Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday attacked Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy in the legislature, saying Roy has “no idea” how investing in physical care works, while refusing to acknowledge that Durham’s next hospital will be in his city.
Last week, Ford accused Roy of “bullying” him over his commitment to Whitby’s hospital, Lakeridge Health chose Whitby to host its seventh hospital in January 2022 and Ford himself, after all, said the hospital would be built in Whitby earlier this year.
At a press conference in Vaughan last week, after being questioned about the ethics of Roy’s public campaign to get him to devote to planning the grants needed to get the task off the ground, Ford appeared to backtrack on that dedication.
“The rest of Durhams will be given a hospital and we will take the place. “
The hospitals part was raised on Monday in Queen’s Park through Oshawa MPP Jennifer French, who asked the prime minister when grants would arrive for the schemes.
That drew a disjointed reaction from Ford, who lashed out at Roy and Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull, who also spoke out in favour of securing monetary pledges for the hospital.
“What’s surprising is when the mayor of Whitby stands up to a Liberal MP and tells us that we deserve to use our investment in health care to build a hospital,” he said. “She’s not informed. He has no idea what he’s talking about. whereas a Liberal MP has no idea what he is talking about.
Roy and Turnbull have made it clear that what they are waiting for is a grant to make plans to launch the first shovels in the hospital project. Ford, who gave the impression of referring to a recently announced federal health care program, told the province he was unable to use the money to build a new hospital.
“Understand that, understand that,” he shouted, predicting an electoral defeat for Turnbull in the next federal election. “Because I’m going to tell you that the Liberal federal deputy probably won’t be here for much longer, by the way. And when he disappears and the mayor. . . “
Ford ended his rant by noting that he had invested more in physical care than “anyone in the history of the province. “
Roy didn’t take the bait, referencing earlier statements that “defending the citizens of Whitby is not being a bully. It’s doing my job,” while accusing Ford of “misleading the public with erroneous accusations that are downright disrespectful to thousands of people. “
“I am very concerned that the prime minister has said today that the province will be the site for the new Durham Hospital,” she said last week. “This is precisely why Whitthrough continues to defend the resolution adopted through the independent panel of experts for more than two years. years ago. “
“The province continues to say that a hospital will soon open in Durham. When should I ask? I will continue to ask questions until we get an answer.
Turnbull responded Monday on social media, saying it was “a real disgrace” that Ford simply attacked him and Roy in the legislature simply for “doing our job. “
“Instead of hurling insults, he is concentrating on keeping his word and investing in the Whitby hospital. Two years later, the City of Whitby is still waiting for a $3 million grant to make plans to move Whitby Hospital forward.
Over the past eight weeks, nearly 4,000 more people have supported the campaign by signing a call-to-action letter or sharing a personal story about why they care about a new hospital. As a next step, the city will meet the city’s needs with orange centers, where the center represents a resident who supported the crusade.