Long-term care minister dodges questions in 1st press conference since independent report

Days after a scathing report found that thelong-term care sector was not prepared to address the COVID-19 pandemic, OntarioMinister of Long-Term Care Merrilee Fullertondodged questions Mondayfrom reportersand largely blamed previous governments, inadequate staffing, community spread and the deadliness of the virusfor the crisis in the sector.

"We were overdue for a pandemic," she said at a 20-minute news conference.

"I look back and say why did it take so long, so many years went by, andwithout addressing long-term care when we knew there was an aging population? Our government is addressing it and taking responsibility ... after so many years of neglect by previous governments."

When asked if the province will apologize for the long-term care crisis and all of the residents who died, she said collectively as a society "we need to do soul searching" as to why it took a pandemic to address capacity and staffing issues.

The government's response to the crisis "takes time and it just wasn't a match for the speed of COVID-19. There are many lessons learned from wave one, wave two and there will be lessons learned from wave three."

Watch asks Fullerton if she will apologize for deaths in long-term care:

CBC News asks if Ontario long-term care minister will apologize after COVID-19 Commission releases scathing report

3 years ago

Duration 3:25

During a press conference Monday, CBC News Queens Park reporter Mike Crawley asked Ontario's Minister of Long-term Care Merrilee Fullerton if she or her government would apologize for the crisis in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was her response.

Fullerton maintained she is now committed to fixing the problems in long-term care, but was scarce on details, answeringquestions from only three reporters before abruptly leaving.

The province has already begun implementing some of the commission's recommendations, such as boosting staffing of personal support workers, implementingstronger infection protection measures, increasing homecapacityandinvestigating others areas, she said.

Fullerton suggested changes are coming later this week to "improve residents' quality of life and address their emotional wellbeing." The province is also going to "move forward" to improve home inspections.

Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatricspecialist in Ontario, told CBC Newsthat Fullerton's response didn't instill confidence that the province is going to make the systemic changes necessary to avoida futurecatastrophe.

"I'm unhappy because we have a long-term care system that's been long neglected and I don't necessarily hear a response to this report from the government that is going to make me feel like things are going to dramatically change tomorrow," Sinha said.

"I think this government does owe an apology [to staff and residents who died and their families]because the recommendations and finding of the report does say that even this government didn't move quick enough."

Fullerton'did nothing,' NDP says

NDP Leader Andrea Horwathcalledfor Fullerton to resign or be removedfrom cabinet in the wake of theLong-Term Care COVID-19 Commission's report, saying the minister knew seniors in nursing homes were at risk of COVID-19 and that thousands would likely die.

"She knew that residents were dying not only of COVID-19, but of dehydration and neglect all of them alone and in pain," Horwath said.

"But she did nothing. She let people die, rather than speak out or take action."

While previous governments all privatized and underfunded long-term care, the currentgovernment also had a role to play in the neglect, said Horwath. For example,Premier Doug Ford's government scaled back inspections, has not provided staff with adequate paid sick days andleft facilities understaffed.

The commission submitted its final 322-page report to the provincial government last Friday. The reporthighlightedthe actions and inactions thatcontributed to the devastation in long-term care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission, which was established last year,concluded that the province failed to learn lessons from the SARS epidemic in 2003 and that sweeping reforms are neededto protect Ontarians in long-term carein the future.

Watch | Geriatric specialist says Ontarioowes long-term care residents an apology:

Geriatric specialist in Ontario says long-term care residents owed apology

3 years ago

Duration 6:25

Dr. Samir Sinha says the long-term care system has long been neglected in the province. 'I don't necessarily hear a response ... from the government that makes me feel things are going to dramatically change tomorrow,' he said.

The report was made public just days after a review by Ontario's auditor general drew similar conclusions.

Auditor General Bonnie Lysyksaid thatby the time COVID-19 started to ravage Ontario's long-term care homes inMarch 2020, it was obvious "aggressive infection prevention, detection and patient care actions were needed and needed quickly to prevent staggering death rates" in the LTC community.

That didn't happen, Lysyk reported.

The first cases of COVID-19 were found in four LTC homes on March 17 of last year. From March 2020 to the end of the year, 76 per cent of LTChomes in Ontario reported cases of COVID-19 among residents and staff.

As of today, 3,918 residents and 11 long-term care stuff have died with the illness in Ontario, according to provincial data.

At a news conference last week following the release of Lysyk's review, Fullerton repeatedly declined to answer questions aboutwhether she sharesany responsibility forOntario's response to COVID-19 in long-term care.

"I'm one person, this is an integrated response," Fullerton said, often pivoting to blaming previous governments for the sector's failure to adequately limit deaths of residents and staff.

"Our government is fixing a broken system," she said.