Question Period: Wednesday, May 19
Ford was a no-show
HIGHLIGHTS: A full-on inquiry into the Covid response — Show us the reopening plan — State of emergency in Timmins — McVety decision: “People who spew hate should never run universities” — A PMB to tackle racism in the school system — The small biz struggle — Access to life-saving but costly drugs for Cystic Fibrosis — Bring back outdoor recreation — ICU beds full-up — In London, 18-plus crowd’s demand for vaccines outstrip supply — Follow the feds or go it alone to return to normal — Let’s give money to The Ex — What happens to AstraZeneca doses in the freezer?
A full-on inquiry into the Covid response
TRANSCRIPT — Ms. Andrea Horwath: This morning, my first question, once again, goes to the Premier. For months, Ontarians everywhere, businesses, health experts, everyday working folks—have been pushing for the government to answer basic questions about their COVID-19 response. Earlier this morning we called for a full public judicial inquiry into the government’s response to COVID-19. Will the government commit today to calling a full public judicial inquiry into its response to the COVID pandemic?
The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply for the government, the government House leader.
Hon. Paul Calandra: We were very quick to ensure that there was a commission of inquiry into long-term care, but obviously we are still in the midst of the pandemic. As I said yesterday, I appreciate that the opposition wants to declare victory and say that it’s over and move to reopening, but our main priority right now is going to continue to be the health and safety of the people of the province of Ontario.
With close to 7.5 million vaccines in people’s arms it’s great progress, very, very good progress. I’m excited that the numbers seem to be going in the right direction, but it’s not time to declare victory. We’re going to double down and make sure that all of the people of the province of Ontario are safe and that when we get this behind us the economy can come roaring back. There will be plenty of time for the members of this Legislature to investigate the progress of the pandemic.
Horwath: Well, Speaker, it is absolutely the right time for this government to commit to doing the right thing, as other governments have already done. This is something that needs to happen here in Ontario, just as it needs to happen in many, many other parts of this world.
This Ford government promised accountability, they promised answers, but their track record shows exactly the opposite of that. They stonewalled their own long-term-care commission and refused them the extension that they had asked for because they didn’t want them to be able to do the job necessary. They promised an investigation into long-term-care deaths that were caused by neglect—caused by dehydration—that the Canadian Armed Forces discovered. They’ve ignored expert advice and claimed that they didn’t.
Will the Premier commit today to holding a full public judicial inquiry into what happened with this government’s response to COVID-19?
Calandra: As I just said, the Auditor General has taken a look. There is a commission of inquiry as well. There will be plenty of time for, first and foremost, the members of this Legislative Assembly to look at, through its committees, the pandemic before, during and after.
Having said that, I will reiterate that I’m just not on the same page with the Leader of the Opposition when it comes to declaring victory over this pandemic. There is still a lot of work that remains to be done. Huge progress has been made, yes, absolutely huge progress: seven and a half million vaccines into people’s arms and thousands of appointments being booked. That is great news but the job is not yet done, and for the members of the opposition to suggest mission accomplished, Mr. Speaker, I just simply disagree.
We’re going to double down on our efforts to make sure that all Ontarians are safe and that when we put this behind us once and for all we can put all that we need to into making sure that we unleash this economy like it was before the pandemic.
Horwath: I fear we’re now looking at yet another failure of this Ford government to do the right thing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have watched as this government has made the wrong decisions. There are lessons to be learned here and they need to be learned. This government needs to make a commitment to being very transparent and open in public about how this pandemic was managed.
There was a preventable third wave. They walked us right into it because they ignored expert advice and 1,892 more people passed away in the third wave. The long-term-care tragedy is unspeakable: 4,000 people lost their lives. The impacts are going to be felt for decades on families, on businesses, on jobs and on people’s mental health.
We need to learn what this government got wrong, including why the Liberals and the Conservatives failed to learn the lessons from the SARS pandemic. We need to ensure that this never, ever happens again in Ontario. So will this government commit to an independent judicial inquiry? That’s the very least that Ontarians deserve.
Calandra: Of course, we have had an Auditor General’s report; we’ve had a commission of inquiry into long-term care, that’s right. The Leader of the Opposition and her party were against that commission of inquiry.
There are going to be lessons to be learned, Speaker, of course there are.
It is our responsibility to make sure that we learn from the mistakes of the previous four Liberal administrations that is preceded this government. But we were moving very quickly, in fact, because we knew some of the problems that the previous Liberal government left us with, whether it was inadequate testing or whether it was the lowest ICU capacity per capita in North America. We were moving quickly on that.
There are other lessons to be learned too, Mr. Speaker, like why variants of concern had been allowed to come into this country through international borders; why the federal government hasn’t worked with us after we’ve been pleading for months to close down our borders. Are there lessons to be learned? Absolutely.
The first place we can learn those lessons is through the members of this Legislature working through our committees to do so, Mr. Speaker. That’s the first step.
Show us the reopening plan
Horwath: Speaker, my next question is for the Premier, but this minister is absolutely wrong in his assessment here.
This question is now to the Premier. It’s regarding the Minister of Health’s statement yesterday that a reopening plan is coming soon. We know that this government has a dismal track record of ignoring experts all the way along. In fact, that’s exactly what led to the third wave being as bad as it was. Their reopening track record has caused us to be in the third wave and has caused this pandemic to be longer than necessary here in Ontario. It has cost lives. It has cost jobs. It has cost us businesses.
So, the question is when will we actually see the plan?
The Speaker: The Minister of Health.
Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you very much for the question. We have been careful every step along the way protecting the health and well-being of the people of Ontario.
Emerging from this third wave, even though we’re starting to see the numbers go down, we’re not in the clear yet. We still have very high numbers in ICU. Today, they’re down to 735, but that still is very high.
We know that we have to take very careful steps because the last thing that we want in the province of Ontario is a fourth wave. So, any steps that we may take in the future will be based on sound medical advice from Dr. Williams and from other health experts who are advising us because we know that we cannot move too quickly. The variants of concern are still out there. Things can rise up very quickly so we need to take very, very careful steps to emerge from this third wave when the time is right.
Horwath: Gee, Speaker, that would be a really good change here in Ontario; that would be a really good change. This Premier and this minister have claimed in the past that they have consulted with doctors, that they’ve listened to the experts. We’ve heard all of this before, but it doesn’t ring true, Speaker.
In November 2020, the government claimed that their colour-coded system was designed by expert advisers. That’s what they claimed, that the system was designed by the experts. But the reality shows something completely different. Those very advisers rejected the government plan, we found out after. They had actually rejected the government plan.
In February, the government ignored the science table advice while claiming that they were following it. In fact, the Premier said, “We’ve always listened to the chief medical officer and the health team.” And the experts say that decision not to listen is exactly what brought us to the devastating third wave that we are still dealing with.
So why would anybody believe the Premier and the Minister of Health now?
Elliott: Notwithstanding the comments made by the leader of the official opposition, our government has in the past and always will continue to rely on the advice of Dr. Williams and the other medical experts who are providing with us advice and recommendations. They are reviewing the science data and trends, along with collaborating with local medical officers of health.
They are looking at the indicators such as the epidemiology of the virus, the number of cases, the percentage positivity, the health system capacity, ICU occupancy and general hospitalizations, public health system capacity and, of course, the rate of vaccinations, which I’m very proud to say are now at over 7.4 million vaccines that have been distributed. Some 57% of the population of Ontario over age 18 has now received at least a first dose.
Horwath: Everyone knows that this Premier, this government, walked us right into the third wave, because at every step, while he was insisting that the expert advice was being followed, those same experts were actually begging the government to change course. As a result, we now have 732 patients in the ICU today. In fact, today, we’ve hit a horrifying milestone where now over 2,000 more Ontarians lost their lives to COVID-19 in the third wave. Those are parents. Those are children. Those are children who have been left orphaned, mothers, fathers, wives, husbands. We need to get this right. We absolutely can’t trust the Ford government, unfortunately, to do that.
The question is: Will this government commit today to a reopening plan that is actually backed by science and that we can see for ourselves where it has come from so that people can actually trust the reopening plan? Because we certainly can’t trust this government and this Premier to get it right.
Elliott: Yes.
State of emergency in Timmins
Mr. Michael Mantha: My question is to the Premier. Timmins declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to the recent rapid surge of COVID-19 cases, the bulk of them within Timmins itself. The Porcupine Health Unit has called upon this government to recognize Timmins as a provincial hot spot to ensure that vaccines and supplies are readily available for the community. They also need support to enhance capacity for testing and to set up a community isolation centre. We are now seeing young, healthy individuals requiring hospitalization. This is really, really concerning for northern Ontario.
Will the government provide the support Timmins needs to respond to this surge of cases?
Elliott: Thank you to the member for the question. Yes, of course, we will provide support in any situation where there is a hot spot emerging where additional resources are needed. We are watching this situation very carefully, and we will provide the supports that are needed to enable the situation to be brought back under control.
But with respect to vaccinations, I can advise that we are receiving over two million vaccination doses this is week, that we are going to be able to supply all of the public health unit regions, all 34 around Ontario, with significant volumes of vaccines so that people can be protected—young people and seniors as well and everyone in between.
The Speaker: The supplementary question? The member for Kiiwetinoong.
Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Back to the Premier: We have to know that the geography of the north and limited resources make our health care system vulnerable and especially in emergencies. Remote and sparsely populated communities are far from health care. People in regions across the north have driven over hundreds of kilometres to get to their vaccines, because it’s not getting to all the northern communities equally. Our public health units are doing their best with limited resources.
Now, Timmins is in the third-highest number of active COVID cases per capita in Ontario. They need resources. Will you commit to getting those resources to Timmins, what they need so their health care is not overwhelmed, yes or no?
Elliott: Thank you to the member for the question. Yes, of course, we will assist Timmins if they require additional resources in addition to vaccines, if they need more support to deal with any outbreak. We want to make sure that we can supply everyone who wants a vaccine with one.
I would just also refer to Operation Remote Immunity, which was a big success in vaccinating our First Nations people on 31 fly-in communities as well as in Moosonee. We want to get back to do the second doses as well, as well as to deal with young people ages 12 to 17, who can now be vaccinated with a Pfizer vaccine. We are committed to that, and we are going to be ramping up Operation Remote Immunity to go back again to finish the job.
[AFTER A FRIENDLY QUESTION ON THE BORDER ISSUE…]
McVety decision: “People who spew hate should never run universities”
Ms. Laura Mae Lindo: My question to the Premier. Yesterday, PEQAB reviewed the twice-delayed application by Charles McVety’s Canada Christian College. Conservatives have bent over backwards to help Charles McVety. This fall, in an omnibus bill, they buried legislation allowing him to turn his college into a university that offers arts and science credits.
PEQAB made a decision last night, and while we wait for the minister’s response, here’s what we know: We know Charles McVety never shied away from his using his college platform to attack LGBTQ2S communities and he never shied away from using his college platform to attack Muslim Ontarians.
Through you, Speaker, and to the Premier, when will this government tell Ontarians that people who spew hate should never run universities?
The Speaker: To reply, the member for Northumberland–Peterborough South and parliamentary assistant.
Mr. David Piccini: Thank you for the question from the member opposite. Speaker, as we’ve said from day one, this government understands and respects the independent PEQAB process. It’s because of that independent process and because of the educational experts embedded in that process that Algoma University is expanding its educational opportunities in the north for learners in the north. It’s because of that independent process that OCAD University in downtown Toronto is expanding opportunities for students in the arts, embracing new challenges, embracing new learning techniques. It’s because of that independent process that we’ve seen Seneca pivot to offer programming for in-demand labour market needs, and it’s because of that independent process, regardless of who applies, that we’ve ensured a high quality of education in this province. We will always, as we said from day one, respect the independent educational advice from the PEQAB committee.
Lindo: Back to the Premier. The McVetys’ quest to own a university never should have got this far. It never should have come to this. The Premier and this whole government encouraged Charles McVety at every step. They emboldened him enough to think he can build a bigger platform for his hateful rhetoric. As long as Charles McVety supported the Premier, the Premier had his back. In the meantime, the Minister of Colleges and Universities refuses to invest in Laurentian, he won’t speak out against McVety’s hate, and he’s leaving post-secondary institutions to fends for themselves during a pandemic.
Mr. Speaker, through you to the Premier: Why won’t the government reverse the legislation and stop wasting precious time and resources on people like his bigoted friend Charles McVety?
Piccini: It’s this government that historically lowered tuition for learners in the province. It’s this government that’s expanded mental health supports, that stood with our universities and our publicly assisted colleges through the difficulty of this pandemic, providing additional funds to support learners.
Again, it’s because of independent processes—independent of political influence—that have a rigorous review on student freedoms in the PEQAB process, a rigorous review on organizational structure, a rigorous review on student support, led not by politicians, but educational experts. I find it ironic that all of a sudden, now, the member is interested in the PEQAB process. It’s that member that wanted politicians to make those decisions. On this side of the House, as difficult as it is, we will always stand by the independent educational advice of the PEQAB process. We will respect it and I would encourage the members opposite to do the same.
A PMB to tackle racism in the school system
Mme Lucille Collard: My question is to the Minister of Education. As I have worked to draft my private member’s bill that will be debated later on today. I have been hearing from leaders in my riding and from across the province that have been working tirelessly to fight racism. As elected representatives, it is our responsibility to work towards a truly inclusive province. To this day, there are children in our classrooms who cannot reach their full potential because of systemic barriers obstructing their success.
Your ministry, Minister of Education, has an Education Equity Secretariat Initiatives Branch, but I haven’t seen any initiatives lately, even given the important rise in racism incidents over the last year and more. Can the minister provide some information regarding any recent initiatives to address equity issues in our schools?
Hon. Stephen Lecce: Obviously, we both have a shared interest in breaking down the systemic barriers that really impede the success of young people in the province. It’s why this government made a pretty significant bold step in de-streaming the new grade 9 math curriculum, which will be unveiled shortly, for the benefit of all children in this province, lifting up the performance of students in Ontario. It’s why we’ve initiated, just last week, an over-$300,000 investment to counter anti-Asian racism that is very much on the rise in this province and around the world. It’s also why we took action to end discretionary suspensions of young children, disproportionately impacting racialized, Black and Indigenous children. It’s why we’ve mandated all trustees and senior board staff to undergo a human rights training, to build that capacity and that culture within our schools of inclusivity and respect, something that I think the member and I opposite share.
Collard: Again to the Minister of Education. The fight against racism obviously needs to be led on multiple fronts, but one of those has to be education. As we work towards a brighter future for our children, we must recognize that giving them tools now to understand equity issues and participate to the development of an inclusive and equitable Ontario is something that we wish for our children. So, as I am a firm believer schools are the starting point to a better society, I ask: Does the minister support action to modernize our curriculum and make school places where our children can learn and contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable province?
Lecce: We certainly agree that this is a priority. It’s why we tackled actions to really reduce those barriers well before the pandemic and during the pandemic. We have urged school boards and accelerated the collection of race-based data and the public release of antiquated accountability. We think we have to understand the problem by measuring it first. It’s also why we’ve ensured that there’s anti-racism and anti-discrimination training in all curriculum, mandatory from kindergarten all the way up to grade 12.
One of the, I think, most compelling case studies of supporting racialized children is making sure that they can see themselves reflected in their educators, which is why we abolished regulation 274 to ensure equity, diversity and, yes, merit leads the way in the hiring of educators in Ontario.
[AFTER A FRIENDLY QUESTION ABOUT THE GTA TRANSIT EXPANSION PLAN…]
The small biz struggle
Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Premier. The city of Toronto’s annual employment survey was released this week and the findings shine a light on the absolute devastation our largest city has suffered due to the painful and repeated lockdowns, made longer by this government’s failures. The survey recorded a 7.6% decline in total jobs, making it the largest, single-year decline since the survey was initiated in 1983. By the end of 2020, a staggering 3,480 businesses had been closed.
Speaker, the people of Toronto want to know why the Premier repeatedly ignored the pleas for help from small businesses who were being forced into eviction, gouged by insurance companies and left without the means to replace lost revenue?
The Speaker: To reply, the member from Willowdale and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Stan Cho: Thank you, Speaker. Certainly we recognize that small businesses in this province have been impacted greatly by COVID-19. These are our job creators; this is where these jobs come from. That’s why this government, from the get-go when COVID-19 began, has introduced a series of measures from the beginning, most recently in a grant program that the member opposite has voted against. The member has done no favours to these small businesses by voting against every support measure, whether that was hydro reductions or tax reductions not just to get through the pandemic but to position these businesses for success in the future.
The question to the member is, what has the member voted in favour of to support these job creators? Name one measure the member has voted in favour of supporting small businesses.
Stiles: Speaker, let me tell you: The words of the member opposite are cold comfort to the small business owners who have lost everything this year, and for the nearly 120,000 workers who do not have a job to return to, those businesses are not coming back.
In Davenport, we’ve lost cherished local businesses, like Wallflower on Dundas West, Starving Artist on St. Clair and Queen West’s iconic LGBTQ bar, The Beaver. There’s a tide of for lease signs like no one has ever seen before all across this city, and those that have survived up to now are begging you to stop forcing them jumping through hoops to get a small business grant that barely covers their needs.
Speaker, Toronto’s economic recovery is absolutely essential to Ontario’s economic recovery. Will the Premier finally wake up to that fact and fix this mess?
Cho: Speaker, what I hear is that the member has not voted in favour of any of the support measures this government has introduced—not one. But I will also remind the Legislature and the businesses in Toronto that the opposition did not put forward a single amendment through the budgetary process, the official channel through which to suggest further measures to support these small businesses—not one.
Interjections.
The Speaker: Order.
Cho: So, now as we move through, thanks to the efforts of our health minister, nearly half the population in Ontario has been vaccinated with their first dose. That means hope is indeed on the horizon and we see those brighter days. This government has positioned these businesses for success tomorrow as well, because it’s not just about COVID-19, though now the members voted against that as well, Speaker.
But here’s the thing for these small businesses: We’re going to get through this, and despite the efforts of the opposition, we’re going to position you for success. We’re busy fighting this virus, we’re busy fighting for small businesses and the opposition is simply too busy fighting this government.
The Speaker: Order. The next question? The member—
Interjections.
The Speaker: Order, order. The member for Orléans.
Access to life-saving but costly drugs for Cystic Fibrosis
Mr. Stephen Blais: My question is for the Premier. May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Ontarians living with cystic fibrosis have waited too long for life-changing drugs that could transform the lives. They’re available in other countries around the world but not here. Trikafta is a transformational drug that can treat up to 90% of Canadians with CF. The federal government is poised to end the review and provide recommendations by the end of June.
In England, the National Health Service finalized negotiations with the manufacturer and agreed to fund the drug before regulatory approval. Ontario can do the same, Mr. Speaker. Will the government negotiate with Vertex immediately so that, once approved, this drug can be described to desperate CF patients as soon as possible?
Elliott: Thank you very much to the member for the question. this is an important issue I know to many Ontarians. Trikafta has shown great promise as an effective treatment for cystic fibrosis patients, and this is an important step for CF patients to be able to access new drug therapies, such as Trikafta, in Canada.
Our public drug programs look forward to continuing their discussions with Vertex as Trikafta moves through the steps in the drug review process which includes, of course, approval by Health Canada for sale in Canada, a review of the clinical and cost information through a health technology assessment and finally reaching successful pricing negotiations with the pCPA, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance. It is working its way through the system. We are doing whatever we can to follow up and to work with Vertex so that these products can be available for cystic fibrosis patients in Ontario.
Blais: My supplemental is for the Minister of Health. Twelve-year-old Camille Rochon from Orléans is one of the many cystic fibrosis patients in Ontario whose life depends on timely access to Trikafta. Now it appears, based on that answer, that Trikafta will be delayed by the same health care red tape that has delayed so many other groundbreaking treatments here in Ontario that are available in other parts of the world. Every day that passes without access to these medications means more sickness, more hospital visits, and even more deaths.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier, his minister and this government have the power to get Ontarians with CF affordable access to Trikafta. He could help, and the minister could help, the vast majority of CF patients have a brighter future. I know that the minister wants to say yes. So just say yes. Will you ensure that Trikafta is available at an affordable price here in Ontario the moment it receives federal regulatory approval?
Elliott: Thank you again for the question. Of course we want all of these new drugs to be able to be approved and available for people and I know that many people—
Interjection.
The Speaker: Minister of the Environment, come to order.
Elliott: —in the cystic fibrosis community are looking forward to having this approved. But you will also know that there has to be a process to make sure that we take an evidence-based approach to the approval of these new medications by funding decisions that consider the clinical effectiveness of the drug, the safety, patient input, affordability and effects on other health services.
Of course, I am as anxious as anyone else is to have these drugs approved because we want to be able to help people with cystic fibrosis lead more normal lives—I know that life is very difficult for them—and I am speaking with my ADM in this area on a regular basis to understand where the system is. Anything that we can do in the Ministry of Health to move things forward, we certainly will do.
Bring back outdoor recreation
Ms. Sandy Shaw: My question is for the Premier. We all know this has been a very difficult year for our kids. They are pleading, “Let us play.” Unfortunately, the PC government just voted down our motion to safely reopen outdoor recreational facilities to boost mental health.
The Premier received a letter from Athletics Ontario urging the government to follow the advice of his own health experts and immediately reopen outdoor sports activities. They write, “... we cannot overstate the mental health crisis facing our children and youth.” An Ontario Soccer survey found that without youth soccer, 40% of respondents reported feeling anxiety, stress and worry.
How is this government responding? The Premier teased that summer camps would be open but then he disappeared—no plan. On Monday the Minister of Health said, “Today is not the day” to reopen outdoor sports. On Tuesday she said today is not the day. Today is Wednesday. Kids and parents are feeling enough anxiety; they don’t need to be held in suspense. When can we expect this government to start listening to them?
Elliott: In fact, we do encourage people to be outdoors. We do encourage them to go out and enjoy this wonderful weather that we’re experiencing. This is something important for everyone to do, not just children, everyone. It improves everyone’s mental health to be outside, to go for a walk, go for a run, go for a bike ride, do whatever you want to do. The parks are open. We encourage people to use them. Please, go out and enjoy this great weather. That’s going to improve everyone’s mood, mental health and physical health as well, by getting out to get some physical activity.
Shaw: Back to our Premier: Tragically, the devastating impact of social isolation on children’s mental health is a full-blown crisis. This government’s repeated failure to follow expert health advice has created problems for our kids that will not go away with the end of the pandemic. In a CBC survey, 92% of Hamilton teachers said that the challenges of this year will have psychological impacts on their students. The team at McMaster Children’s Hospital are raising the alarm. They report that the number of youth being admitted after a suicide attempt has tripled this year.
We have seen the devastating consequence of a government that never seems to have a plan. Our kids are not okay. They don’t need more empty words. We need a whole-of-government response. How many kids in crisis is too many before this government will act?
Elliott: Just before the pandemic struck us last year we had released a Roadmap to Wellness, our comprehensive mental health and addictions plan for the province of Ontario, which would provide a continuum of care across the system for people of all ages. We have invested $175 million extra in that plan as part of our plan to put over $3.8 billion more over 10 years into our mental health and addictions plan.
We’ve also put $176 million into the mental health and addictions system this year and an additional $147 million to immediately expand access to the provincial mental health and addictions system for individuals and families in order to address the issues that many Ontarians are facing during the course of this pandemic. We will continue to do more, because we recognize that this pandemic has had significant effects on many people, and we are prepared to deal with that. We know these issues are going to continue long after the pandemic, and we are building up the resources in order to be able to help people through this.
ICU beds full-up
Mr. Roman Baber: To the Minister of Health: Last Tuesday, I suggested to the minister that it’s astounding that almost all beds saved by cancelling surgeries are sitting empty. Surgeries of real patients are cancelled to save beds for computer-modelled COVID patients. The minister responded that the hospitals are in fact full, so I went back that afternoon to look at capacity on the day before, May 10. In Toronto, the hot spot, ICU occupancy was 81% with the goal of being under 90%. Acute beds occupancy was at 84% with the goal of being under 90%; 2,033 of our province’s ICU beds were occupied. That’s 84% ICU occupancy. In Burlington, 252 beds were occupied out of 335 beds. That’s 75%. In Ottawa, ICU capacity on May 10 was 66%. I can go on and on.
My question to the Minister of Health: She said the beds are not taken up by the computer models and are not taken up to preserve capacity. She said that the beds were full. Speaker, did she say our beds were full when the beds were not full and in some cases below the stated occupancy goal?
Elliott: Once again, I can advise the member opposite that the beds are full, that they are full. We’re still requiring patient transfers from one hospital to another in order to balance that load. We still have 735 people in our intensive care units. We are still dealing with the effects of this pandemic. However, I would also wish to advise that directive number 2, which restricted non-emergency surgeries, has been amended to allow hospitals as long as they fall within the guidelines set out by the Chief Medical Officer of Health to start doing day surgeries, to start working on that surgical backlog. This is good news for the people of Ontario, and I know that there are many hospitals that are going to be anxious to start with these surgical procedures and surgeries as well.
Baber: Thank you for that. In fact, last Tuesday, I asked the minister, why did we cancel surgeries of ambulatory patients. It made completely no sense. They don’t need a bed, so thank you for restarting those. Speaker, if the beds are full, then maybe the minister can tell us what the occupancy numbers are. She is the Minister of Health; she can tell us. What is the occupancy in Toronto today? What is it historically? What’s the CCSO for Ontario today? What is it historically?
If I’m wrong or misleading this House, I stand to be corrected, but Speaker, there’s in fact a segment of beds that is full: It’s youth mental health beds. Yesterday, the CBC reported that CHEO is overwhelmed by the increase in the number of young people needing mental health care, and CHEO is looking to send teenage patients to adult hospitals. CHEO says they’ve never had to do anything like this before and that 50% of all patients visiting ER now are seeking mental care, so it appears some beds are full. They’re full with kids and teenagers suffering from a mental health pandemic created by this government.
Will the minister acknowledge the catastrophe caused by her lockdown policies on the mental health of kids and teenagers?
Elliott: Well, certainly, we know that there has been an effect on the mental health of everyone in Ontario as a result of this pandemic. But we’ve needed to take the steps that we’ve had to take with respect to the lockdown to save people’s lives. That’s why we’re doing it: to save people’s lives. We recognize the mental health effects. We are dealing with that. We’re putting another $175 million into the system this year. We know that we’ve already put an additional $147 million in to deal with these issues. They will continue post-pandemic. We are prepared to put whatever resources we need into that to deal with these things. But there’s no question that this lockdown was necessary in order to stop the spread and save people’s lives.
18-plus crowd’s demand for vaccines outstrip supply
Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is to the Premier. On Monday, health units learned with day’s notice that COVID-19 vaccine eligibility was opening up to everyone 18 years of age and over. Not surprisingly, yesterday in London, demand far outstripped supply, with thousands of Londoners jamming the phone lines and the website to vie for limited appointments. Middlesex-London’s medical officer of health, Dr. Chris Mackie, said in no uncertain terms that our health unit has nowhere near enough vaccines for all the people in the new groups.
Did this government do any consultation at all with local health units so they would be prepared for the sudden change in eligibility?
Interjections.
Elliott: Yes, in fact we are in regular contact with the medical officers of health across this province. We have conversations with them, Minister Jones and I, two or three times per week. So they were very well aware of this change well in advance of when it was coming. They’re also well aware of the numbers of vaccines coming into their area.
We can only make appointments for the vaccines that we have, and this is going to be subject to supply on an ongoing basis. We know that we have a large number of supplies that are coming in during the month of May and into June. We don’t have the figures post that, but we can only book for where we have vaccines. I think the fact that we had over 277,000 people call in just yesterday when the criteria expanded to age 18 indicates that people are anxious to receive their vaccines, and we’re very grateful to the people of Ontario for taking these up.
Sattler: The Middlesex-London Health Unit is ready to add appointments as soon as vaccines are available. Limited supply in mass clinics and in pharmacies has meant that London’s vaccination rate is trailing the provinces.
Despite Dr. Mackie’s efforts to secure a reasonable supply of doses to vaccinate Londoners aged 18-plus, he tweeted on Monday night: “A last-ditch effort this afternoon has failed to procure additional vaccine supplies for tomorrow’s opening to adults 18-39. This means we have 24K appointments for ~135K people.”
“I’m sorry in advance for the frustrating situation of limited vaccine supply.”
Speaker, London was overlooked in the initial pharmacy vaccination program and currently has no pharmacies administering vaccines. Why is this government continuing to deny Londoners our proportionate share of doses?
Elliott: First of all, Dr. Mackie is doing a wonderful job in London with the rollout of the vaccines. He’s an important member of the team, of the 34 local public health unit leaders that are rolling them out. But London is receiving its proportionate share of vaccines. We’ve reverted back to 100% distribution among the 34 public health units based on population, based on risk, and we will be supplying those vaccines to Dr. Mackie and to his team as soon as we receive them. They have a significant allocation because of the 2.2 million doses that we’re receiving this week, and we will continue to make sure that London receives the vaccines it needs to make sure that the population can be vaccinated.
Follow the feds or go it alone to return to normal
Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: To the Premier: The federal government’s Public Health Agency of Canada has stated that their desire is to see Canadians go back to outdoor activities, but only after 75% of those eligible for vaccines have received at least one dose, something Ontarians were permitted to do last summer before vaccines were offered. The federal government’s public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam has said that indoor sports, family gatherings and attending college and university should resume only after 75% of those eligible are fully vaccinated. In Ontario, less than 3% have been fully vaccinated. Justin Trudeau has said the US border will only open after 75% are fully vaccinated.
Is this Ontario government basing its social restriction rules on the federal government’s recommendations that 75% of the population being vaccinated before Ontario’s draconian restrictions are lifted, or does it have its own figure that it’s working towards that I can reveal to the people of Ontario?
Elliott: Of course we listen to the recommendations of Health Canada, to the recommendations of NACI. We also listen to the recommendation of the medical advisors advising our Chief Medical Officer of Health on when this would be a safe plan, a safe time to exit the lockdown strategy.
There will be more information available very soon with respect to this, but we need to factor in a number of issues, not just the number of vaccines administered: the level of hospitalizations, ICU capacity, the R levels. There are a number of factors that need to be considered, and they come from a variety of sources.
Karahalios: In the United Kingdom, society has reopened with 30% of the population being fully vaccinated. South of the Canadian border, where 37% of the population has been fully vaccinated, things have reopened; yet in Ontario we don’t have a road map or a goal from this government as to when people can expect things to get back to normal.
Is it 30% full vaccination, 37% full vaccination, or is it what the federal Liberal Trudeau government wants: 75%? What figure is the Ontario government working off of, and if it is the 75% figure, what is the scientific reason for the figure being more than double other jurisdictions like the United Kingdom?
Elliott: We are developing an Ontario guideline that will allow us to safely exit the lockdown when the time is right because the last thing we want is a fourth wave. We have to avoid that at all costs; it would be devastating for the people of Ontario and for the businesses of Ontario.
We know that we need to proceed very, very cautiously. That is what we will do, but it will be based on the medical evidence, the clinical data and the recommendations of Dr. Williams and the other medical experts who are advising us.
Let’s give money to The Ex
Mr. Chris Glover: My question is to the Premier. The city of Toronto announced last week that the CNE would be cancelled for the second year in a row. This is only the third time in its 142-year history that the CNE has been cancelled. The other time was during World War II. With a second year of revenue lost, the city has said that provincial government support is needed or the CNE may closed forever.
We all know how important the CNE is. For me: my parents took me, I took my kids, and my grandparents took my parents. This is a story that’s repeated again and again across this province. It has a 142-year history; it’s an iconic event in the province of Ontario.
My question to the government is will the government commit to providing the financial support to make sure the CNE restarts in 2022, or will the government add to its legacy the permanent loss of the CNE?
Calandra: I know that the minister, Minister MacLeod, has been working very closely with all of the representatives in that sector, Mr. Speaker.
It’s not just the CNE, of course. It has been a significantly difficult time for many of the people in our tourism and hospitality sector. This is a sector that is, as the member has highlighted, so important to, not only the city of Toronto, but when it comes to jobs and economic activity, this is an incredibly important sector—hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars’ worth of activity. That is why the Minister of Finance brought in a program to support some of the industries within that sector, Mr. Speaker.
Obviously there is more work to be done on that. There were a lot of lessons learned, in particular in Toronto, coming out of SARS of how long it took that sector to recover. The minister, Minister MacLeod, understands this and she is already working closely with that sector, because without the revival of the hospitality sector and the arts and culture sector in the province of Ontario this economy will not roar back. It is too important to us and we will make sure that there are supports there for them.
Glover: I’m glad to hear the government member recognizes the importance of the event and tourism industry to Ontario’s economy and to our culture. They’ve also said a lot words about the importance of small businesses, but they’ve let 25,000 small businesses go bankrupt in 2020 before they finally introduced the Small Business Support Grant.
The plight of the CNE is just one example of the major events in my riding of Spadina–Fort York whose futures are in jeopardy. The Honda Indy, Luminato, North by Northeast, the Toronto Jazz Festival and so many other events attract millions of visitors to Toronto’s waterfront each year, but are at risk today.
Will the government support the event industry in Ontario or will it allow iconic events like the CNE to die like so many other small businesses and local events during this pandemic?
Calandra: Speaker, obviously this is too important a sector for us not to all pay very close attention to. It’s not just the city of Toronto, Mr. Speaker. A plug for my own hometown: the strawberry festival in Stouffville has been something that has brought some much economic activity to the downtown of Stouffville. It has been cancelled for the last year and this year coming forward. I know that in Barrie, the Elvis Fest is something that I loved and enjoyed. Across the province, there are small festivals which might not make the headlines like the CNE but are so important to the hospitality industry and to the economies of small towns, villages and communities across this province. It’s not just the CNE. It is hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars’ worth of economic activity, and we are not going to lose that. We are a government that wants this economy to come booming back, and the arts and culture and attractions are an important part of that.
What happens to AstraZeneca doses in the freezer?
Mr. John Fraser: Just before the end of question period, I would like to ask the Minister of Health about AstraZeneca doses. There’s a lot of controversy right now about those doses sitting in freezers and that they’re not going to be used and that some of them will expire.
What I think Ontarians need to know, especially those who received AstraZeneca and those who are concerned about wasting those vaccines, which we all agree would be the wrong thing to do—can the minister let us know: Is there a plan? Will there be some information coming to us to let us know what is going to happen with those AstraZeneca doses that are in freezers right now?
Elliott: Thank you very much for the question. This is an important issue, I know, to many people who’ve received a first dose of AstraZeneca. I’m one of those as well. However, we are waiting to hear from Dr. Williams on the effectiveness and any concerns that are still outstanding with the respect to AstraZeneca.
We do have some, we don’t intend to waste any doses, but what will happen for people with AstraZeneca is either they will receive the second dose of AstraZeneca—and there are indications coming from the UK that the VITTs, the problems with that on the second dose are much less than with the first dose. In the event we don’t proceed with those AstraZeneca doses, also from the UK there is evidence that it can be combined with an mRNA dose, either Pfizer or Moderna.
We expect that we will have that information from Dr. Williams and the medical team well in advance of any expiry date for those doses. Nothing will be wasted.