[Craic] Fwd: [OHC] Quick Update & Message: Bill 218 passed just now

[Allan Baker]

> Friends;
I just received this note from a friend from long ago - Warren Kazor.
It does not make for a pleasant read, but it is indicative of the authoritarian government that now rules Ontario.
Allan

> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Ontario Health Coalition via OntarioHealthCoalition <ontariohealthcoalition at list.web.net <mailto:ontariohealthcoalition at list.web.net>>
> Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 6:32 PM
> Subject: [OHC] Quick Update & Message: Bill 218 passed just now
> To: <ontariohealthcoalition at list.web.net <mailto:ontariohealthcoalition at list.web.net>>
> 
> FYI.
> 
> ✌  Warren  🛏
> Dear all members and supporters,
> 
> The Ontario Legislature just voted on Bill 218, the law that indemnifies for-profit long-term care homes among other for liability for their negligence in the pandemic. The Ford government MPPs voted for Bill 218 and the NDP and Liberals voted against it. The Bill passed. One of the  Opposition Parties (I could not see who on the livestream) requested a recorded vote: the result was 52 ayes and 38 nays. 
> 
> The NDP had brought an amendment earlier in the Standing Committee to carve out long-term care and retirement homes that the Conservative MPPs used their majority to vote down. 
> 
> The message to the long-term care industry is that they will not be held legally liable for negligence and that they are not required even to act with the normal requirement which, prior to this law, would have required a reasonable and competent effort to protect residents from harm from COVID-19. It is reprehensible that the Ford government has passed this legislation. 
> 
> The lawsuits will go ahead. The lawyers I have heard from are refiling their claims as "gross negligence". It will be a steeper hill to climb but they intend to try to climb it on behalf of their clients who are the families who have lost loved ones.
> 
> We will pursue our complaint to the Integrity Commissioner. It is our position that the government MPPs, including a number of government Ministers, Premier and other MPPs who brought this bill forward and voted for it, have received donations and have close ties with the for-profit long-term care industry, and that these should be investigated for conflict-of-interest and those MPPs should have recused themselves from the vote. 
> 
> I also want to add a note for those who are not aware. The Ford government has changed the rules of the Legislature to limit debate to just a few hours. It would have been impossible to pass this Bill so quickly before they did that. They also limited the public hearings to just one part-day, cutting out more than four dozen people, including family members of the deceased, from even being heard. The hearings were not televised, which I have never seen before, and the media could not watch them. These decisions are profoundly undemocratic, not to mention callous.
> 
> To the families who are directly impacted: we feel your heartbreak and your anger. We promise to continue to do everything we can do to improve care, protect those who rely on our health care system for their care, and finally achieve some accountability and justice for all that has happened. 
> 
> I am sorry to report such bad news. We will keep you apprised as we figure out next steps.
> 
> Please stay safe,
> 
> Natalie Mehra
> Executive Director
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> We rely on donations & memberships from people who care about protecting public health care for all according to principles of compassion, equity and the public interest. 
> ** If you can, please CLICK HERE <http://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/donate-now/> to donate or become a member.**
> 
> The most helpful way to donate is direct monthly withdrawal for the Health Coalition's work. CLICK HERE <http://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/donate-now/>.
> 
> To peruse our store (filled with cool stuff!) please CLICK HERE <https://store.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/collections/all>.
> 
> ~ Protecting Public Medicare for All ~
> 
> Ontario Health Coalition
> 15 Gervais Drive, Suite 201
> Toronto, ON M3C 1Y8
> ohc at sympatico.ca <mailto:ohc at sympatico.ca>
> www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca <http://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/>
> 416-441-2502
> 
> 
> Click here to UNSUBSCRIBE from this email list: https://list.web.net/lists/options/ontariohealthcoalition <https://list.web.net/lists/options/ontariohealthcoalition>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.integralshift.ca/pipermail/craic-integralshift.ca/attachments/20201118/87ed6805/attachment.html>