence of medical center treatment in Muskoka is perhaps at hazard in this election.

But this is not just me. I have claimed what I have to say on this issue. This 7 days two persons with a very long record of neighborhood involvement in Huntsville and Muskoka, Bob Hutcheson and Doug Millikin, have reached out to me with their problems. Bob has set his problems in a letter to Doppler which I urge you to read. Doug Millikin has agreed to make it possible for me to include his comments in this article, for the reason that they deal solely with my primary worry, and that is the future of our hospitals and Fairvern Nursing Home.

Many persons will remember Doug Millikin. He came to Huntsville to build the Kimberly-Clark facility in this article and remained a lot of a long time as plant manager and subsequently retired right here. This, at the youthful age of practically 97, is what he has to say:

“The circular graph from Mainstreet Polling, printed in Doppler final 7 days, loaded me with alarm.

“I lived in Huntsville for 50 several years and in the course of that time was vice-chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and chair of the developing committee for what was then a new medical center. I also served as chair of the Huntsville Healthcare facility Basis. As vice chair of the Healthcare facility board, I was very involved in the invest in of the forty-acre web site on which the Huntsville Healthcare facility now sits.

“I am pretty conscious that each our hospitals in Muskoka now need to have extra renovations or rebuilding. I treatment vehemently about the future of our hospital in Huntsville, especially owning put in 12 nights beneath its care final July. I am grateful that Doug Ford has committed to two new hospitals in Muskoka, one particular in Huntsville and the other in Bracebridge, and I believe that it is really critical that this results in being a fact.

“For the previous 3 many years, I have been residing with my family in Guelph, though frequently returning to Huntsville. Mike Schreiner, the chief of the Ontario Inexperienced Party, is the MPP for the driving in which I now reside. Talking to a taxi driver lately, he commented that when Mike is an incredibly good person, with higher ideals, he actually has minimal clout in finding approvals from the province for matters significant to the driving.

“It is my working experience, over lots of years, that a using rarely gets anything allocated unless the MPP is also a member of the party in ability.

“It was beneath a Davis/Miller govt that we got the recent hospital. It was under a Ford/Miller government that we got the new and expanded Fairvern Extended-Expression Treatment Dwelling accredited. And it was less than a Ford/Miller authorities that we got the dedication for two new entirely serviced acute treatment hospitals in Muskoka.

“It was underneath a Liberal governing administration, with a Conservative member in Parry Seem-Muskoka, when we lost the Northlander prepare services, and it was beneath a Liberal govt when we were switched from staying designated in Northern Ontario to Southern Ontario, resulting in a important reduction in eligible grants.

“We need to assume critically about that. When the rubber hits the road, a driving is very best served by having an MPP who is also a member of the authorities celebration. This is the reality—this is politics—pure and easy. ‘Take treatment of one’s very own.’ It is a significant business enterprise.

“Now make no miscalculation. The sole purpose that I create this is that it is my robust opinion that we jeopardize the recent new medical center funding dedication if the thriving prospect in Parry Audio-Muskoka is not a member of the governing occasion, which all polls now job will be the Conservatives.

“I totally recognize people’s anger and frustration, primarily after the pandemic we have all been as a result of. I simply just request that the pretty attainable adverse repercussions, particularly in relation to our hospitals and Fairvern, in not electing the Conservative candidate in Parry Sound-Muskoka be considered.

“I urge absolutely everyone eligible to vote to feel about this. The stakes could not be greater.”

To me, Doug Millikin has described the problem in a nutshell. It is not personalized. It is just the reality of hard-nosed politics. I concur with him totally. The stakes could not be higher and clout matters.

Hugh Mackenzie

Hugh Mackenzie has held elected workplace as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Instruction, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District Muskoka and as chief of team to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.

Hugh has served on a number of provincial, federal and community boards, like chair of the Ontario Well being Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Spouse and children Wellness Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Fee, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Regionally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Healthcare facility Basis, president of Huntsville Pageant of the Arts, and board member of Local community Residing Huntsville.

In business enterprise, Hugh Mackenzie has a history in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding lover and CEO of Company Canada, a countrywide public affairs and strategic communications company set up in 1986.

At the moment, Hugh is president of C3 Electronic Media Inc., the guardian firm of Doppler On line, and he enjoys creating commentary for Huntsville Doppler.

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