October 21st, 2020

MPP French demands Ford stop shielding long-term care corporations from families seeking justice

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP MPP for Oshawa, Jennifer French, took Doug Ford to task on behalf of families in Oshawa and across Durham Region for shielding private long-term care homes from families seeking justice after their loved ones suffered and died in these for-profit facilities.

French shared the story of Cathy Parkes with the legislature, a daughter whose father Paul died at Pickering’s Orchard Villa Long Term Care home:

“My family and others like us have been through a living hell in the past six months. We watched our loved ones suffer and die while our hands were tied and the only people who could help didn’t move fast enough. This tragedy will be etched in history as a time when those in power failed to protect our vulnerable citizens and this new step shows the corruption of power at its absolute worst.”

Throughout the pandemic, French has been hearing from, and working alongside, grieving families who are seeking justice.

“First this government hid from accountability by refusing an independent, public judicial inquiry. Now, they are making laws to evade responsibility and duck liability,” said French.

“Private, for-profit homes like Southbridge’s Orchard Villa – with a long record of orders, complaints and non-compliance should not be allowed to operate with impunity.

“What does the government have to say to Cathy and her family?”