TORONTO – Today Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party outlined priorities for the upcoming legislative session which include an urgent call for Doug Ford to publicly present a plan for the potential second wave of COVID-19.
“Earlier this year, when COVID-19 first struck, everyone was caught off-guard and all levels of government scrambled to respond,” said Del Duca. “But now, there are no more excuses. Doug Ford has had months to prepare for a potential second wave and I’m calling on him to share the details of his plan, assuming he has one, with the people of Ontario, as his counterparts in British Columbia and Quebec have already done.”
Based on advice and feedback from health experts and front-line health care workers, the Ontario Liberals believe Ontario’s second wave plan should include the following:
- Strategy for restrictions on non-essential, inter-provincial travel including a potential border closure;
- Eliminating unsafe waiting lines for COVID-19 testing;
- Expanded sick leave and additional protections for workers;
- Guaranteed access to fully-funded PPE for residents, patients and workers in both hospitals and nursing homes;
- Real-time reporting of outbreaks at the source;
- Increases in wages for essential frontline workers;
- Urgent, compassionate action to protect migrant farm workers.
In addition to pressing Doug Ford to publicly present his plan for a second wave of COVID-19, Ontario Liberals will use the upcoming legislative session to focus on proper support and funding for public education, real improvements for Ontario’s long-term care sector and additional support for small business entrepreneurs.”The Ontario Liberal caucus will continue to fight relentlessly for safe schools and nursing homes, and an economic recovery that supports those who’ve been battered most by the pandemic: small business entrepreneurs, women and people of colour. We will hold Doug Ford to account for his inaction every step of the way”