Remarks not worthy of the position he holds, says former federal public health official
“Arrogant” and insulting: that’s how Dr. Robert McMurtry, former Dean of Medicine at Western University and a former Assistant Deputy Minister of Health with Health Canada, describes comments made by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, with regard to health concerns about industrial-scale wind turbines and health impacts.
Dr. McMurtry wrote a letter to Premier Doug Ford, expressing concern and professional disappointment over remarks made by Dr. Moore during a news conference in September.
On September 29, Dr. Moore said, in response to questions about people spreading misinformation on COVID vaccines, that “there will always be a ‘vocal minority’ in opposition whether its WiFi, 5 G, or wind turbines or vaccines,” according to a Tweet made by CTV’s Colin D’Mello.
For Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health to equate vaccine misinformation with the reports of adverse health effects from wind turbine noise emissions is “inconsistent with the volumes of peer-reviewed research available that demonstrate serious harm to human health,” Dr. McMurtry wrote in his letter.
He also referred to the fact that Dr. Moore, while working in public health in Kingston, Ontario, testified against the citizen environmental group appealing the Ostrander Point wind power project, for the Ontario environment ministry.
“If Dr. Moore had taken the time to review the many studies and reports published on wind turbine effects it the past decade, it is highly unlikely he would have made the recent statement,” Dr. McMurtry said.
Instead, he demonstrated conduct unbecoming of a public health officer, McMurtry wrote. His remarks are a “gratuitous affront” and “not worthy of the position he holds”.
Dr. McMurtry has served as an advisor to many government commissions and was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2011.
Read Dr. McMurtry’s full letter here: RY McMurtry Letter to CMOH Dr Kieran Moore_November 22_2021
Wind Concerns Ontario also wrote a letter to Dr. Moore in October but has not received a response.