{"id":6034,"date":"2018-02-09T13:34:52","date_gmt":"2018-02-09T18:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=6034"},"modified":"2019-04-17T11:44:27","modified_gmt":"2019-04-17T15:44:27","slug":"call-to-action-take-these-actions-to-win-improved-long-term-care-in-ontario-asap-pass-bill-33","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/call-to-action-take-these-actions-to-win-improved-long-term-care-in-ontario-asap-pass-bill-33\/","title":{"rendered":"BACKGROUNDER: <\/FONT>CALL TO ACTION: Take these actions to win improved long-term care in Ontario asap: Pass Bill 33!"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Time to Care: Your Support Can Help Us Win Improved Care Standards in Ontario’s Long-Term Care Homes Now<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Not Enough Care<\/strong><\/p>\n

As you know, the key issue for residents, families, care workers and advocates in long-term care is that\u00a0there simply is not enough care. For more than a decade, we have been advocating to win improved\u00a0care standards \u2013 that means daily, hands-on care by Personal Support Workers\/Health Care Aides, Registered Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses \u2013 in order to improve health outcomes and keep\u00a0residents and staff alike safe from harm.<\/p>\n

Today, care levels are much lower than the minimum average of 4 hours of care per resident per day\u00a0that we have been calling for. Residents and families have to pay to hire in extra care if they can afford\u00a0it. Sadly many suffer without. Every day across Ontario the majority of long-term care homes are\u00a0working short-staffed without enough care to meet increasingly complex and heavy care needs of their\u00a0vulnerable residents.<\/p>\n

Legislation is in Process to Bring in a Minimum of 4-Hours of Hands-On Care Per Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bill 33 is a Private Member\u2019s Bill inspired by CUPE Ontario and brought forward by NDP, MPP France\u00a0G\u00e9inas. A bill must pass three readings in the Ontario Legislature before it becomes law. The current\u00a0government couldn\u2019t be seen to vote against this urgent bill (especially before the upcoming June\u00a0election) so, in a surprise turnaround the Liberals and Conservatives both voted in support of Bill 33 and\u00a0a minimum standard of care for long-term care residents in the fall.<\/p>\n

Now the hard part begins. Having passed two readings in the Legislature, Bill 33 has been sent off to the\u00a0Standing Committee on General Government pending Third Reading. Usually Standing Committees of the Legislature hold public hearings across the province to get input from the public after Second Reading. Then the bill is\u00a0amended by the Committee based on the input they receive and it goes back to the Legislature for Third and Final reading and a vote before it becomes law.<\/p>\n

But Government MPPs are Stalling It<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Standing Committee on General Government has a majority Liberal MPPs on it, as all Committees do when there is a majority Liberal government. The Minister of Health responded to the push to get this legislation through, by making a vague promise to bring in a minimum care standard. If he was serious, the legislation would be fast-tracked through and passed as soon as possible. But no public hearings have been scheduled or held on Bill 33. The Standing Committee is sitting on it.\u00a0Bill 33 can still be killed if it does not move to Third Reading in the Legislature before the next election, less than four\u00a0months from now.<\/p>\n

Remember that several years ago, the McGuinty government amended the Long-Term Care Act for us in response to our campaigning and McGuinty promised to bring in a minimum care standard within three months if he won the election. He won. The care standard never happened.<\/p>\n

We could never have imagined that Bill 33 could get so far. But now we are just a breath away from a\u00a0minimum care standard becoming the law of our province.\u00a0\u00a0We have to keep up the pressure \u2013 now\u00a0more than ever.<\/u><\/p>\n

You can help make a difference. Here\u2019s what you can do:<\/strong><\/p>\n