Mayor Hec off to Germany
By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Friday, September 30, 2016 06:50 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, September 30, 2016 06:52 PM EDT
There was a time when a Canadian with the name Macmillan heading for Germany was worried for his life.
In 2016, a Canadian Macmillan is heading to Germany to save his life. For Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan, the Germans are the good guys.
The people who could kill him, he said, are in Ontario.
“There are health ministry people who don’t care if I live or die, “ said Macmillan, who answers the phone with the message “my name is Hector Macmillan and I have been sentenced to die by the Ontario government.”
The 58-year-old has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and even though we have IRE Nano Knife equipment here to go in and kill the tumour, he and others are not eligible.
He can go to Kentucky but that would be $300,000 — the Ontario government won’t pay because he’s been labelled Stage 4 cancer (even though in Kentucky and here in Kingston, they call it Stage 2).
Since Hec didn’t raise the $300,000 for the United States treatment, the $50,000 he did receive will cover the cost for Germany, where he travels Sunday.
Macmillans from Scotland and Canada have gone there to fight before but this time it will be Germans fighting for him.
“They have been so supportive Joe,” he said of the German medical people. “They really want me to make it.”
He’s not so sure about the Ontario politicians like Premier Kathleen Wynne and Health Minister Eric Hoskins.
If Hec does not make it, I plan to lay a complaint to the OPP’s Homicide Squad because I have two letters from doctors saying he is healthy enough for this surgery. That they won’t do the surgery in a province that he has paid into, I believe, needs to be explained.
“It may be too late for me but at least I have a chance,” said Hec. “I did what I did for all the thousands of others who don’t have my voice.”
If you want to see him off to battle abroad, he will be arriving Sunday at 4 p.m. in Pearson Airport’s Terminal 1 for his Air Canada flight. He tells me he’ll be the one wearing a big Ontario flag.
You are another hero heading for battle in Germany, Hec. Safe trip!
********
They walked off the ice as virtual unknowns and right into controversy.
Burlington’s own Walk off the Earth band definitely ruffled feathers with their unique rendition of O Canada, which included new gender neutral lyrics, at the ACC Thursday on the night Team Canada won hockey’s World Cup.
But it might work out because they are one hell of a group. I listened to their catalogue and was blown away. Very talented and with their own sound and style. They have no record company behind them or radio play but still sell out concert halls around the world. I am not surprised. They are good.
Walk off the Earth are Sarah Blackwood, Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio, Ryan Marshall, Mike Taylor and Joel Cassady. They were not meaning to offend or looking for attention. They are just different. Different is good.
I sure hope they get to do the anthem again at a Leaf game — this time with the proper lyrics — to a standing ovation.
Either way you will hear of them again. Like the Barenaked Ladies, The Tragically Hip, July Talk and The Glorious Sons, they are a great Canadian rock band.
Hopefully they skate off with a new start.
********
The future of the United States may be on the line but so are a lot of friendships.
There is no hotter topic and nothing more divisive than asking an American, who are you going to vote for? Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?
In Buffalo, be careful how you answer.
“I know I am,” said a waitress at the Anchor Bar. “It’s a good way to get into a fight.”
She has seen it. Four men were in and refused to sit at a table where Hillary Clinton’s picture was looking down at them. Problem is, she has ordered wings from there — a criteria to get on the wall.
“They ended up putting a napkin over it,” she said.
Every table is talking Trump/Clinton. I drove all over the area and talked with people and sensed a real split on this. It could go either way.
If I were Trump I’d get over to the Anchor Bar for some wings and get his picture up there with Clinton’s photo.
Either way there will be debate. Just don’t throw the tasty wings.
********
Last but not least congrats to Andy Donato on the Canadian News Hall of Fame announcement. No one more deserving.
Sad that the Don Bosco Eagles are no more but the truth is that happened when late Mayor/Coach Rob Ford was thrown under the bus. He told me losing the team was worse for him than not being mayor or fighting cancer.
Thanks for all the hydro stories. I have not forgotten and will work on this some more. Interpreters in Afghanistan, you are not forgotten. Immigration Minister John McCallum please contact me.
It was neat to meet legendary Toronto writer Ron Base at the Milton Fair. He’s written a new suspense novel called The Escarpment based on the hills in and around Milton. The book is available on Amazon. I have just started it and it’s pretty cool. I also learned there is a Milton Film Festival in January. Cool.
Last week, I wrote about the giant bird in Regent Park that Stan Behal photographed. Consensus is that it was a red-tailed hawk.
Have a great weekend everyone! Go Blue Jays! Let’s have some more play-off baseball in the big smoke. Scrawler out.
Mayor Hec off to Germany | Warmington | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun
By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Friday, September 30, 2016 06:50 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, September 30, 2016 06:52 PM EDT
There was a time when a Canadian with the name Macmillan heading for Germany was worried for his life.
In 2016, a Canadian Macmillan is heading to Germany to save his life. For Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan, the Germans are the good guys.
The people who could kill him, he said, are in Ontario.
“There are health ministry people who don’t care if I live or die, “ said Macmillan, who answers the phone with the message “my name is Hector Macmillan and I have been sentenced to die by the Ontario government.”
The 58-year-old has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and even though we have IRE Nano Knife equipment here to go in and kill the tumour, he and others are not eligible.
He can go to Kentucky but that would be $300,000 — the Ontario government won’t pay because he’s been labelled Stage 4 cancer (even though in Kentucky and here in Kingston, they call it Stage 2).
Since Hec didn’t raise the $300,000 for the United States treatment, the $50,000 he did receive will cover the cost for Germany, where he travels Sunday.
Macmillans from Scotland and Canada have gone there to fight before but this time it will be Germans fighting for him.
“They have been so supportive Joe,” he said of the German medical people. “They really want me to make it.”
He’s not so sure about the Ontario politicians like Premier Kathleen Wynne and Health Minister Eric Hoskins.
If Hec does not make it, I plan to lay a complaint to the OPP’s Homicide Squad because I have two letters from doctors saying he is healthy enough for this surgery. That they won’t do the surgery in a province that he has paid into, I believe, needs to be explained.
“It may be too late for me but at least I have a chance,” said Hec. “I did what I did for all the thousands of others who don’t have my voice.”
If you want to see him off to battle abroad, he will be arriving Sunday at 4 p.m. in Pearson Airport’s Terminal 1 for his Air Canada flight. He tells me he’ll be the one wearing a big Ontario flag.
You are another hero heading for battle in Germany, Hec. Safe trip!
********
They walked off the ice as virtual unknowns and right into controversy.
Burlington’s own Walk off the Earth band definitely ruffled feathers with their unique rendition of O Canada, which included new gender neutral lyrics, at the ACC Thursday on the night Team Canada won hockey’s World Cup.
But it might work out because they are one hell of a group. I listened to their catalogue and was blown away. Very talented and with their own sound and style. They have no record company behind them or radio play but still sell out concert halls around the world. I am not surprised. They are good.
Walk off the Earth are Sarah Blackwood, Gianni “Luminati” Nicassio, Ryan Marshall, Mike Taylor and Joel Cassady. They were not meaning to offend or looking for attention. They are just different. Different is good.
I sure hope they get to do the anthem again at a Leaf game — this time with the proper lyrics — to a standing ovation.
Either way you will hear of them again. Like the Barenaked Ladies, The Tragically Hip, July Talk and The Glorious Sons, they are a great Canadian rock band.
Hopefully they skate off with a new start.
********
The future of the United States may be on the line but so are a lot of friendships.
There is no hotter topic and nothing more divisive than asking an American, who are you going to vote for? Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?
In Buffalo, be careful how you answer.
“I know I am,” said a waitress at the Anchor Bar. “It’s a good way to get into a fight.”
She has seen it. Four men were in and refused to sit at a table where Hillary Clinton’s picture was looking down at them. Problem is, she has ordered wings from there — a criteria to get on the wall.
“They ended up putting a napkin over it,” she said.
Every table is talking Trump/Clinton. I drove all over the area and talked with people and sensed a real split on this. It could go either way.
If I were Trump I’d get over to the Anchor Bar for some wings and get his picture up there with Clinton’s photo.
Either way there will be debate. Just don’t throw the tasty wings.
********
Last but not least congrats to Andy Donato on the Canadian News Hall of Fame announcement. No one more deserving.
Sad that the Don Bosco Eagles are no more but the truth is that happened when late Mayor/Coach Rob Ford was thrown under the bus. He told me losing the team was worse for him than not being mayor or fighting cancer.
Thanks for all the hydro stories. I have not forgotten and will work on this some more. Interpreters in Afghanistan, you are not forgotten. Immigration Minister John McCallum please contact me.
It was neat to meet legendary Toronto writer Ron Base at the Milton Fair. He’s written a new suspense novel called The Escarpment based on the hills in and around Milton. The book is available on Amazon. I have just started it and it’s pretty cool. I also learned there is a Milton Film Festival in January. Cool.
Last week, I wrote about the giant bird in Regent Park that Stan Behal photographed. Consensus is that it was a red-tailed hawk.
Have a great weekend everyone! Go Blue Jays! Let’s have some more play-off baseball in the big smoke. Scrawler out.
Mayor Hec off to Germany | Warmington | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun
