Singh: Let's take care of our loved ones by removing profits from long-term care

Jagmeet Singh and the NDP are using their opportunity to force the debate in the House to talk about removing profit from the care of our loved ones

OTTAWA – The pandemic has shown Canadians the cost of government inaction and neglect in our health care system. Families have lost their loved ones in long-term care centers across the country. Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh presented the NDP’s Opposition Day motion to take profits out of long-term care. Profit has no place in the care of our loved ones.

“Justin Trudeau made a promise to long-term care workers, residents, and their families to better fund long-term care and seniors care before he was Prime Minister. He broke his promise," said Singh. “He underfunded health care and prioritized protecting the profits of big corporations and their wealthy shareholders. Let’s be clear, nobody should be profiting off the neglect of our loved ones. The NDP will fight to make sure that profit is removed from the care of our loved ones.”

Decades of Conservative and Liberal cuts crippled our health care system and while he claimed to be different, Justin Trudeau maintained Conservative cuts to health care transfers. During the pandemic, for-profit homes experienced much higher infection rates than non-profit and publicly owned homes. A recent report showed that Ontario's for-profit nursing homes have 78% more COVID-19 deaths than non-profit homes and showed that chain private ownership is one of the main risk factors for serious outbreaks.

The NDP has a plan to fix this broken long-term care system and implement a Care Guarantee with a commitment to our loved ones that they will be safe, a commitment to families that they can count on their loved ones receiving the care they deserve, and a commitment to workers who care for our loved ones. With this plan, the NDP will also take profit out of long-term care.

“Every Canadian, of every age, deserves to live in dignity and be treated with respect by their government and the health care system. And families need to know that their loved ones are safe in long-term care facilities, and that they’re getting the very best care possible,” said Singh. “We need a government on the side of seniors, their families, and frontline health care workers – instead of on the side of wealthy investors. The NDP will continue to fight to make sure people are ahead of profits.”

The NDP’s Opposition Day Motion will be debated on Monday and will be voted on on Tuesday.