Good morning Richard:
It is always great hearing from you and how hard you work to champion for our Seniors and the need for immediate action by the Province of Ontario. Myself and Regional Councillor Bill McLean have and continue to recognize the urgency to address the overcrowding, underfunding, lack of resources and lack of oversight of long term care facilities in Ontario and will continue to advocate for immediate change.
While the mandate to address these deficiencies rest with the Province, all politicians from every level of government have duty to advocate and champion for immediate change.
In Pickering, we witnessed first hand in Orchard Villa the avoidable loss of life and the pleas from those families who lost love ones for a call to action prompting Regional Councillor Bill McLean and myself to put forward motions at both the City and Regional level to conduct an independent arms length inquiry that would expose what went wrong and prompt change. Unfortunately now in the midst of wave 2, the Province not only has refused the request for an extension to complete the investigation by the committee they appointed, even worse than wave 1, LTC facilities continue with a growing number of cases and loss of lives.
We want to assure you that we have not given up and intend to introduce a further motion at our next Council meeting once again demanding for immediate change.
Take care and stay safe
Maurice Brenner
Durham Regional Councillor Alternate
City Councillor Ward 1
City of Pickering
905-420-4605
Hello Councillor,
Thank you for your expeditious reply clarifying that action is being taken by the municipal councillors to rectify provincial government policies relating to Long-Term-Care facilities because of their ongoing disastrous mortality rates. The limitations and constraints imposed on what you can ask of the government at this time are understandable but we urge you to continue your efforts to affect change.
It would be an indignity and inhumane if we were to accept the provincial government policies as they currently stand. The Premier and the appropriate Ministries must not only be held accountable for what our long-term residents suffer and experience but they must be made aware that that kind of work by elected politicians is unacceptable.
The mandate given by our system means termination of incompetent and incapable public servants may not be possible until the term of office concludes. However, the public should be constantly reminded when and if such incompetence and incapacity in elected offices exist.
We cannot, should not and will not accept these elected officials being so derelict in their public office duties and civic responsibilities.
Let us continually remind the voters of public officials who demonstrate incompetence and dereliction of duty. Let us remember those who have gone. They may be gone, but they are not forgotten.
Sincerely,
Richard Szpin
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