MPPs are back at Queen’s Park for the start of a new session.
The NDP is armed with a list of private member’s bills and motions it wants to be passed.
Leader Andrea Horwath says they are to help people get through the pandemic.
“We want to encourage all MPPs that are sitting in the legislature to have a look at the things that we can do to help people. So we’re trying to be as constructive as possible,” says Horwath.
Topping the list is a bill to create a provincial paid sick leave program.
Labour Critic Peggy Sattler says her Stay At Home If You Are Sick bill is needed.
“Until we make it actually possible for every worker in Ontario to stay home if they are sick, we won’t be able to stop the spread of covid-19,” says Sattler.
Other asks include the creation of a seniors advocate, a wage increase for Personal Support Workers and a ban on evictions during the pandemic.
Attempts to fast track bills proposing paid sick days, minimum care standards for long-term care patients, and rights for essential caregivers, failed to find government support today.
Meantime, Liberal leader Steven Del Duca also has the government’s response to the pandemic top of mind. He’s pushing for an improved vaccination program.
“We all saw sadly how Doug Ford and his team took the Christmas holidays off with respect to the vaccine roll-up. Not good enough, especially when you consider that so many people still living in our nursing homes in Ontario have not received their vaccines as of yet,” says Del Duca.
Del Duca is also reaching out to the NDP and Green Party to work together on advancing issues like the paid sick leave program.
“I sincerely hope that all members of the legislature, regardless of their partisan stripe, can rise above the partisanship and help Ontarians get through the rest of this horrible, horrible pandemic,” says Del Duca.
