Last week, in my Listen Up opinion piece I wrote about my concern that one of the candidates at the mayoral debate in Huntsville would not commit to supporting the decision of the Provincial Government to build a new hospital in our community.
I wrote about it then, and I repeat my concern now. I do so because of my advocacy and support over many years for a modern acute care hospital in Huntsville that is not subordinate in any way to a hospital in Bracebridge. I wrote about it again last week, for that reason, and for that reason alone.
Since then, there has been a lot of chatter that I had no right to raise this issue as I was doing it simply because I am supporting another candidate for mayor. I think we need to deal with that.
I was well aware in writing about my concern related to mayoral candidate Tim Withey not fully committing to support a new hospital in Huntsville, that it would allow his supporters to defend him, and they certainly did that and we published those comments that met our community guidelines. I knew we would be providing them with that opportunity but believed the issue of addressing potential non-support for the province’s commitment for a new hospital was far more important.
There is a distinct difference between my personal activities and my function as the Publisher of Doppler and a commentator for that publication. I have the same personal right to support and vote for the candidate of my choice as anyone else. For the record, every other individual who works for Doppler has that personal right as well.
However, as the publisher of a local community online newspaper, we also have an obligation to address issues that we believe are of importance to the communities we serve.
So, yes, I am personally supporting and will vote for one of the candidates who is running for mayor of Huntsville. But I have not mentioned that name or promoted or endorsed that individual on Doppler in any manner.
What I have done, however, is address an issue, not raised by me, but by Mr. Withey whose comprehensive comments, in my view, directly challenged the commitment of the Provincial Government to build two new hospitals in Muskoka and threw cold water on it ever coming about.
(If you want to see the entire debate for yourself, including a discussion about the local share of the hospital, click here.)
That, to me, is an important public policy issue, and believe me, while one other candidate during the mayoral debate did briefly say he was opposed to a new hospital here, had any other candidate expressed their reservation, to the same extent that Mr. Withey did, whether I personally supported them or not, I would have raised exactly the same concern.
The debate about hospital care and the subsequent location of medical specialty services in Muskoka has been going on for many years. But that debate has mercifully come to a close. The Muskoka Algonquin Health Care Board (MAHC) has made its decision. The Government of Ontario has made its decision and communities in both North and South Muskoka have supported that decision. As in any debate, there are those who will disagree with the outcome. But to reopen that debate, at this point, in my view, is a mistake that can only be detrimental to acute hospital care in Huntsville.
Last month Dave Uffelmann, Vice Chair of MAHC and Cheryl Harrison, President and CEO of MAHC made a presentation to Huntsville Council related to the steps required to move forward with a new hospital here. It indicated the potential for shovels to be in the ground within the next five years. As some others have indicated, I believe that to be somewhat optimistic, but certainly, something to work toward.
However, I also believe that reopening the whole issue of hospital care in Muskoka will guarantee that those who say new hospital facilities are ten to fifteen years away, will get their wish.
In a comment to my Listen Up article last week, Allen Markle, an acknowledged Tim Withey supporter and a frequent critic of my commentaries, said this. “I agree with Hugh Mackenzie that if Huntsville is renovated or goes up a story, then the new ‘full service’ (hospital) will inevitably be built in Bracebridge.” But then he went on to say, “But in my opinion, such a facility half an hour away will be better than Toronto or Newmarket”. That is where I respectfully part company with Mr. Markle. It will not be better for Huntsville.
The moment Huntsville has a hospital that is subordinate to another hospital facility in Muskoka, it will have a significant and negative effect on our community. That includes doctors, who will not come here, medical specialists who will not come here, and indeed, people who will not move here. Our tourism industry would be affected, our economy would be affected, our ability to attract professionals here would be affected and our vitality as a Muskoka community would be diminished.
That is why the end of the debate about acute hospital care in Muskoka is welcome and that is why the commitment by the Province of Ontario to two new acute care facilities in Muskoka is important. It is also why planning, especially financial planning, for the new facilities must start now and not at some undetermined time in the future.
The Government of Ontario has committed to two new hospitals in Muskoka, and they have begun the implementation process to make it happen.
It is essential, in my view, that voters in this municipal election know precisely where mayoral candidates stand in meeting the necessary commitments when it comes to getting this particular job done in a timely manner, without throwing a spanner in the works.
That is why I have raised this important matter and not because I personally support a particular candidate in this municipal election. I have raised it because I feel deeply about the importance of a modern acute care hospital facility in Huntsville equal to any other in Muskoka. I firmly believe the vast majority of our community supports that as well.
I have fought for this well before this current election and will continue to do so until it is no longer necessary.
And damn the torpedos!
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
Click here to support local news