{"id":15245,"date":"2020-11-16T13:23:51","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T18:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=15245"},"modified":"2021-07-21T13:39:06","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T17:39:06","slug":"health-coalition-requests-integrity-commissioner-investigate-political-donations-high-level-personnel-links-between-for-profit-ltc-industry-and-ford-government-prior-to-passage-of-legal-liability-bi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/health-coalition-requests-integrity-commissioner-investigate-political-donations-high-level-personnel-links-between-for-profit-ltc-industry-and-ford-government-prior-to-passage-of-legal-liability-bi\/","title":{"rendered":"INTEGRITY COMPLAINT:<\/FONT> Health Coalition Requests Integrity Commissioner Investigate Political Donations & High-Level Personnel Links Between For-Profit LTC Industry and Ford Government Prior to Passage of Legal Liability Bil"},"content":{"rendered":"

(November 16, 2020)<\/p>\n

Today, the Ontario Health Coalition submitted a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner to investigate political donations and high-level personnel links between the for-profit long-term care industry and key ministers & MPPs in the Ford Government prior to the passage of Bill 218, which indemnifies for-profit long-term care homes from liability for negligence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please find below and attached the full text of our complaint to the Integrity Commissioner.<\/p>\n

The complaint was discussed in a press conference that was held this morning, which you can view a recording of here<\/a><\/span>. We have been informed that Bill 218 may be moved up and may be debated for its Third (and final) Reading this afternoon.<\/p>\n

We have asked the Ford government to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Extend the hearings so that the families of the deceased get a chance to be heard. Fifty-eight people applied for standing and only 15 were heard. PC MPPs hold a majority on Standing Committees and did not allow a second day of hearings to hear from all who applied.<\/li>\n
  2. Carve out long-term care homes and retirement homes from Bill 218. Using its majority, PC MPPs voted down amendments to that effect.<\/li>\n
  3. We are now asking MPPs with conflicts of interest to recuse themselves from the vote.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Thank you to everyone who has and continues to send letters to MPPs asking them to stop this Bill and amend it to exclude long-term care and retirement homes.<\/p>\n

    ———————-<\/p>\n

    Here is the full text of our complaint to the Integrity Commissioner asking him to investigate:<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

    November 13, 2020<\/p>\n

    Office of the Integrity Commissioner
    \n2 Bloor Street West, Suite 2100
    \nToronto, ON M4W 3E2<\/p>\n

    By fax: 416-314-8987<\/p>\n

    Dear Sir\/Madam:<\/p>\n

    Re:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Integrity Complaint re Conflict of Interest involving MPPs<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Please accept this correspondence as a request to investigate this complaint in connection with Progressive Conservative MPPs breaching section 2 of the Members\u2019 Integrity Act, 1994 and Section 41 of the Legislative Assembly Act, R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER L.10.<\/p>\n

    The grounds for this complaint are outlined below:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and some of its MPPs have received political donations from 2007 to 2018 from the long-term care lobby and from long-term care operators.<\/li>\n
    2. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and some of its MPPs have very close ties to the long-term care industry and the long-term care lobby.<\/li>\n
    3. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is planning to pass Bill 218 which indemnifies the long-term care industry from liability for negligence in its handling of the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities. This legislation furthers the private interests of the for-profit industry, with whom Conservative Ministers, the Premier and their political staff have close connections and from whom they have received political donations and is contrary to the interests of families, residents, staff and the public.<\/li>\n
    4. These actions either individually by MPPs or by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party constitutes a conflict of interest pursuant to Section 2 of the Members\u2019 Integrity Act, 1994, which states,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \u201cA member of the Assembly shall not make a decision or participate in making a decision in the execution of his or her office if the member knows or reasonably should know that in the making of the decision there is an opportunity to further the member\u2019s private interest or improperly to further another person\u2019s private interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. These actions either individually by MPPs or by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party breaches Section 41 of the Legislative Assembly Act, R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER L.10 Consolidation Period, as amended states,<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u201cNo member of the Assembly shall knowingly accept or receive, either directly or indirectly, any fee, compensation or reward for or in respect of the drafting, advising upon, revising, promoting or opposing any bill, resolution, matter or thing submitted or intended to be submitted to the Assembly or a committee thereof.\u201d<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. 19 lobbyists under the Lobbyists Registration of the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, who have had past or current ties with the Long-Term Care Home industry have made political donations to Premier Doug Ford\u2019s Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.<\/li>\n
        2. Some of these registered lobbyists have made contributions to Caroline Mulroney\u2019s Leadership Campaign; Minister Lisa Macleod; and to Minister Christine Elliott\u2019s Leadership Campaign. In addition before registering as lobbyists, some of them held positions such as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Doug Downey; Premier Ford\u2019s Director of Marketing; Director of Communications to Ontario\u2019s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health; Director of Communications to Finance Minister Rod Philip; and Advisor to former Premier Mike Harris.<\/li>\n
        3. The receipt of these donations constitutes a conflict of interest, and we are of the opinion that Premier Ford\u2019s political party, Government, Ministers, and MPPs were or will be directly influenced by registered lobbyists who were hired by the Long-Term Care Home industry.<\/li>\n
        4. Some current Progressive Conservative MPPs received donations from individuals linked to long-term care operators, which is concerning because the Government is rushing the passing of Bill 218 which benefits those donors and companies.<\/li>\n
        5. James Schlegel, the CEO of Schlegel Villages, was one of the ten people appointed to the long-term care expert staffing panel. The Schlegel family owns 19 nursing homes across Ontario and has\u00a0contributed $120,624.00to political parties since 2007.<\/li>\n
        6. The\u00a0long-term care corporate lobby has donated $666,857.00 to Ontario\u2019s political parties since 2007.<\/li>\n
        7. The Progressive Conservative Connections and Potential Conflicts of Interest are outlined below:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          PREMIERS<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          Mike Harris<\/strong><\/p>\n