In a release dated August 24, local NDP candidates Nadia Verrelli (Sudbury) and Andréane Chénier (Nickel Belt) state Justin Trudeau “failed to protect seniors at risk in for-profit care homes during the pandemic, and that they will fight to make sure elders are safe and cared for in Sudbury.” NDP Federal Leader Jagmeet Singh echoed that sentiment by vowing to end for-profit long-term care and committed to a Care Guarantee for seniors, families and workers.
“In Sudbury, seniors in long-term care and their families suffered terribly during this COVID crisis,” said Verrelli in the release. “We cannot stand by and let this happen again. Justin Trudeau took no action to help northern families, but the NDP will. We’ll take out the profit and invest in quality care for seniors.”
“Even today, the Trudeau Liberals are siding with the same corporations that profited from the pain and suffering of seniors and their families,” stated Chénier. “Under Trudeau, nothing will change. It’s time to put seniors and their families first, allowing them to retire in financial security and dignity.”
Given the opportunity to make things better, states the release, Justin Trudeau refused. Trudeau voted with the Conservatives to keep profit-driven long-term care. And he failed to deliver on a commitment to establish national standards and to hold big corporations to them.
Canadians living and working in for-profit long-term care homes were the hardest hit by the pandemic. Residents in for-profit facilities experienced much higher infection rates and more deaths than those in non-profit and public facilities. Reports from military personnel who were sent into for-profit homes detailed horrors of residents starving and dehydrated, severely neglected and dying. Many advocates have pointed out the pandemic has only exposed failures in long-term care that have existed for decades.
Singh as leader has pledged to develop national care standards, with accountability measures, and to boost wages and support for long-term care workers.
He also laid out a plan to take profit out of long-term care by removing control from big corporations and banning any new for-profit care homes. He committed to a Care Guarantee for long-term care residents, their families and workers that ensure the best care possible for our loved ones.
