Ontario Families Deserve Justice for Conservative Long-Term Care Failures During COVID-19

“The (Doug Ford) Conservatives knew that our friends, parents, and grandparents in LTC were vulnerable, and they acted far too late, with too little urgency.”                 – Wayne Gates, Niagara Falls NDP MPP

A Statement from Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates, whose Riding also includes Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the Lake

Posted February 7^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates whose riding includes Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake has been after the Ford government to provide better quality care and more resources for staff in long-term-care homes for years.

NIAGARA FALLS , Ontario – MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls), Official Opposition critic for Long-Term Care (LTC) released the following statement in response to Ford’s Conservatives facing a lawsuit (https://globalnews.ca/news/10276302/court-allows-negligence-suit-against-ontario-ltc-minister-to-proceed/) for negligence in LTC during the COVID-19 pandemic:

“Conservative failures in Long Term Care led to thousands of preventable deaths during the pandemic. The Conservatives knew that our friends, parents, and grandparents in LTC were vulnerable, and they acted far too late, with too little urgency.

This February 6th, families of Ontario’s seniors took another big step forward in their fight for justice for their lost loved ones. The families of those we lost in LTC deserve answers and justice. Together we will create an Ontario where this never happens again.”

Background

* In September 2023, the Ontario Ombudsman released a shocking report (https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/gates-report-confirms-ford-s-failures-led-preventable-deaths-ltc-during-covid-19) that painted a picture of ‘collapse’ in Ontario’s LTC response.

Makeshift graves places in front of one of many Long-Term Care homes in Ontario during the pandemic.

+ The Ombudsman found that 4335 residents and 13 LTC staff died between March 2020 and April 2022

* Since 2020, Ford’s Conservatives have continued to reward (https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/health/province-issues-mzo-to-expand-long-term-care-home-with-horrific-record-7148482) bad actor LTC homes with MZOs and expansions. The Conservatives have even passed legislation (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/20s26?search=Supporting+Ontario%27s+Recovery+Act)  to protect LTC operators from facing consequences.

* The LTC file has been passed like a hot potato, with 4 LTC Ministers in 5 years.

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