Ford’s dithering leaves everyone scrambling once again

January 3, 2022

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner made the following statement in response to Premier Ford’s press conference:

“Ford’s dithering and delays have left Ontarians scrambling once again.

The result is that businesses, students, parents and health care workers are now suffering because the Premier didn’t take proactive measures.

The Premier simply can’t delay delivering the support people, small businesses and the health care system needs to get through the omicron wave. 

We need to get the variant under control to protect people and our health care system. 

That’s why the Ontario Greens have consistently called for:

• Making workplace safety a priority, including paid sick days, better ventilation and making N95 masks available for all frontline workers, educators and students.
  
  
• A third round of funding for the Small Business Grant, along with expanding the program and making the process easier, accessible and equitable.

• Taking urgent action to address staffing shortages in the health care system by repealing Bill 124, which caps wages for nurses; bonus pay for nurses working short shifts; fast tracing accreditation of internationally trained nurses.

• Getting schools open for in person learning as soon as possible by priority vaccination for students and school staff, continued access to PCR testing and free rapid tests, transparent reporting of Covid cases in schools, N95s to school staff, adding COVID-19 to regulation under the Immunization of School Pupils Act.

Ignoring calls for action and acting at the last possible moment is typical for this government, and is a real failure in leadership.”

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