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Mayor hopes new orders send message that 'this is serious'

'I hope and believe our OPP would only use (new power to randomly stop people) if absolutely necessary,' says mayor of 'scary situation' Ontario is in
playground closed april 2021
Playgrounds across Orillia, like this one at Homewood Park, have been closed due to more stricter stay-at-home orders issued Friday.

Multiple police agencies across the province - from Barrie Police to services in Toronto, Peel, Ottawa, London, Waterloo, Peterborough and others - have decided they will not conduct random checks of people during the latest stay-at-home orders.

On Friday, Premier Doug Ford took the unusual step of granting the powers to police as part of a multi-pronged attempt meant to slow down the rampant spread of variants of COVID-19.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), however, have said they may use the power and warned of “consequences” to those violating the latest order.

Orillia is policed by the OPP, but Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke does not believe local officers will be randomly stopping people driving or walking on city streets.

“I hope and believe our OPP would only use that if absolutely necessary,” the mayor told OrilliaMatters Saturday. “And, frankly, I’d hope it doesn’t have to be used at all.”

He said he hopes the granting of the new powers, however, sends a “message that this is serious” and that people need to heed the call to only leave their home for “essential reasons.”

The mayor said he understands why the granting of such powers to police is triggering fear for many.

“I do understand the past behaviour of police, in other jurisdictions, have led to anxiety and if that type of behaviour happened here, I can tell you that this mayor would be up in arms and we would be making an alternate plan.”

While he laments that we “seem to hear horror stories almost daily” in the media about improper police conduct, he said: “I sure as hell hope that in this day and age ... there seems to be an awakening that this type of behaviour needs to stop.”

Clarke said he has heard “loud and clear” from many people who are frustrated with some of the new restrictions announced Friday.

Many are upset about the closure of playgrounds, sports fields, golf courses, disc golf and other outdoor amenities.

The mayor, who was completing a home workout before speaking to OrilliaMatters, said he understands the frustration.

“First of all, it’s a helluva tough situation and there is no easy way forward,” said the mayor.

“Is every single move in every single lockdown 100% justified? I don’t know.”

However, we “are in a scary situation. We have a record number of cases, a record number of hospitalizations, a record number in ICUs,” he lamented.

He said Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital will likely soon be called on to take more COVID patients from overcrowded hospitals in southern Ontario as the crisis unfolds.

“The bottom line is we have to keep people well and, I know it sounds dramatic, stop doctors from basically having to decide who goes on a respirator and who does not - who lives and who doesn’t,” said Clarke.

For that reason, the city has not pondered disobeying the provincial order.

"We have been taking the lead from the province, hoping they are making decisions informed by science and our medical officers of health," said Clarke. "And  I hope this is what they did this time when it comes to shutting things down like playgrounds."

In fact, today, local playgrounds have been closed and, soon, basketball nets - just put up earlier this week - will be taken down, among other measures, noted the mayor.

“It is a stay-at-home order,” he said. “I understand that some could argue a playground is essential - I get that.”

But he said the “game-changing” COVID variants that “spread like wildfire” are here and that necessitates these decisions.

“I know it’s tough and I do believe people are exhausted and fed up,” said Clarke. “I know I’ve said this before, but I really believe the next couple of weeks are critical. We have to do all we can. And, most people in Orillia, have been doing just that.”


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Dave Dawson

About the Author: Dave Dawson

Dave Dawson is community editor of OrilliaMatters.com
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