March 2nd, 2021
March 2nd, 2021
QUEEN’S PARK - Doug Ford needs to stop ignoring the people of Thunder Bay during their COVID crisis, and provide them with the resources they need to stay safe during the lockdown, said NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay – Atikokan) during question period Tuesday.
“Thunder Bay’s COVID crisis is deepening as our cases keep rising, and we’re back in lockdown because help didn’t come in time. This government waited too long to provide the resources needed to prevent the spread of the virus. Now, we need urgent assistance to deal with this crisis,” said Monteith-Farrell.
“For months, we have proposed sensible policies like paid sick days, and capping class sizes so we can stop this lockdown cycle and keep people safe, but this government ignored us.
“What is this government’s plan to help Thunder Bay keep people safe and stop this lockdown cycle in the long run?”
Monteith-Farrell said the Ford government should be helping people who need extra health care assistance to stay home and stay safe. She provided the example of a Thunder Bay resident who could be helped at home with transfusions, rather than daily visits to the hospital.
“As we struggle with high rates of community spread in Thunder Bay, we could provide care at home instead of hospitals,” said Monteith-Farrell. “My constituent Shawna receives transfusions every day at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and would greatly benefit from having her treatment in her house. This kind of initiative makes the community safer. But this government is not funding transfusions at home, requiring people to go to hospitals that are already struggling to keep up with COVID.
“What will this government do to help as many people as possible stay safe and receive the health care they need at home?”