NDP calls out Jones for ignoring health care horrors

After 25 hospitals were impacted by long weekend closures, Health Minister Sylvia Jones is painting a rosy picture of the situation — and the NDP says that’s a big problem.

“For sure the programs are working…” Jones told CP24 in a one-on-one interview Tuesday afternoon. Jones was asked twice by CP24 hosts if hospital closures are unacceptable, but she refused to concede that it is.

NDP Health critic France Gélinas said Jones is either lying, or isn’t listening to patients and frontline health care heroes, who have been telling devastating stories of a worsening crisis.

“If Jones doesn’t find this mess to be unacceptable, how bad is she prepared to let our health care system get?” asked Gélinas. “Seriously sick patients are being moved. Long waits and hallway medicine are rampant. And some people will rush to ER only to find the doors locked.”

The NDP, health care unions and frontline health care workers have presented solutions the government can implement immediately to ease the crisis, including scrapping Premier Doug Ford’s damaging wage cap bill, Bill 124.