Premier Doug Ford has promised “justice for these residents and their families”, after a military report shed light on poor conditions of five long-term care homes in the GTA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ford says that the government has launched a full investigation into the allegations, including an investigation by Ontario’s Chief Coroner, which could result in criminal charges.
The report released yesterday claimed that not only were there staffing shortages and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), but also bug infestations, and patients “crying for help with staff not responding” for hours.
Last month, Canadian soldiers were sent to facilities in Ontario to help staff struggling to deal with severe COVID-19 outbreaks that resulted in resident deaths.
As a result of the report, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling for the resignation of the province’s long-term care minister.
The premier cannot pass the buck, finger-point, and express outrage about what his own government is doing on his watch.
He has no choice to immediately require the resignation of Minister of Long Term Care Merillee Fullerton. 4/6
— Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) May 26, 2020
Horwath said yesterday that Merrilee Fullerton must immediately resign and the province must take steps to ensure more residents in care homes don’t reside under similar conditions.
Horwath said, “In over 20 years of political service, I have never been so outraged, so disgusted, so saddened and so horrified by what I learned today”.
You can read the full military report by clicking here.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Canadian military will keep assisting in nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec, though 36 members of the Canadian Forces have come down with COVID-19 while doing so.
That’s up from 28 cases of the novel coronavirus among those troops less than a week ago.
COVID-19 update for May 26, 2020. Check back daily for updates or visit https://t.co/gMeZp5IKu5 pic.twitter.com/osLwWASwlJ
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 27, 2020