Latchford, Ont., councillor resigns after falsely being labelled an 'anti-vaxxer'
A Latchford, Ont., councillor at the centre of a misunderstanding that led the area's only doctor to quit, is himself resigning.
Scott Green announced this week he is stepping down, following a controversy related to COVID-19 and Dr. Gretchen Roedde.
Roedde announced plans to leave following the reaction to her efforts to limit who can come inside her clinic. She decided not to allow unvaccinated patients inside her office, but made other arrangements.
"So if you haven't been vaccinated, then we're trying to say there's safer ways to look after you," Roedde told CTV news this week. "Maybe we'll do things remotely, maybe we'll do things by phone, we'll see you in the clinic when necessary. I think people thought that was a violation of their rights."
While Roedde was harassed by people opposed to vaccinations, Green said he was labelled an 'anti-vaxxer' and was harassed by the other side.
The problem began when Mayor George Lefebvre posted a report on Roedde's plans to restrict in-clinic visits.
"The mayor's report states that our doctor will not be seeing unvaccinated patients and will only have phone consultations with them," Green said in a letter announcing his resignation.
In response to that report, he posted on Facebook that he was opposed to her policy, sparking hostile and threatening comments directed toward Roedde.
As it turns out, not only was Roedde still seeing unvaccinated patients, she was willing to travel to see them.
"Dr. Gretchen Roedde was going above and beyond to see her unvaccinated patients, including parking lot checkups and personal house call to residents," Green wrote.
"I was embarrassed. I sent an apology letter out to residents of Latchford for my post where I told them they deserved better from me and I promised to be better for them."
Green said some media reports left the impression that he opposed vaccinations. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"I am fully vaccinated," he wrote. "My fiancé is fully vaccinated, our 12-year-old son is fully vaccinated (and) our five-year-old gets his first shot tomorrow. My fiancé even got her first shot while she was pregnant. I am and always have been pro-vaccine."
After the controversy blew up, he and Roedde met to discuss matters and became friends. In the letter, he thanked her for "standing up for me on the CTV news last night against all the hate, harassment and death threats that my family and I received."
According to the town's website, Green was only 20 years old when elected, making him the second-youngest elected municipal official in Canada’s history. He was re-elected in the next election at the age of 21 and named deputy mayor and chair of the finance committee for that term.
While Roeddes encouraged him to remain on town council, Green said matters have gone too far.
"In light of everything that has been happening, the verbal abuse, harassment and death threats to me and my family along with bullying from around the council table, I feel there is no other option for me at this time," he said.
"I want to thank the supporters who have reached out to me and a thank you to the voters of Latchford who elected me to public office on four consecutive elections."
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the name of Latchford's mayor.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.