{"id":15315,"date":"2020-11-17T04:46:26","date_gmt":"2020-11-17T09:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=15315"},"modified":"2020-11-23T04:51:53","modified_gmt":"2020-11-23T09:51:53","slug":"coronavirus-critics-say-bill-218-will-shield-ontario-long-term-care-homes-from-lawsuits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/coronavirus-critics-say-bill-218-will-shield-ontario-long-term-care-homes-from-lawsuits\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus: Critics say Bill 218 will shield Ontario long-term care homes from lawsuits"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

By: Miranda Anthistle, Global News<\/p>\n

A controversial piece of legislation allowing for greater protection of Ontario long-term care providers when it comes to liability claims has passed at Queen\u2019s Park.<\/p>\n

Bill 218 had its third and final reading on Monday and was voted through. It will bar any\u00a0COVID-19<\/a><\/span>\u00a0exposure-related claim against a long-term care home if the provider made an \u201chonest\u201d or \u201cgood faith\u201d effort to act in accordance with public health guidelines.<\/p>\n

In response to the legislation, critics argued it will make it harder for families to hold long-term care providers responsible for illness or death related to exposure to COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just not fair, not fair to families. We need to have answers and accountability,\u201d said Jeff Shabes who lost his mother, Malvina \u201cVisia\u201d Shabes, to the virus on Nov. 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom survived the holocaust, but couldn\u2019t survive COVID and I\u2019m convinced more could have been done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff said his 91-year-old mother spent the last year of her life at 147 Elder St. He said the private, residential care home didn\u2019t tell the family about his mother\u2019s symptoms until it was too late. He also described being shocked during his last visit when he didn\u2019t see anyone wearing any PPE. Global News contacted the facility for comment, but a response wasn\u2019t received by the time of publication.<\/p>\n

While Jeff said he\u2019s not sure if his family will file a lawsuit, he added he doesn\u2019t understand how Bill 218 could be passed when it leaves long-term care providers impervious to legal action.<\/p>\n

Others voiced their concerns at a rally on the lawn of Queen\u2019s Park before the vote went through.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lost 2,000 senior citizens the first wave because of this neglect so if Bill 218 goes through, it\u2019s free-range, they can continue doing exactly as they did through the first wave. So what did we learn? Nothing,\u201d said Maureen McDermott, whose mother contracted COVID-19 at a long-term care home back in the spring and survived.<\/p>\n

McDermott was joined by several others at the protest including the leader of the official opposition, Andrea Horwath.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we are in the second wave and the same thing is happening again\u2026 this government has done nothing since the first wave to prevent the deaths that are now coming in the second wave,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But Merrilee Fullerton, Ontario\u2019s minister of long-term care, said the government has learned plenty from the first wave of the virus and is much better prepared this time around.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data shows our homes are doing much, much better. Ninety-two per cent of our homes have not a single resident case right now,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vigilance, the surveillance for the majority of homes, this is working.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, advocates said they\u2019re worried that Bill 218 will prevent families from being able to seek justice and hold long-term care homes responsible for negligence. The legislation will apply retroactively to March 17, 2020, which is when the province first enacted emergency measures.<\/p>\n

The Ontario Health Coalition reported it will be filing a formal complaint to the integrity commissioner about the bill, asking it to look into donations made to the Ford government. It also called for an investigation into any personal links between the government and the for-profit industry.<\/div>\n
\n

\u201cThere are several people who have worked either on the campaign with helping to elect the Ford government or with the Ford government and are now out there lobbying for the long-term care industry,\u201d said Duff Conacher, who is the co-founder of Democracy Watch.<\/p>\n

\u201cMPPs and ministers who are being lobbied by these people who helped government win power, they are in a conflict of interest that means they are required by law to step aside and not take part in this vote or any discussions or debates or any future votes on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click here for original article<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(November 16, 2020) By: Miranda Anthistle, Global News A controversial piece of legislation allowing for greater protection of Ontario long-term care providers when it comes to liability claims has passed at Queen\u2019s Park. Bill 218 had its third and final reading on Monday and was voted through. 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