Time to play hardball, Ford

Dear Editor,

Premier Ford, I commend you and your administration for the attempt made to bring COVID-19 under control in Ontario. You have done all the right things.

Educate all how to protect themselves from this virus.

Encourage all citizens to respond in both a selfish and public minded fashion to stay safe.

You have threatened those who do not respond to public suggestions with fines.

The time has come to start playing hard ball with the citizens of Ontario. It is obvious that many Ontarians will not respond to safety encouragements in an appropriate fashion.

Make the wearing of masks and personal distancing in public a law enforceable by health, police and safety officers throughout this province. Any office with guards must have the ability to either refuse entrance or fine those individuals who do not do what is required.

Make the gathering of persons greater than 10 people in public and within houses ad residences illegal.

Reinforcement officers must be allowed to bring/exert all safety protocols upon those who violate the law.

Start enforcing the rules, sir. Allow your officers to bring health and safety back to Toronto, Ontario and all our communities.

The time to be forceful has arrived. I am a manufacturer in Scarborough. We have done much more than what is required to keep our employees safe, and the work environment conducive to personal and communal safety. Businesses can run properly and safely. No one can enter the property without emailing a report from home, then before entering the plant their temperatures are checked. When anyone who has gone out to a supplier or finisher returns to the plant they are scrutinized and questioned. The future of the plant, business and each employee is primary to us all.

Last weekend, when the weather was just fine, many people went to Kensington Market, many without masks, shoulder to shoulder, ignoring your health warnings. Ontarians need to get real about this pandemic. You, sir, need to force them to do so. Fearful of getting blamed for business losses and other negative issues? Better to be known as the politician who saved Ontario than the one who could not do what needed to be done.

Steven Kaszab