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Andrea Horwath

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Ford Insists Opioid Crisis Being Addressed

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PC leader Doug Ford is defending his party’s record when it comes to the opioid crisis in northern Ontario.

Several communities have seen a rise in overdoses and related-death in the last few years.

Speaking yesterday in Timmins, Ford says tackling the issue has been a priority.

“Actually, we are getting it done. We’re the only government that made sure we had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. We’ve done the largest investment in Canadian history of $3.8 billion,” says Ford.

He says that is far and above what the Liberals did when they were in power.

“They did absolutely nothing. They never had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. They didn’t put a red cent into mental health and addiction. We’re putting $3.8 billion. I understand it’s an issue here, and we’re going to continue investing and make sure that we help people that have an addiction or have any mental health issues.”

The budget brought forward before the election call included an investment of $204 million into mental health programs.

Recently, a report issued by the Northern Policy Institute presented to local leaders concluded that local municipalities are finding themselves cash strapped in dealing with homelessness, addictions and mental issues.

Analyst and Author Holly Parsons, “All health units in northern Ontario have seen a general increase in opioid-related emergency department visits, with more drastic increases experienced in Northwest Health Unit, Porcupine Health Unit and Public Health Sudbury and District.”

Parsons makes eight recommendations, including creating a northern mental health and addictions centre of excellence to address the unique challenges of service delivery in the region.

She stresses one-size-fits-all policies and standardized systems of care don’t always work up here.

It was a quiet day for the other provincial party leaders on Sunday.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath hosted a Mother’s Day brunch in Ayr.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner held private meetings with residents in his riding of Guelph.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca opted to do no campaigning on Mother’s Day.

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Provincial Leaders Kick Off Election Campaigns

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PC leader Doug Ford’s reelection bid is now underway as the campaigning toward the June 2 election officially got underway on Wednesday.

Addressing supporters in Etobicoke last night, Ford says he’s ready to back his campaign slogan, Get it done.

“Friends, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work and say yes to more jobs, more homes and more roads, more highways and public transit, and more money back into your pocket,” says Ford.

Ford labelled the NDP as ‘the party of no’ while criticizing the Liberals for wasting tax dollars, leaving health care on the brink of collapse, and stalling the economy while they were in power.

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NDP leader Andrea Horwath warns of more cost-cutting if the PCs receive a second mandate.

“So the first job, the most important thing that we can do in this election is to make sure Doug Ford does not get a second term so that the Conservatives can’t make even more cuts that hurt people,” says Horwath.

Horwath says the NDP is the best party to get that done.

She notes the party finished first or second in one hundred ridings in the last election.

Photo courtesy Ontario Liberal Party/Facebook

Education was top of mind as Liberal leader Steven Del Duca kicked off his campaign.

He is promising funding that will lead to the construction of 200 new schools and the upgrade of 4,500 others.

He says the $10 billion will come from cancelling the planned construction of Highway 413 in southern Ontario.

“From my perspective as a dad with kids in the system, the fact that Doug Ford wants to invest at $10 billion on the 413, instead of making sure that our kids attend state of the art schools really underscores how frankly he is not up to the job,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he would invest that $10 billion back into the education system within the first 100 days of taking office.

Supplied photo/Green Party of Ontario

While the other party leaders will travel by bus across Ontario, Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is going electric.

He unveiled his campaign and the electric vehicles he will use to tour the province.

Schreiner says running to earn your vote, not buy it.

“Gimmicks are not going to solve the challenges we face in this province. Gimmicks are not going to address the climate crisis and leave a livable future for our children. Gimmicks are not going to provide the housing solutions,” says Schreiner.

On the campaign trail today, Horwath will unveil her party’s plan to expand health care coverage in the province while she campaigns in the Scarborough area.

Del Duca makes a campaign announcement of his own in Woodbridge.

Schreiner talks housing in Waterloo and takes part in a candidate’s debate in his Guelph riding tonight.

The itinerary for PC leader Doug Ford was not immediately available.

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NDP: Rx Birth Control To Be Covered By OHIP If Elected In June

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Another party platform outlined by the Andrea Horwath and the provincial NDP.

Party leader, Andrea Horwath, outlined that if elected to lead the province in June she would make changes within weeks that would allow OHIP to cover all prescription birth control.

In a written release, Horwath said “the change will remove any cost barriers that limit people’s ability to make free choices about their reproductive health…,”. Types of contraceptives that would be included are the emergency Plan B pill, oral contraceptives, patches, injection/shots, IUD’s (intrauterine devices), rings and implants.

Currently tubal ligations (getting tubes tied), vasectomies and some forms of prescription birth control are available through the province’s health care system, and are only for those 25 and under. There are some exceptions for those outside of that age limit.

The provincial election is scheduled for June 2nd.

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Horwath Critiques Back-To-School Plan

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Ontario’s NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says Premier Doug Ford is gambling with kids’ school year.

Horwath says the PC’s back-to-school plan is filled with “penny pinching” and doesn’t present a solution to keep students and staff safe in the classroom.

She claims it doesn’t invest in lower class sizes, arguing students will be placed in crowded classrooms.

Her statement released this week says there’s also no additional funding for mental health help or educational support staff to help kids recover.

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Horwath Blames Ford For Longer Lockdown

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As the lockdown stretches out longer, the Official Opposition are putting the blame on the Premier.

Ahead of the announcement, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath claimed that if the emergency orders had to be extended, it would be because the Premier hadn’t been doing enough to combat COVID-19.

“The government, in many, many ways, has been very slow to act, has not behaved with any urgency whatsoever on a number of fronts. Whether that’s safe return to school, whether that’s the sloppy and slow rollout of the vaccines when they first arrived, the lack of care around long-term care, the lack of putting anything in place to actually save our seniors from going through the hellish nightmare that unfolded in the first wave,” Horwath said on Friday. “All along, Doug Ford has not wanted to spend the money to stop the virus effectively.”

Horwath added the province should also have been doing more to prevent outbreaks in long-term care homes.

After Monday’s announcement, Horwath remains critical of the Premier’s plan to allow retail shopping in all areas by February 22nd.

“People deserve hope that this lockdown will be the last lockdown, and that their family members will be safe this time,” she says in an emailed statement.

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NWO Schools, Seniors Need Help: Horwath

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Andrea Horwath says the government is falling short with its plans for schools, long-term care, and small businesses.

The Ontario NDP Leader zeroed in on long-term care during a video conference with Lisa Pattison, works at a home in Hamilton. Horwath and Pattison criticized Premier Doug Ford for the under-staffing and lack of resources affecting many homes.

While northwestern homes have had fewer COVID-19 outbreaks than in the south, Horwath said they are still facing staffing shortages and lack of available beds for seniors.

“We’re standing still, and that means we’re losing ground, because of course we have an aging population,” Horwath said. “But what we know for sure is that in the north, the access to healthcare services isn’t equitable [with the south].”

In Question Period, Horwath also asked the Premier to help northern schools that struggle to access online learning. She argues schools in the region are not able to keep up with the extra demands of the pandemic.

“Remote schools don’t have extra staff to deal with COVID-related emergencies, they can’t access wi-fi for remote learning,” Horwath said.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce replied to Horwath that the province will make sure all high schools have wi-fi when school starts in the fall.

She also pointed to comments by a Keewatin-Patricia District School Board teacher who pointed out that understaffing creates new concerns during the pandemic.

The teacher, Kim Douglas, is also the president of the local elementary teachers’ union. She told media “When there’s no administrator on site, and a kid gets sick, what do you do?Who’s gonna be responsible for that child?”

Horwath also pressured the Premier to ensure schools will be open five days a week in the fall, so parents can return to work.

When it comes to small businesses in the north, the NDP Leader argued the government is falling short, despite the excitement around stage three of reopening.

She said she has been asking for action for months. “They should be helping businesses with rent costs, still, because revenues are going to continue to be down, and they’ve already lost months now of revenue,” Horwath added.

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NDP Leader: “Buck Stops With Doug Ford”

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The leader of the NDP wants heads to roll as a result of a recent report from the Canadian Military about “horrific” conditions at five long term care homes in southern Ontario.

An angry Andrea Horwath says the government has to be held accountable.

“I think the conversation now has to be about the minister and the premier actually stepping up to the plate. Particularly the premier in terms of ensuring their is some kind of accountability, some kind of response to this month.”

Horwath says she wants the Minister for Long Term Care, Merrilee Fullerton to resign and for the government to call a public inquiry.

“Let’s not pretend. This is not news to Merrilee Fullerton. This is not news to Doug Ford. This is not news to Christine Elliott.”

The Canadian Armed Forces findings outline serious concerns around infection prevention, safety, staffing and level of care.

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NDP Leader Says Women Hardest Hit By Pandemic

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While the COVID-19 pandemic is having profound effects on all Ontarians, it isn’t affecting us all equally.

Andrea Horwath, the leader of the NDP says women are being hit the hardest, and its time for the government to do something.

“They need to step up now and provide real financial support to workers and small businesses in Ontario. So that folks across the province, especially women, can make ends meet now and get on to a solid footing. Because their will be no recovery without a ‘she-covery.’.”

Horwath says “Since women are also doing the lions share of unpaid work like childcare, household work and elder care. They are disproportionately impacted by the shutdowns of schools and childcare centres during the pandemic. That pandemic recession is definitely a ‘she-cession’.”

On Friday, Statistics Canada indicated the provincial unemployment rate hit 11.3%, the highest its been since 1981-82.

Horwath notes “Women have lost the majority of the jobs since this crisis hit Ontario. Women entrepreneurs are also more likely to own businesses that are self-financed or in the service industry. Making their businesses among the hardest hit.”

(Files from Tim Davidson: Acadia News Kenora)