RUBBER HITS ROAD AT MPP’S OFFICE OVER ‘PAID SICK DAYS NOW!’

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — The rubber hit the road yesterday when Premier Doug Ford shot back at critics who said they were “playing politics” over his refusal to offer COVID paid sick leave days.

His pro-business government is being accused of giving to and taking from workers.

While it offered more vaccines for essential workers, Ford steadfastly refused to release the provincial purse strings further to reimburse front-line staff and employees who he has called “heroes.”

But if they can’t get the vaccine in time and get sick … he says call on Justin Trudeau and the federal government to bail you — and him — out.

Medical and mental health advocates — along with all Opposition parties — have been lobbying the government to do so.

But Ford isn’t getting the message.

So someone parked a Tory-blue van in front of MPP Norman Miller’s Bracebridge constituent office yesterday, on Manitoba Street, to drive home the message.

‘PAID SICK DAYS NOW! NORM’ read the side of the van parked on the main street.

Take that to Queen’s Park, “Norm,” was the implication.

“My message to the opposition and everyone else because there are a lot of people that are playing politics right now and it’s totally irresponsible, they’re doing a disservice to the people they’re telling this to, there’s paid sick leave from the federal government,” he said Wednesday afternoon.

“To all the opposition and everyone who is preaching about the sick days and playing politics, rather than do that why don’t you try to help someone by telling them where they can go? That’s a disservice if you tell them anything but that,” he said.

He said 300,000 Ontario residents have received the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB). It pays $450 after taxes for up to four weeks for those who must self-isolate.

Ottawa says it will help sick workers whose employers don’t offer paid sick leave.

Ford claimed premiers negotiated with the federal government to institute the $1.1-billion sick pay program. He also said there’s $750 million still available.

He told people to go to the Government of Canada website to get the sick leave pay.

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Despite pleas from many in the medical community and from community advocates for the Ontario government to enact a paid sick day program to help workers who need to stay home due to COVID-19, Premier Doug Ford doubled down on referring residents to a federal government support program.

“My message to the opposition and everyone else because there are a lot of people that are playing politics right now and it’s totally irresponsible, they’re doing a disservice to the people they’re telling this to, there’s paid sick leave from the federal government,” he said Wednesday afternoon.

Ford made the comments as he and other officials unveiled a provincewide stay-at-home order due to soaring COVID-19 cases.

He said approximately 300,000 Ontario residents have accessed the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), which pays $500 per week ($450 after taxes) for up to four weeks for anyone required to quarantine because of COVID-19. The federal government said it was intended to help workers who might have been exposed to the illness and whose employers do not offer paid sick leave.

He went on to say it was the premiers who negotiated with the federal government to institute a $1.1-billion sick pay program, adding there is $750 million still available. Ford pushed for people to apply on the Government of Canada website.

“To all the opposition and everyone who is preaching about the sick days and playing politics, rather than do that why don’t you try to help someone by telling them where they can go? That’s a disservice if you tell them anything but that,” he said.

Ford was pressed about his referral to the federal government in the face of stories from doctors of patients who worked in frontline jobs who inevitably were hospitalized and families who have had to wait for weeks to be reimbursed.

“Your argument just doesn’t fly, I’m sorry … it’s not cutting the mustard — simple as that,” he told a Global News reporter when asked about the issue, adding the application period was shortened.

“There is a program out there. If I put the word Ontario and not put Canada, would you be happy? It’s the same taxpayer. We’re all paying the same taxes. There’s one taxpayer out there — simple as that.”