At today’s question period, I asked @MonteMcNaughton how this government determines if a worker or a workplace is essential, and why non-essential and unsafe workplaces are still operating. The answer: this government is committed to protecting workers. Let’s take a look:

Yesterday @pressprogress published this article referring to an April 8 release from the Ministry that showed they found 15K COVID infractions but only stopped unsafe work 24 times. I asked the minister about this too, with no clear response: https://pressprogress.ca/ontarios-government-found-15000-covid-19-workplace-violations-they-stopped-work-only-24-times/

Despite hearing from experts, including @COVIDSciOntario about the importance of system-level protections for workers and congregate work settings, this government chose to do nothing. Peel and Toronto MOHs had to make the call, because this govt remained silent.

My community of Scarborough, and other “hotspot” areas like Peel have repeatedly shown the same evidence - that most of our population cannot work from home, they have no safe alternative or the option to stay home without risking their livelihood.

Why are places like Scarborough and Brampton exploding with COVID cases? Because we are home to these “essential” workers, many working low-wage jobs, many new immigrants, racialised folks - people that our government has done absolutely nothing to protect, not now and not ever.

They are the same workers I hear from in my community who are scared and distraught because despite cases at their factory, they have to show up to work, that complaining simply means they will get replaced and lose their income, and losing that income means losing food/shelter

The same workers whose families are at risk because of the one person who has to go to work to make sure they can make ends meet, and the same workers whose entire families are ending up at the hospital. #COVID19Ontario

So tell me, @MonteMcNaughton how exactly do you justify saying that you’ve had the backs of workers and that you’re committed to protecting them when the reality shows that your government abandoned these essential workers and put them more at risk? #COVID19Ontario #ScarbTO