“Today in Ontario we’re celebrating First Responders Day and Doctors’ Day.
With everything that has happened over the past year, all of us have a much healthier and deeper appreciation for what these two groups of professionals, among others, go through, every day, as they serve our families.
For the past year, not only have doctors been taking care of the sick and organizing hospitals to prepare for successive waves of COVID — they’ve also educated us, and helped lead us and console us through a difficult time. We’ve watched our doctors on TV every night as they help make sense of what has been happening and help us understand how to be safe. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.
The same is true for our first responders — all the people who show up or swing into action when there’s trouble that threatens our lives or property. That’s a huge list of people and professions that includes police officers, firefighters, military personnel, paramedics, medical evacuation pilots, dispatchers, nurses, doctors, emergency medical technicians and emergency managers. All of these professions have had a very busy year, too, and many of these people have been directly in harm’s way during the pandemic.
We’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to COVID-19, and there’s still a lot of work and challenging times ahead for all of us, and for our families. In the meantime, let’s be grateful for all the talented women and men who are looking out for us, and helping us through this — even as they put themselves in harm’s way.
On behalf of the Ontario Liberal Party, thank you for all that you do, each and every day.”