Does our government really get this?

No doubt by now, you’ve all seen the photo of Niagara area MPP Sam Oosterhoff’s large indoor family gathering. The clear violation of social distancing protocols and willful disobedience for mask wearing. If you were like me you shook your head in disbelief and incredulity.

Then came Premier Doug Ford’s response. That should’ve made you furious with righteous anger. A simple apology was good enough for young Mr. Oosterhoff. No reprecussions. No disciplinary actions. No demotions to the back benchs from his perch as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education. Nothing. A shrug of the shoulders and a mumbled apology behind closed doors was good enough for old Doug Ford.

This is unacceptable. I am furious at this. Here’s why.

My family is have a very important occasion happening in a few weeks. My daughter will receive her first communion. Originally this was supposed to happen last spring, however due to the pandemic everything was pushed back. We are only now able to do this. Our Church is trying accomodate a social distanced event to keep everyone safe. This means the essentially just the households of the children will be able to attend.

Which means, my parents, my inlaws, my child’s god parents, her uncles and aunts won’t be able to share in this important milestone with her. We should be able to take a photo just like Sam Oosterhoff and his family did, on this special occasion. However, we won’t, because we are willing to sacrifice for the greater good.

I know that is hyperbolic, but it’s the truth. I’m betting that some of you reading this are nodding in agreement. We are willing to sacrifice the traditional closeness of family and friends that comes with such monumental events in your children’s lives. All because the science tells us, such activities are what spread this pandemic further.

We haven’t seen close friends of ours in close to a year now, because of this rule. It has been difficult and trying at the best of times. Honestly, I believe it is a testament of character for those of us who comply. However, Mr. Oosterhoff failed that test. Unequivocally and unambigously he failed. The fact that he is a community and provincial leader only adds to that failure. And to top it all of Premier Ford compounds that failure with his own, but not enforcing the rules on his own MPP and showing what the consequences are.

Let’s face it, for Doug Ford there are no consequences. He’s never had the intention of enforcing his own rules on anyone else? What happened at the illegal car rally in Ancaster? Or the illegal house party in Brampton? Were fines issued? No, nothing. Yet, each day Doug Ford stands at the podium and shrugs his shoulders at us and pleads: “I get it,…I feel for ya.” Well, here’s the God’s honest truth Doug, you don’t get it. Clearly you don’t get the difficulty and fear the rest of us have been facing with this pandemic. If you did, then you’d send Sam packing. Telling him: “Sorry Son, you screwed up big time and these are the consequences.”

It’s time to be a leader Doug.

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