There have been sturdy phrases this week from Premier Doug Ford criticizing Whitby’s mayor, Elizabeth Roy, and questioning the legitimacy of the city’s group advocacy marketing campaign to proceed the push for a brand new hospital in Whitby.
“I’m not going to be bullied by that mayor out there that’s constantly going out and offering everything under the kitchen sink,” Ford informed reporters in Vaughan on Wednesday morning when requested about delays in regards to the planning grant for the brand new Whitby hospital.
Ford was referring to the city providing raffle prizes to residents who participate in a survey to lift consciousness and assist for the brand new hospital to be constructed.
“Maybe the integrity commissioner should be looking into ‘Are politicians allowed to offer gifts if they get your email?’ It’s really unbelievable,” Ford mentioned.
“Holding a lottery, that if you give me your name and email address, you get a free gym membership or free iPhone watch or you get all these little treats… I don’t know … you can ask the minister. I don’t think that’s proper.”
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The feedback got here amid a separate occasion at Whitby City Corridor on Wednesday, because the mayor was saying the following steps locally advocacy marketing campaign, Care Nearer To House, which launched on Feb. 7.
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“I’m very surprised and taken aback, especially with the comments made regarding the purpose of the campaign,” Roy mentioned. “I just hope it’s not trying to disperse or push away the attention to the conversation, which is about a planning grant.”
The city additionally mentioned the prizes have been paid for in form and denies any politicians gaining access to the e-mail.
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“And to the residents of the community who have signed up, your emails went directly to Premier Ford,” Roy mentioned.
In a press release, Whitby chief administrative officer Matt Gaskell known as the feedback “entirely inaccurate, and frankly disrespectful of the nearly 4,000 call-to-action letters and personal stories shared by residents from across the region.” Gaskell added that the marketing campaign was “multi-purpose,” aimed toward educating and fascinating the group.
“The offer of prizes to help drive participation is standard practice used by many municipalities,” Gaskell mentioned.
This comes only a week after Roy expressed her frustrations over the 2024 provincial price range failing to incorporate a $3-million planning grant for the hospital.
Two years in the past a two-stage website choice course of resulted in selecting Whitby as the popular website for a brand new proposed hospital in Durham Area. Since then, Roy mentioned the city has been pushing for the planning grant from the province, which is required in an effort to transfer ahead with the method.
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“A lot of residents believe the hospital is going forward. They do not understand that we need to have a planning grant in order to move forward,” Roy mentioned.
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Over the span of the eight-week marketing campaign, nearly 4,000 residents throughout the area signed a call-to-action letter and shared a private story in regards to the significance of the brand new hospital. The city introduced on Wednesday that its subsequent steps will probably be papering municipal services with orange hearts to lift consciousness and proceed the advocacy for the brand new construct.
Amid the strain, Ford continues to decide to a hospital in Durham.
“To the residents of Durham, we’re showing them a tremendous amount of love,” Ford mentioned. “They’ll be getting a hospital, and we’ll choose the site.”
Within the meantime, Roy mentioned her subsequent steps are to achieve out to the premier and native MPPs.
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