December 2020
2020 has changed the way we communicate—with correspondence in many instances replaced conversation—and letter-writing is enjoying a resurgence.
I recently received a letter from Town of Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette regarding the Province’s response to COVID – 19, and the following was my reply:
Thanks for sending me a copy of your recent letter to the Premier, dated November 19, concerning COVID-19.
Like you, I have been enormously proud of our community’s collective response to the pandemic, a challenge which is unprecedented in our lifetimes. We have demonstrated our grit, our determination, and our resilience. Our community spirit has shown itself in so many ways, coupled with our compassion and caring for others. In short, our people have been magnificent.
Our local businesses have been tested in ways they would have never dreamed possible, but in many cases they have pivoted to find new opportunities. You, Town Council and Staff have been tireless in your leadership, as all orders of government put partisanship aside and worked together.
I am convinced that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. The recent news that several safe and effective vaccines have been developed and successfully tested represents hope that better days lie ahead for all of us, including our local businesses.
To get there however, we will need to endure some difficult weeks that will test our resolve. But we need to keep the faith that has brought us thus far.
The advice of our public health officials, local, provincial and national has helped us chart the path to overcoming COVID-19. They too have been magnificent. All have tried their best; none have claimed to have been perfect. And yes, clarity and consistency in the Province’s messaging continues to be important, even as we confront a virus which is the very definition of a “moving target.”
Together, we have crushed the COVID-19 curve before, and we will do it again.
Please pass along my thanks and best wishes to Town Council and Staff.
Keep well, stay safe, and take care,
