Where were the inspectors?

Re: Military report describes nursing home horrors, May 27 Long-term-care (LTC) homes had a bare minimum of staff. When some LTC workers became infected, there was no reserve. Inevitably, reduced staff led to reduced care, so I wonder if the administrators can really be blamed. I would rather blame the inspectors: they should have blown the whistle years ago.

Suspend all inspectors immediately, replace them temporarily with doctorand-nurse teams and inspect every LTC home. Then examine the records of those inspectors to decide which ( if any) to reinstate.

Meanwhile, assign more nurses and PSWS to the homes, consistent with the COVID-19 needs there and elsewhere. Some occupants could be restored to their families till this is sorted out; at-home support is available, both public and private.

Finally, we are going to have to pay more tax to better fund the staffs and reserves that the LTC homes need. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must give more tax room to the provinces. It would help a lot if the oilrich provinces could sell their resources via pipelines east and west; we need that money now. Charles Hooker East Garafraxa, Ont.

All I can say about the military’s findings is that the state of elder care in Canada can only be described as shameful, disgusting, disgraceful, scandalous, inhumane and criminal neglect.

But note: exactly the same words can be applied to this country’s treatment of Indigenous people.

It’s time for real, legislated, regulatory, and legal action — not more tears, soothing virtue- signalling and commissions to be ignored ( you know who you are). Mike Priaro, Calgary