National Post (National Edition)
Homes will be held accountable, says Ford
‘We can pull their licences,’ he warns
OTTAWA Doug Ford pledged Thursday for-profit companies running long-term care homes would be held accountable for the deplorable conditions in those facilities that left them vulnerable to COVID-19.
Earlier this week, Ford released a Canadian military report highlighting appalling conditions in five Ontario long-term care homes where forces members were sent in to help. Four of the homes were run by private companies, including one, Sienna Senior Living, that is publicly traded.
Ford said anyone holding shares in these companies should be asking questions about how the firms are being run.
“You want to invest in a company, make sure the company is run well,” he said. “If you buy a stock, you have to do your due diligence to make sure the product is good.”
Ford, generally in favour of cutting government regulations, said on long-term care his government will be moving in the other direction and he wants to particularly ensure staff working in the facilities are safe.
“When it comes to longterm care we have to have more regulations. We have to make sure they have the PPE. We have to make sure these companies, $100 million per year companies, aren’t sitting there with a lock and key, keeping the PPE in the safe.”
The province took over management of four of the five homes where the military was present. The fifth run by a not-for-profit has experienced a turnaround and the military is no longer in the facility.
The military’s report detailed inadequate staffing, training and personal protective equipment in the homes. Members of the military found rotting food, cockroaches, and expired medications at some of the homes.
Ford said if the companies aren’t prepared to step up, his government is prepared to take any necessary steps.
“We can pull their licences and then they won’t have homes to worry about.”
He also revealed for the first time that provincial inspectors refused to go into long-term care homes at the height of the outbreak in April. He said the government worked with the union representing inspectors to ensure they would return and had the necessary safety equipment.
“We didn’t just sit on our hands. We worked with them.”
Late Wednesday, five federal Liberal MPs released two open letters on the issue.
One was directed to Ford calling for a full public inquiry and other steps, but the other was addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Health Minister Patty Hajdu calling on them to work with the provinces to establish national standards for long-term care homes.
The five MPs Judy Sgro, Gary Anandasangaree, Yvan Baker, Sonia Sidhu and Jennifer O’Connell all have one of the troubled facilities in their riding.
Ford has said he will hold a full independent commission on the issue. He said Wednesday that process would be expedited to start in July and said if called he would stand as a witness. O’Connell said the commission is not enough and there needs to be a fully independent, public inquiry.
“If you have a department investigating itself, I don’t think it gives the same level of trust as having external, independent investigators.”
She said national standards are necessary, because it is clear Ontario is not alone in having problems.
“We have a responsibility as Canadians to set a standard and then obviously, each province and territory can go further if they feel the need,” he said.
Any call for national standards is likely to be met with a call for greater federal investment to help provinces cover increased costs. O’Connell said there needs to be national standards to follow any investment.
“It’s the details that matter and we can’t provide more federal funding if provinces are just going to cut it in the long run and cut services.”
Trudeau was set to talk with provincial premiers about long-term care Thursday evening and was circumspect on what he would be asking for.
“I’m not going to short-circuit that conversation by putting forward aggressive proposals right now, but what I will say is the federal government is there to support, to work with provinces to ensure that in areas of their jurisdiction they are able to give Canadians the care that they and their families expect.”
Ford was blunt about what he needs to improve the system during his press conference.
“We need money. That is what it comes down to and if we get the funds we can make some massive changes.”