The medical officer of health for Peterborough Public Health says he remains resolved following incidents of protesters twice arriving at his private residence this week.
“I think I would be lying if I said I was ‘OK’,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott during Friday’s media briefing to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But I’m here and doing my job and we’re doing the best we can. I know lots of health-care workers are, and our whole team is.”
Piggott was asked about two protests by individuals claiming to be advocates of anti-vaccination and/or anti-lockdowns on Saturday, Jan. 15 and on Wednesday night. Videos circulating on social media show individuals outside Piggott’s residence Wednesday night delivering a dubbed “Cease & Desist Order” letter to Piggott at his door, demanding that he stop advocating the administration of COVID-19 vaccines and what they call “ongoing crimes against humanity.”
Two people were arrested Thursday under the new federal Bill C-3 which includes a provision of offences for intimidating or obstructing health-care workers and patients from providing or receiving health care. The bill also says any offence impeding health care should be used as an “aggravating factor” during a sentencing hearing.
Peterborough Police Service Chief Scott Gilbert says as far as he’s aware, it’s the first arrests in Ontario under the new legislation which went into effect on Jan. 17, two days prior to the first gathering outside Piggott’s home in East City.
Gilbert says the incidents remain under investigation and a “number of suspects” have been identified. The police will work with the Crown’s office on how to proceed if charges — such as criminal harassment and mischief — are laid.
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He says police are keeping a watchful eye on locations that may be targeted.
Under Bill C-3, if found guilty, an individual could face up to 10 years in prison, similar to a criminal harassment, he noted.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse,” Gilbert said when a reporter inquired if the two accused were “oblivious to the new law,” as they claimed in subsequent videos following their arrests and release for future court dates.
Gilbert says he hopes Bill C-3 can be a deterrent.
“Granted some people may not want to change and may want to continue their behaviour,” he said. “At which point in time we will continue to lay charges as appropriate.”
Gilbert said attending a health-care worker’s home and causing them fear is “just unacceptable.”
“We will arrest as necessary; we will lay charges,” he said. “And we will put you before the court.”
Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones joined the city’s mayor, MP and MPP in condemning the gatherings outside Piggott’s home, stating he was “disgusted with it all.”
“Give me a break — I suggest those individuals have a collective look at a great big mirror. I don’t think they’ll like what they’ll see,” said Jones.
He said the entire community is supporting Piggott and his team.
“The rest of us are doing the right thing — we’re standing behind you 100 per cent,” said Jones.
“Don’t ever feel you alone, we are with you.”
Piggott said he thanked the community, police and online (including those correcting misinformation and flagging concerns to police) for the “tremendous outpouring of support” for his team and himself in an “especially difficult time.”
“I know my team appreciates that and we continue to do the best job we can,” said Piggott.
“The remedy to violence is not more violence, the remedy is justice. The remedy to hatred is not more hatred, it’s love.”
Piggott says he’s accustomed to being mocked, noting his surname, but fears it could be worse for his colleagues.
“Online and in-person, the worse people are levelling at me is making fun of my last name — renditions of pig, Piggott, — if they think that’s novel or going to stick, they obviously haven’t spent anytime on a schoolyard. But if I wasn’t a white male, gendered, settler — I hate to think of the further vitriol and hatred that I’d be experiencing. And I have huge empathy for my colleagues and people that may be experiencing this (which is) even more difficult.”
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