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North Simcoe candidates spar over healthcare, COVID-19

Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce hosted virtual all-candidates meeting Wednesday evening

COVID-19 may be fading from the headlines, but it was front and centre during a Simcoe North all-candidates meeting Wednesday evening.

Hosted by the Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce, the virtual meeting featured plenty of discussion on the government’s record during the pandemic and healthcare along with questions relating to long-term care, municipal amalgamation and labour woes.

From the outset, moderator Peter Kostiw noted that due to time constraints several important election topics didn’t make the final cut. Noticeably absent from the meeting were questions related to the environment, water protection and protecting natural spaces.

Leading off, NDP candidate Elizabeth Van Houtte said governments need to be prepared for any disaster and added that the province wasn’t ready for the pandemic as a result of severe healthcare cutbacks.

“The system is imploding. The NDP will build the healthcare system back to where it was,” she said, pointing out that 30 years ago, that system was the envy of many world governments.

Liberal candidate Aaron Cayden Hiltz said the government treated those working on the front-lines poorly during the pandemic.

“I have friends who worked in hospitals who left for the private sector because they were treated better,” he said. “When you cut healthcare, it shows.”

But incumbent Jill Dunlop said her Progressive Conservative government effectively relied on expert advice from the province’s top doctors in dealing with the pandemic.

She also noted the government has created a $763 million retention incentive for nurses that could see them receive up to $5,000.

Ontario Party candidate Aaron MacDonald took aim at the ongoing lockdowns and closures, which he said hurt small- to medium-sized businesses.

“Continuing to allow the lockdowns was reckless,” he said, adding it was also wrong to postpone surgeries, which likely led to additional deaths that might not be tallied in the official COVID-19 numbers. “Hospitals were also recklessly understaffed.”

Green Party candidate Krystal Brooks was unable to attend so former federal candidate Erik Schomann took her place.

Mark Douris from the New Blue Party of Ontario was also absent.

Schomann said that while the pandemic caused a lot of physical health issues and death, it also left a huge mental-health toll with an estimated 25 percent of the population in OECD countries suffering from anxiety and depression.

As for long-term care, which also came under the microscope during the pandemic, Dunlop said the Doug Ford government has allocated billions of dollars to increase care staff in homes while also ensuring buildings are modern and comfortable and hiring 123 new home inspectors to work across the province.

In Simcoe North, this kind of funding has meant 859 beds in long-term care facilities are either new or have been upgraded, according to Dunlop.

But Van Houtte said that the government shouldn’t be allowing for-profit homes to operate and pointed out 4,000 people died in long-term care homes during the pandemic.

“Profit needs to come out of long-term care," she said. "COVID has shown gaping holes. It’s absolutely shameful that people cashed in.”

Van Houtte said the government needs to invest more money for personal support workers (PSWs) to ensure people can access four hours of care a day while being able to remain in their homes.

“We do not believe in institutions for our elderly and most vulnerable populations,” she said. “We want full-time permanent work for PSWs, not part-time.”

Cayden Hiltz also took aim at allowing for-profit homes to operate in the province.

“The Conservatives love long-term-care homes that are private,” he said. “The push into a for-profit model has only benefited corporations. Profit over people is unacceptable.

“Should corporations be using them (residents) as cash cows? Absolutely not. We’d rather see seniors being able to retrofit their homes.”

Unfortunately, the virtual meeting format doesn’t afford candidates a chance to debate with one another, but rather follows a set timeline, featuring opening statements, a series of questions and closing remarks.

That meant the gloves remained mostly on as candidates answered the questions in their allotted two-minute time without any rebuttal from their opponents.

While most stayed on script and reiterated their party’s messaging, Cayden Hiltz occasionally ventured off it by highlighting local issues, saying that Dunlop hasn’t done anything to help ensure the SS Keewatin remains at its Port McNicoll home berth or addressed overcrowding issues at Burkevale Separate School in Penetanguishene.

And although the municipal amalgamation question didn't gain much traction with the candidates, the one pertaining to labour shortages certainly did.

On the labour shortages front, Cayden Hiltz said the government has favoured big corporations and its “development buddies” over regular citizens.

He said stagnant wages coupled with a high cost of living have crippled many who are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.

“If we want to encourage people to work, we need to start paying them fairly,” he said. “We need to invest in people and not just corporations that create low-paying jobs.”

Dunlop said her government is effectively dealing with the issue, which has seen more than 300,000 jobs go unfilled, by expanding the Better Jobs Ontario program’s to better help people who may face challenges finding stable jobs such as gig workers, youth and people on social assistance.

As well, she noted the province has made it easier to get a three-year degree at colleges like Georgian and has created a standalone nursing program at the college level.

Candidates also took aim at the Progressive Conservative's Bill 124, which would cap all public-sector employees to a maximum one percent wage increase annually.

Van Houtte said no one should be surprised by the labour shortage, especially in the trades sector.

“And hospitality work doesn’t pay a living wage,” she said. “The minimum wage hasn’t been raised in four years.”

But Ontario Party candidate Aaron MacDonald didn’t support increasing the minimum wage for “what should be a temporary job.”

“We have skilled people today who can’t work,” he said, noting ongoing COVID-19 restrictions mean some don’t have the “freedom” to return to their jobs.

MacDonald also noted that the Doug Ford government “isn’t as Conservative as it should be.”

“People are tired of not being heard and not being helped,” he said.

MacDonald said Ontario isn’t properly harnessing the skills of its immigrant workforce since those who may have been doctors or engineers in their old country aren’t allowed to work in their fields provincially.

But Dunlop said that her government invested record amounts in health-care, education and infrastructure during its four-year term.

She added: “Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs are the only ones who can get it done in 2022.”

Van Houtte, however, had a different take: “I have talked to people who have lost everything. They broke it, we can fix it.”