May 5th, 2021
May 5th, 2021
QUEEN’S PARK – Doug Ford owes an explanation to people living in Ottawa hotspots on why he left them out of his priority list for vaccines, said MPP Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre).
“Priority neighbourhoods identified by Ottawa Public Health in Ottawa Centre, including Centretown West and Carlington, are nowhere to be found on the government’s priority list,” said Harden. “Yet one postal code (K2V) that was included is below the provincial average in terms of COVID incidence rates, but is represented by the minister of long-term care.
“Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health confirmed she had no involvement in the decision. Local councillors, the mayor and journalists have all questioned how our hotspots were chosen.
“Can the premier explain why our hardest-hit communities aren’t being prioritized?”
Harden said the government should focus on getting the vaccine to people who are the most severely impacted by COVID-19.
“Staff at the Parkdale Food Centre work with some of the most marginalized people in our constituency, ensuring that they have healthy and nutritious food to eat,” said Harden. “One of the staff tested positive in April, and they are wondering when they’ll be eligible to receive the vaccine.
“Will this government focus on getting vaccines to those who need them most, instead of an area less severely impacted by COVID-19 than the province as a whole?"