TORONTO – Steven Del Duca, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party made the following statement:
Today’s report from the Canadian Armed Forces is shocking and upsetting.
Long Term Care home administration gave residents expired medications. They didn’t help them up when they fell down. They let residents live in filthy conditions with cockroaches and soiled diapers. They chose not to use supplies in order to save money. It was and is a complete and total lack of respect and dignity for our elders.
No one deserves to be treated that way.
As this crisis has continued I have thought about my own parents. My mom and dad are getting older and thankfully they are aging at home. But for many Ontarians that’s not possible.
They entrusted their parents and grandparents to long term care facilities that have done more than just let them down – these facilities have utterly and totally failed.
We need now, more than ever before, a full independent public inquiry into long term care deaths. I welcome the Premier’s attention on these homes and the sector as a whole. I’m glad he will take this report seriously – but it is more than just about five homes – we must ensure that every resident of long term care is treated with dignity and respect.
This is a difficult moment but we cannot turn away.