Toronto, ON – Steven Del Duca, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, made the following statement:
Today’s revelations on long term care funding from the Toronto Sun are shocking.
Months ago we knew that low staffing levels forced workers to work at multiple facilities at the same time and that this alone would increase deaths.
Months ago, we called for the Ford government to raise staffing levels at long term care facilities.
Months ago, other provinces were increasing their numbers of staff.
Now, the truth has come out: the Ford government knew staffing levels were too low but still they denied a proposal to increase staffing before the pandemic hit.
Doug Ford, Peter Bethenfalvy and Rod Phillips were told urgent action was needed to prepare for COVID-19. They put the lives of our seniors at risk and many paid with their lives. All to save a few dollars.
As he himself likes to say, the buck stops with Doug Ford. It is not conceivable that such a request for funding could have been rejected without the personal sign-off of the Premier. Doug Ford’s negligence exacerbated the crisis in long term care and put lives at risk.
Doug Ford has failed to spend the money needed to battle the crisis in long term care. Time and time again he has acted too late and inadequately to protect vulnerable seniors.
Added to this, he has consistently rejected calls for an independent public inquiry into his government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis in long-term Care. Now we know why.