- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

• Besides the hard-to-miss 150 people politely standing well apart from the celebrations with a message for the Premier about health care privatization, farmland destruction and Greenbelt scandals, we noticed the following:

  The Premier recognizing MP Alex Ruff, only to see that he was not in attendance. These are the kind of things staff are supposed to know so as not to embarrass anyone. Nothing really to do with federal politicians and Alex may have had a more appropriate commitment, but it was nice he was invited.

• The absence of the Grey County Warden, Southgate mayor Brian Milne and no one acknowledging him even though his constituents will be using that hospital. Grey County wasn't acknowledged at all, for that matter. Closest was former Grey Bruce Health Services CEO Gary Sims, who thanked “Grey Bruce County” for their support.

• A flash of a green(belt) shirt under professional-wear among invited guests.

• 8 days since the big Brightshores rebranding reveal, but lots of signage had been ordered and was in place. Humans have a bigger learning curve – the Chair of the Board still called it Grey Bruce Health Services and then stopped herself and gasped.

• The Minister of Health, who spoke from notes, referring to Grey Gables as “Green Gables”. She meant well, but she is from the next county over from Grey, so the name should have twigged.

• The horse and buggy tie-up sign. Are there bike racks too, we hope?

• The sign of thanks in the lobby to Flato, one of the Dundalk (and Greenbelt) developers for "making this space possible through their generosity"

• No one mentioned the number of beds (eight, up from the originally approved five). While hospitals provide many services – emerg, outpatient procedures, imaging, education – that don't require overnight stays, the subject of in-patient capacity with a growing population was raised by Dr. Erica Ferguson last December. Ferguson is a hospitalist at what was the Markdale Centre-Grey General Hospital. Scott Dunn of the Owen Sound Sun Times did an excellent interview and article on the subject on January 11, 2023 which I cannot link and you will have to Google because.....Meta.