SSMH JEDI LEADING FORCEFUL SHOW OF SUPPORT SATURDAY FOR SOUTH MUSKOKA DOCTORS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — May the 4th be with them.

That’s what south Muskoka doctors and their patients wish each other tomorrow morning as they unite at Memorial Park in Bracebridge at 10 a.m.

Bring a smile and a cookie May 4 to show your support for physicians lobbying to keep the more than 50 acute care beds they have now at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital.

And don’t forget signs saying so, reminds Phyllis Winnington-Ingram of the Save South Muskoka Hospital citizens group.

She predicts a large turnout to the unofficial public gathering.

In the Star Wars movies, heroes like the Jedi seek to “become one with the Force,” matching their personal wills with the will of the Force; while the Sith and other villains exploit the Force and try to bend it toward their own selfish and destructive desires. The Force has been compared to aspects of several world religions, and the phrase “May the Force (4th) be with you” has become part of pop culture vernacular.

“Just people getting together to show our support for our doctors,” she said this morning.

Doctors and nurses at SMMH are expected along with those who remain committed two equal Muskoka hospitals they say were promised by the province.

Dr. Rohit Gupta will be in attendance, but won’t be speaking, Winnington-Ingram confirmed.

SSMH is deadly serious about their huge death-defying hue and cry over planned health care services in south Muskoka and hospitals.

And they want to express those concerns at an outdoor open forum without the numbers of indoor constraints dictated this winter by Muskoka Algonquin Health’s board of directors at their community engagements.

SSMH members, who are out plastering south Muskoka streets with signs of support, dropped by SMMH for a photo-op. Photo SSMH website.

SSMH organizers invite everyone.

Winnington-Ingram knows hundreds will turn out — including she hopes many seasonal residents who may not have been at their summer cottages in recent months and for whom this may be their first opportunity to show their support for the doctors’ ‘Care Closer to Home’ model.

But she will be acutely aware of which civic leaders attend.

While she expects to spot many town and district politicians amidst the crowd, she will be watching and counting to see which of them are there to support the doctors or simply as auditors.

Who among them, she asks, will stand up to be counted as being for or against the doctors’ proposal?

So far most have been silent — with some claiming gag orders by councils.

This could be their opportunity to show why residents voted for them last election — and if they will next time.

If anyone misses the show of support, a second chance comes late Wednesday afternoon (5:30 p.m.) when many of those out tomorrow will head north to Utterson’s Town Hall, where south Muskoka doctors are meeting again with MAHC seeking further amendments after forcing directors to double their acute care and obstetric beds respectively to 36 and 1.

Who will show up tomorrow? It’s a burning question for SSMH members, who will particularly be watching and counting the number of town and district councillors participating or auditing in the show of support for doctors. Photo SSMH website

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