July 3rd, 2020

Ford has no plan to help migrant workers infected by COVID-19

QUEEN’S PARK — The NDP Official Opposition says Premier Ford’s response to COVID-19 is all over the map and shows his government has no plan to help migrant workers:

June 24: Doug Ford says migrant workers should keep working, even when diagnosed with COVID-19.

Ford says he “will give farmers the support they need to protect essential workers and ensure they can keep putting food safely on our tables.” Issues guidance “allowing positive asymptomatic workers to continue working”

June 30: Doug Ford says he supports Windsor-Essex Health Unit decision to ignore his guidelines and prohibit workers from working with COVID-19:

“that’s the choice of Dr. Ahmed, he’s been doing a good job… that’s going to be his decision; in other situations, he might be a little more flexible”

July 2: Doug Ford attacks the Windsor-Essex Chief Medical Officer and questions the decision:

“Do you think that encourages other farmers to co-operate when all of a sudden, they see one of their friends get their farm shut down like that?”

July 2: Dr. David Williams, Ford’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, defends Ontario’s guidelines but also says he agrees with critics of those guidelines:

“I agree somewhat with the letter [signed by 700 health professionals calling on the government to amend guidelines that leave workers infected with COVID on the job] and those concerns are always important ones to consider.”

“We need a plan to help workers who desperately need support and a community that needs to re-open. Instead we have a Premier who seems to be making it up as he goes,” said Taras Natyshak, NDP MPP for Essex.