(Toronto) – The Ontario Federation of Labour demands that MPPs return to the legislature immediately. While Ontario continues to break single-day records for COVID-19 cases and deaths, the legislature’s recess has paused work on urgent issues including implementing paid sick days, addressing the long-term care crisis, establishing a plan for safer classrooms, and developing a comprehensive vaccine rollout program.
“Ontarians are getting sick and dying at record rates, there is a humanitarian crisis in long-term care, and vaccine rollout is happening far too slowly,” said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President. “It is callous for Doug Ford’s government to wait until February 16th to return to Queen’s Park to address this crisis.”
Ford’s Conservative government adjourned the legislature early in December while sitting on $12 billion in pandemic relief funds. He has ignored calls from NDP MPPs to return to Queen’s Park immediately. Since then, COVID-19 cases and deaths have skyrocketed, outbreaks have swept through long-term care homes, last-minute announcements have left education workers and parents scrambling, and Ontarians have been left in the dark about the vaccine rollout plan.
Recalling the legislature immediately will mean that MPPs can take action to address the most urgent issues facing people in Ontario during this critical phase of the pandemic. “Without immediate action from the provincial government to legislate paid sick days, address understaffing in long-term care, and implement a comprehensive vaccination plan people in Ontario will continue to suffer,” said Coates, “we’re calling on Ford to get back to Queen’s Park and provide Ontarians with the urgent help they need.”
The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information,
please contact:
Melissa Palermo
Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
mpalermo@ofl-org.flywheelsites.com l 416-894-3456
