TORONTO – Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, made the following statement:
Doug Ford tells us he is open and transparent.
Today we learned that Ontario families were warning him for months of the crisis in long term care homes, but these families were ignored and none of this information was released publicly. How is this open or transparent?
And just now the CBC revealed that Doug Ford won’t disclose the names of the experts he’s relying on to make decisions in fighting COVID-19. Why? Time and time again Doug Ford has insisted he is getting the best help possible from the experts – but who are the experts? Doug Ford won’t say. How is that open and transparent?
For Ontario to feel safe as we fight COVID-19, clear and reliable information must be shared.
That’s how every region that has successfully fought back the virus has done it.
Doug Ford won’t do that. Instead, he continues to mislead. And there is now a pattern:
- Doug Ford has refused, time and time again, to reveal which long term care homes are in the ‘red’ zone. Reporters have pointed out to him other provinces reveal this information – still, Ford refuses.
- For weeks, Ford has been asked for updated modelling data – and for weeks Doug Ford has said it’s on the way – but the data never appears.
- Doug Ford refuses to release the mandate letter of the Minister of Long Term Care, or the mandate letter of any of his other ministers.
Now – more than ever – we need to trust where information is coming from.
If Doug Ford won’t reveal the team of experts he relies on – how can we trust his plans to move forward.