DEL DUCA: What the Ontario Liberal Party will be pushing for – Toronto Sun

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Next week, the Ontario legislature starts up again and we'll finally get to see what Doug Ford plans to do.

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No matter what you think about politics, this pandemic has shown us that government decisions affect us all.

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They decide whether our kids will be safe, whether our elderly parents will be treated well, and whether workers will be protected on the job.

They decide how this pandemic ends and our economy recovers.

Next week, the Ontario legislature starts up again and well finally get to see what Doug Ford plans to do.

This is a big moment, and one we should all care about.

We need real strength and real action. Not more delays and shrugged shoulders. We need someone to step up and take care of the regular people who have been through enough.

The Ontario Liberal Party will be doing just that, and hope to see some measures announced by Ford that will protect us all and help restore our economy.

Heres what the Ontario Liberal Party will be pushing for:

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Parents cant take another lockdown and our kids cant afford to lose another year of learning. Ford has had two years and billions of dollars to make classes smaller and safer. Our Education Recovery Plan will make school better for everyone, because cuts dont help kids.

The federal government has promised affordable child care, and so far eight other provinces and territories have signed on to take that deal. We know it will help families afford their overwhelming costs and help people get back to work. Theres no reason to delay this deal, and Ontario parents shouldnt get less than families in other provinces.

We make people wear seatbelts because we dont want them to die. We expect doctors to wash their hands before they operate. Theres no question that people who care for the sick, the elderly and the young should be vaccinated against COVID 19. The vaccine is safe and it works. Our Mandate Safety plan will require everyone working with the vulnerable to be vaccinated.

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If youre sick, you should be able to stay home without putting your job and your paycheque at risk. It took Ford more than 400 days to introduce any kind of sick leave during this pandemic. We are calling for 10 paid sick days for everyone in the province, so we can stop workplace outbreaks too.

Most of all. I want a government that works differently. If theres one thing I want to see from Ford, its for him to stop making decisions that help rich people richer, while regular people suffer.

An example I talk about a lot is the Altamont seniors home in Scarborough, which is owned by Sienna Senior Living.

Residents there pay about $2,200/month. On top of that, the government of Ontario pays Sienna about $5,500/month to take care of that same resident.

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So Sienna receives nearly $8,000 per resident per month.

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When the Canadian Armed Forces were called into Altamont last year, they found seniors who werent fed, had untreated wounds and were left in soiled clothing for hours at a time.

This should shock and outrage us all. But you know whats worse? In 2020, Ford gave the company an additional $47 million to help deal with COVID-19.

Right after, Sienna issued a $62.7-million dividend to its shareholders.

That is horribly wrong, and its not unique to the long-term care sector.

Right now, our government is fast to help their well-connected friends, and slow to protect everyone else.

Something needs to change.

Steven Del Duca is the Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.

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DEL DUCA: What the Ontario Liberal Party will be pushing for - Toronto Sun