Ontario rules out long-term care legislation for veterans’ centre

TORONTO Canada’s largest veterans facility already has sufficient government oversight, so there’s no need to impose further accountability measures, Ontario’s Health Minister Deb Matthews says.

In an interview, Matthews ruled out regulatory changes that would put Sunnybrook Veterans Centre under Ontario’s Long-Term Care Homes Act, despite calls to do so.

“The short answer is no, because there’s clear oversight responsibility,” Matthews said.

“Broadly speaking, they’re providing very good care there; I’m not seeing the problem that needs to be fixed.”

After complaints about substandard care of the centre’s most frail residents surfaced last fall, Ontario’s Ministry of Health denied any oversight responsibility.

Instead, the ministry argued, the centre fell under the federal government’s jurisdiction, a position that left federal officials privately scratching their heads.

However, a recent federal audit sparked by the complaints concluded the federal government’s responsibility extended to ensuring its $26-million annual contribution is spent properly, while quality issues fall squarely to the province, which spends another $29.2 million.

The audit also noted provincial legislation that governs long-term care facilities does not apply to the veterans centre.

“I guess it’s history,” Matthews said by way of explanation. However, she said two pieces of provincial legislation that apply to all hospitals also apply to Sunnybrook — and that’s enough oversight.

Mike Blais, president of Canadian Veterans Advocacy, disagreed, noting there are no mandatory external inspections of the vets centre.

“Oversight continues to elude, regardless of what she says,” Blais said.

Blais said he was pleased Matthews now recognizes the province’s obligation to the 500 elderly veterans who call Sunnybrook home.

However, he said, the obligation should extend to applying the Long-Term Care Homes Act, which, among other things, mandates annual inspections with results made public.

“There’s still this cloud of secrecy over Sunnybrook,” Blais said.