{"id":38071,"date":"2020-10-26T13:42:25","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T17:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/?p=38071"},"modified":"2020-10-26T13:42:25","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T17:42:25","slug":"news-from-the-park-the-wolf-may-lose-his-teeth-but-never-his-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/index.php\/2020\/10\/26\/news-from-the-park-the-wolf-may-lose-his-teeth-but-never-his-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"News from the Park – \u201cThe wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.\u201d\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regular readers of this column will no doubt have noticed that I frequently refer to various idioms and quotations.\u00a0 I admit that I have always liked idioms as they cause us to think of the underlying meanings and how we can use this in understanding particular situations and thought patterns.\u00a0 In my job I talk to so many people each day from across the riding.\u00a0 The people of Algoma-Manitoulin have some very unique outlooks with such a broad spectrum of backgrounds.\u00a0 Northern, rural, urban, business, academic, agricultural, resources… you name it.\u00a0 Some perspectives are unique to our region I believe.\u00a0 I especially enjoy idioms and fables from my Indigenous friends who share so many profound philosophies that reference nature, the environment and wildlife and how man interacts with them.<\/p>\n

As of late, with the return of members to the Legislature, there have been many questions from the media asking Doug Ford about his intended demeanor as we go forward, working our way through the terrible pandemic.\u00a0 Many have noted and referred to what some see as a softening of the hard, sharp edged behaviour of Ford.\u00a0 He has come right out and said he has seen the light and knows he needs to change his approach to leading the people of Ontario.\u00a0 Well, forgive me, Mr. Ford, but in the words of some of my Indigenous friends, \u201cThe wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 It\u2019s basically a Canadian version of \u201cThe leopard can\u2019t change his spots.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is no doubt that on the surface, Doug Ford has exhibited some effort to tone down the bombastic, aggressive tone that the Conservatives demonstrated in their first year of office.\u00a0 Remember how Ford bulldozed his way though the Toronto municipal election issue, even threatening to use the \u2018not withstanding clause<\/em>\u2019?\u00a0 He now even appears to play nice with Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. \u00a0Just the other day he led praises to former Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne.\u00a0 His ability to deliver bad news for the average Ontarian by making it appear as a shining generous gift seems to be improving to some degree.<\/p>\n

Take for example the growing public support for the government to end for-profit long-term care.\u00a0 The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a disaster behind the walls of long-term care homes.\u00a0 Records show that more than 1,900 people died in such facilities, shattering thousands of families.\u00a0 Also deeper analyses have shown that for-profit long-term-care homes were more dangerous during the pandemic than publicly run homes<\/u>. \u00a0The truth is that residents who contracted COVID-19 were more likely to die if they lived in a for-profit facility.<\/p>\n

Before the COVID-19, the conditions were horrific and when the pandemic hit, things only got worse.\u00a0 And now a second wave is upon us. \u00a0We need to take action to protect seniors this time, and we have to do it now.\u00a0 This is why Andrea Horwath presented a motion to replace for-profit homes with safer, more effectively run public facilities. \u00a0Andrea stated, \u201cWe can put an end to the days of short-changing our loved ones to pad the profits of private shareholders, and instead put every last dollar into better care, a better quality of life for aging Ontarians, and more peace of mind for families. \u00a0But we need a government willing to put people before profits when it comes to long-term care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately the Ford Government decided against taking a step that would clearly lead to improving the safety, health of thousands of Ontario seniors and definitely save many lives, both now and in years to come. \u00a0Like I said, \u201cThe wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Also recently Ford announced that his government is introducing the Supporting Ontario’s Recovery Act, 2020<\/em> saying, \u201cthat if passed, [the bill] will provide liability protection for workers, volunteers and organizations that make an honest effort to follow public health guidelines and laws relating to exposure to COVID-19.\u201d\u00a0 He says the act is intended to protect front line workers and volunteers from being sued if someone dies from the COVID-19 virus.\u00a0 But when you think about it, it\u2019s not the acts or decisions of front-line workers and volunteers that would cause the spread of the virus since all they are doing is following the instructions and policies dictated by superiors, using the equipment and supplies they are given.\u00a0 Therefore, in reality the bill tabled by the Government is designed specifically to shield itself<\/u><\/em> and for-profit long-term care corporations<\/em> <\/u>from accountability.\u00a0 Ford did not act to protect the lives of the 1900 long-term residents who died \u2013 and now he is protecting the very companies from legal action who let these residents die in horrible conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be this way.\u00a0 The NDP has launched our plan to overhaul homecare and long-term care in Ontario called Aging Ontarians Deserve the Best.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em>The 8 part plan includes:<\/p>\n