LETTER: Saultite calls on people to support leadership

SooToday has received the following letter from Mike McCleary, a vocal critic of many of the Ford government's decisions and policies, calling for support of Ford during the COVID-19 crisis.

I think it’s fair to say that most who know me, know that I have been very vocal about the Ford government over the past two years. This is exactly what motivated me to write this letter.

Right now we are dealing with something unprecedented. We are seeing a global pandemic, unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime. Because of this, I don’t think there will ever be a perfect solution to COVID-19.

This brings me to the Ford government and their approach. Although I have been very critical in the past, I think Ford’s approach is something we can and should be rallying around.

He has shown bipartisanship, a willingness to listen to the experts, and has reacted swiftly to several problems like price gouging. These are huge steps in the right direction and can provide us with the resources we need to help the government with their efforts to fight Covid-19. This includes not adding to the partisan based divisiveness. Despite these measures, I have seen a lot of people criticizing our leaders on all levels.

We all need to work together.

We’ve seen local business owners try to accommodate the residents of Sault Ste Marie despite facing the very real financial hardships of Covid-19. We’ve seen Facebook groups created with the goal of offering help to others when needed.

Why not focus on the unity and community-minded approach we’ve seen in Sault Ste Marie? Recently, our local MPP Ross Romano made a call out for positive COVID-19 stories in Ontario, which to be honest, is something we could all use. I think our city, our community spirit, and our willingness to help one another could be a major highlight when looking at positive stories.

So I think despite our political beliefs and affiliations, we need to remember that we all have a part to play. There is no amount of government intervention that can help us if we as a community are not ready and willing to rally behind the efforts of our leaders and contribute to the fight against Covid-19.

Mike McCleary