Hamilton Public Health official issues apology for comments about Doug Ford

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Published April 24, 2020 at 12:36 pm

Hamilton Associate Medical Officer of Health issued an apology Thursday (April 23) for comments he made in the Hamilton Spectator about Premier Doug Ford.

Hamilton Associate Medical Officer of Health issued an apology Thursday (April 23) for comments he made in the Hamilton Spectator about Premier Doug Ford.

In a story that appeared Thursday in the Spec about the province calling for increased testing in long-term care facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Bart Harvey appeared to take exception to the directive.

“(You) don’t do testing for the sake of doing testing, even though (that’s) what our premier says,” he said in the story.

“And quite frankly, he’s not a medical scientist. He’s not a health scientist. He’s a premier,” Harvey said, adding: “I didn’t go to medical school with Premier Ford.”

Late Thursday afternoon, Harvey issued an apology for his comments in a letter addressed to Ford himself.

“My comments were my own and do not reflect those of the City of Hamilton, Hamilton Public Health Services or Hamilton City Council,” Harvey wrote.

“I have tremendous respect for the Premier’s role in this emergency and the difficult decisions you need to make every day.”

The Hamilton’s Public Health Service (PHS) has already ramped up testing across the city, particularly at long-term care homes and congregate facilities where outbreaks have been declared and this week, it was announced that testing capacity would increase even more.

“Our team here at the City of Hamilton– like your own and countless others across the province – continues to work tirelessly to protect the health and well-being of the Hamilton community against the threat of COVID-19,” Harvey said in his letter.

“You have my personal and professional commitment that our team will continue to look to yourself and the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health for direction and guidance in our collective efforts to respond to this pandemic emergency.”

Of Hamilton’s reported 364 COVID-19 cases, 71 are associated with facilities where outbreaks have been declared.

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