NDP reiterates call for public inquiry following report on lobbying and COVID-19

QUEEN’S PARK — In response to a new Star investigation, Hidden Influence, which lays out how well-connected PC Party lobbyists got their way at the expense of the health and safety of Ontarians in the pandemic, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is again calling for an independent, judicial public inquiry into Ontario’s COVID-19 response. Horwath released the following statement:

“There is an overwhelming amount of evidence showing that it hasn’t been public health experts calling the shots during the pandemic. It was lobbyists with special insider access to Doug Ford. As a result, the rest of us suffered through COVID cases running out of control, and longer more painful lockdowns.

It seems Doug Ford is always willing to listen to his friends, the lobbyists and insiders who are loyal PC Party insiders, especially those with deep pockets. He took every phone call from his lobbyist pals and did whatever they wanted.

This is exactly why Ontario needs a full, non-partisan, judicial public inquiry to get to the bottom of just what happened in this pandemic.”