COVID-19 Community Update

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Hello Davenport friends,

As Toronto continues to see COVID cases rise, we are hearing from so many in our community who are frustrated about how the government is handling this pandemic. From testing to long-term care and a lack of support for students at home and at school, I'm hearing your concerns daily.

Our community businesses, who were already struggling to survive, are wondering how they'll make it through the next months. I continue to push for more direct relief to get people and businesses through this. We have been able to leverage some new supports but we are calling on the government to do much more to ensure our local economy can survive.

Meanwhile, it has been a difficult week at Queen’s Park with the Ford government using the pandemic as cover to bring in several legislative changes that I know are deeply unpopular in our community, and in some cases downright disturbing. More on that below.

On a positive note, I am so pleased to share that we have received a number of terrific nominations for our Davenport Good Neighbour Project. Read about our first Good Neighbour, Mercedes Ferrer, and her extraordinary contribution to our community below. It’s not too late to nominate someone!

Thanks,

Marit Stiles, MPP
Davenport
1199 Bloor St. West
416-535-3158

In this issue:

COVID-19 measures
Update on long-term care
Ford targets ranked ballots
Students need more online support
Around the community

COVID-19 Updates

Doug Ford says that he is “super concerned” by a COVID-19 positivity rate in Toronto that is now nearly double the “high alert” threshold set by his government. Toronto’s seven-day positivity rate stood at 3.2 per cent as recently as Monday but it has since increased to 4.4 per cent and the city’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa has said that she is “concerned that the upward climb is not over.”
Ontario has received the entire first batch of rapid COVID-19 tests ordered by the federal government. The tests are capable of producing results in less than 15 minutes without the need to be processed in a lab.
This week, the Ontario government extended most orders currently in force under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. This extension will be in effect until November 21, 2020.

Long-term care issues on the agenda

As COVID continues to make it's way into the Ontario's long-term care homes, the government's actions to protect seniors continued to come under scrutiny this week.

In the legislature, the NDP caucus moved an Opposition Day motion to get for-profit companies out of long-term care, and replace them with an all non-profit and public system.

During the debate, I spoke about the concerns I've heard from Davenport residents about long-term care and spoke again about the Fairview Nursing Home in Little Portugal, where sadly, 12 residents have now passed away due to COVID-19.

More on long-term care

On Tuesday, the Ford government introduced new legislation that the province said, if passed, will provide liability protection to workers and businesses in a number of sectors who make “an honest effort” to follow public health guidelines and laws.
Critics including those of us in the NDP are extremely concerned that this bill will protect private long-term operators from being held accountable for failing to protect seniors.
We are calling for these operators to be removed from the legislation.

An interim report from the long-term care commission revealed the disturbing fact that the Ford government completely ignored the people in long-term care as the COVID-19 virus swept in. The commission "heard that long-term care homes were forgotten in the initial provincial plans to control the spread of COVID-19 until residents started dying…"
The commission’s interim recommendations include increasing staffing and mandating at least four hours of hands-on care for residents, measures our caucus has been fighting for for years, and for which private members' bills are already on the order paper, waiting to be passed.

Ford targets local democracy again

A clause snuck into a new bill meant to provide pandemic supports would retroactively ban the use of ranked ballots in municipal elections. The change has already been implemented or voted on in London, Kingston and other municipalities and Toronto was looking at introducing this method in 2026.
I shared the sense of frustration in our community at the government's misplaced priorities Thursday in the Legislature:

WATCH: I asked why the government is focused on election meddling instead of helping people in our community.

Omnibus bill gives new powers to school run by Ford ally

Our caucus also revealed this week that, in a second new omnibus bill, the Ford government aims to give degree granting authority to the Canada Christian College, a private school run by Ford's political ally, Charles McVety. McVety and his school have a history of promoting Islamophobic, transphobic and homophobic views.

During debate on this bill I said in no uncertain terms that our community won't tolerate the promotion of this kind of hate and that there is no place in our post-secondary education system for it. Read more here.

Online learning: Students need more support

From access to broadband internet and appropriate technology to technical glitches and staffing concerns, the roll out of online learning has not been a smooth one for many families and teachers. I brought their voices to the legislature this week and called on the government to provide better supports.

WATCH: Question Period, Thursday, October 22.

Around the Community

Horizons for Youth is hosting a holiday drive to ensure residents and former Community Support Clients are able to receive holiday gifts this year. Find out more about their holiday drive and about the kind of gifts they are looking for,
check out their website.
New fitness resources for seniors
We may all be stuck at home, but it is important to keep moving, especially older adults. Davenport resident and Older Adult Fitness Specialist Gabe Thirlwall has created a list of free fitness online fitness classes for older adults.
You can see the list here and for more information, contact: seniors.fitness.toronto@gmail.com
Pumpkin carving contests are being held by both the Regal Heights Residents' Association (submit your photo here) and Northcliffe Village Residents' Association (email photo to info@northcilffevillage.com).

Our first Davenport Good Neighbour announced

I'm so pleased to announce our very first Davenport Good Neighbour, Mercedes Ferrer! Mercedes was nominated (multiple times!) for her tireless efforts to help her neighbours by starting North of Bloor Mutual Aid. Learn more about Mercedes and find out how to nominate someone you think deserves to be recognized at www.MaritStiles.ca/goodneighbours

Forward

Copyright © 2020 Marit Stiles Member of Provincial Parliament for Davenport, All rights reserved.

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