The MPP for Niagara Falls, who is also the Official Opposition critic for Long Term Care, continues to press the Ford government on its controversial Bill 7.
The law enables hospitals to charge patients, who refuse to move into a long-term care bed chosen on their behalf, $400/day.
NDP MPP Wayne Gates is calling on the Ford government to be transparent about how many charges have been issued.
“We have no idea how many seniors have been fined or forced into a Long-Term Care home against their will, because the Ford government refuses to be transparent,” said Gates. “We’ve seen awful stories of families being charged $5,200 dollars to keep their loved one close to home – but we’ve learned all of that from determined reporting, not Ford transparency.”
Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones admitted that several people had been charged, but wouldn’t say by how much.
“The Conservative’s story keeps changing,” said Gates. “First, they claimed that no one is being charged under Bill 7. Now they admit that several seniors have been fined but won’t say how much, or how often. Seniors deserve respect but they aren’t getting that from this government”.