This morning I called on Doug Ford to appoint a COVID-19 Czar to lead Ontario out of this tragic situation. I recommend Dr. @SteiniBrown or Dr. David Naylor.
There is no time left for Doug Ford’s half-hearted, half-measures. #onpoli 1/
I am also calling on the province to immediately pre-register all Ontarians for a vaccine. This would reassure the millions of people who are still confused about when they’ll be eligible that they are registered and can look forward to an appointment when it is their turn. 2/
Other measures that must be taken today include dramatically increasing vaccine supply for hotspots, redefining “essential workplaces” to limit them to critical components of the food supply chain, and the immediate adoption of paid sick leave for all workers. 3/
To ensure Doug Ford is truly acting on expert advice, there should be briefings for opposition leaders as well. This would help us provide constructive feedback on the government’s measures, and would help us understand the advice he’s receiving. 4/
Tune in to see me speak with media about these recommendations here: 5/5
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Today I called for some meaningful changes to fix Doug Ford’s confusing vaccine rollout.
First, we need a one stop shop for everyone eligible to register for their shot. It’s mind boggling this hasn’t happened yet. 1/ #onpoli#vaccine
Next, the government should be paying to open vaccination clinics for essential workers, instead of asking businesses to foot the bill. This is the responsibility of @fordnation, not business owners. 2/
Last, Doug Ford needs to stop abandoning Scarborough & other hotspots, and start getting the 1.2M doses out of his fridges and into people’s arms. His excuse for hoarding doses is to avoid cancellations- but thousands of appointments were canceled this week. It makes no sense. 3/
In a moment that demands leadership like no other, it is disappointing that @fordnation continues to try to create distractions and make excuses to hide his own failures. 1/ #onpoli
Ontario is now home to Canada’s worst outbreak of #COVID19 because he chose not to heed the advice of the very health professionals and scientists that his government has chosen for their expertise in this area. 2/
Ontarians like @DFisman that have stepped up to help their province during this crisis are deserving of our gratitude and should not be subjected to attacks on their character for simply trying to tell the truth. 3/
Doug Ford's attacks at his press conference earlier were a weak attempt to distract from his failures. He’s clearly been watching the polls. Let’s look at why his numbers are slipping: 1/ #onpoli
Today, against the objections of LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities, Ford and his government rammed through a reward for his bigoted friend Charles McVety. It was a direct betrayal of millions of people that reject bigoted views. Ontario Liberals would reverse this odious decision. 2/
This weekend, seven members of the Greenbelt Council resigned over his disastrous gutting of conservation authorities. Former PC MP David Crombie called it a “high level bombing" that "needs to be resisted” in his resignation letter. 3/
It’s official; @fordnation has lost control. His messages are confusing and chaotic. Every hour that passes is an hour lost. 732 new cases and a growing testing backlog of +90,000 are unacceptable. 1/ #onpoli
Half-measures are the opposite of how we need to respond to this crisis. All we see from him is reactive scrambling and indecision, with conflicting messages causing daily confusion. No one knows what is allowed or what to do to carry on their daily lives. 2/
I’m not the only one who sees the problems. People across the province see them as they stand in line for hours waiting for a test, or send their kids to a classroom with 20+ students. Toronto Public Health sees them too. 3/
Thread: I've just heard from a friend working in a COVID-19 hotspot, with a concerning update on their return to school. Because many students have chosen to learn online, their school has collapsed classes, leaving some empty. 1/ #onpoli
When I hear that, I envision opportunity for that school to keep class sizes small by using the empty classrooms and hiring some more teachers to make use of them. 2/
Unfortunately, Doug Ford didn’t provide the needed funding that I - along with experts in education and healthcare - called for in July, and schools don’t have money to hire educators to make use of the classrooms. 3/
Last month I launched the @OntLiberal Party's Students in Schools Action Plan. Moms and dads across Ontario are desperate for leadership and need clarity about how students and education workers would be going back to school (1/4).
Now, just a week away from Labour Day, two million Ontario students are preparing to go back to school over the next few weeks. Parents, students and educators are anxious about their safety. They need answers now (2/4).
That's why we're here today to launch a new website: KeepOurSchoolsSafe.ca where parents, teachers, and education workers can share their stories - so Doug Ford is forced to hear their voices. Even if it means playing your testimonial in the Legislature (3/4).