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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.