Niagara's three NDP MPP's are demanding answers from Premier Doug Ford after it was revealed Niagara's top public health officials were not consulted in discussions about moving to phase two of the province's reopening plan.
In yesterday's announcement, the province claimed the decision on which regions could progress to phase two was made in consultation with local health officials.
It’s since been revealed that Niagara Public Health only found out about it when Ford put out a press release.
“Niagarans have been promised by Doug Ford that all decisions on re-opening would be made on the advice of local medical officers of health. Now we know that was simply not true,” said Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates.
“Doug Ford is making political decisions without consulting experts and without understanding the situation on the ground here in Niagara. This is completely unacceptable. It puts our health at risk and undermines the public trust. Doug Ford needs to explain himself and explain to Niagarans why this decision was made without any consultation. We've got local businesses calling every day that need this information. People here must be part of the conversation.”
“How dare Ford fail to even ask our region what we need in order to re-open? No one wants to risk more people getting sick,” said St. Cathariens MPP Jennie Stevens. “We need the government to do its job and protect us – but Ford isn’t even doing the basics of consulting local public health and understanding local needs.”
Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch said that Doug Ford should start listening to local people and the local public health unit in Niagara.
“Doug Ford has a responsibility to be honest and upfront with people when it comes to re-opening Ontario, and be guided by the expertise of public health. Instead, he’s run roughshod over Niagara’s public health unit and refused to listen to local people,” said Burch. “To re-open our province carefully to protect people and avoid a second wave of COVID-19, we need to trust that decisions are being made based on sound medical advice, not in backrooms without any consultation, or accountability.”
Niagara and Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, York, Haldimand-Norfolk, Hamilton and Windsor-Essex will remain in phase one while the rest of the province begins phase two on Friday.