And now another federal institution replaces the military.  Let's just   
   translate that into:  our Canadian taxpayers are now paying for the care of   
   patients that are in privately-owned and run care homes for the elderly.   
   _____________   
   Red Cross to send 900 workers to Quebec care homes as military withdraws   
      
   OTTAWA -- The Canadian Red Cross will send 900 people to work in Quebec's   
   long-term care homes until September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said   
   Friday.   
      
   The announcement came as the military prepares to pull out of the homes,   
   despite repeated requests from Premier Francois Legault to keep at least 1,000   
   Forces members there until the fall.   
   _______________________________   
      
   Time to cancel all agreements with private owners of those care homes and make   
   our long term care homes a part of our public health care system.   
      
   Otherwise, we're going to continue to experience shocking situations like   
   these:   
   ______________   
   Council of Canadians - May 2020   
      
   Cockroach and bug infestations, seniors calling out repeatedly for help,   
   rotting food, COVID-19-infected patients put in the same room with those who   
   are healthy, missed meals, seniors left in soiled diapers and linens - these   
   are just some of the things    
   Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel have seen while helping in five   
   long-term care homes in Ontario.   
      
   The military, called in to help at some of Ontario's worst-hit long-term care   
   homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed what caregivers and family   
   members of those in the homes have been saying for years: there is a crisis in   
   how we care for our    
   seniors.   
      
   The CAF report details shocking and disturbing conditions in the homes. It   
   also highlighted serious concerns about shortages of personal protective   
   equipment, staffing shortages, and failures to follow basic procedures to keep   
   both residents and staff    
   safe.   
      
   The report notes that the military's observations are "sufficiently serious in   
   nature to warrant them also to be shared with the Province of Ontario" who has   
   jurisdiction over the homes.   
      
   Approximately 1,650 trained military personnel were deployed in response to   
   provincial calls for help to care for residents in the homes in Ontario and   
   Quebec, where homes are thought to be in even worse shape.   
   [- - ]   
   Questions have been raised about the government's management of inspections in   
   Ontario's long-term care homes.   
      
   In April, CBC reported that only nine out of 626 homes in Ontario actually   
   received inspections that weren't in response to complaints.  "CBC News   
   reviewed inspection reports from the last five years for all long-term care   
   homes in the province and found    
   that while most received a comprehensive resident quality inspection in 2015,   
   2016 and 2017, the number dropped to just over half in 2018 and just nine last   
   year."   
   ____________________________________   
   The Canadian Press May 13, 2020   
      
   OTTAWA -- The Ontario government has given itself emergency power to control   
   the management of privately run long-term care homes as the COVID-19 outbreak   
   affecting Canada's most vulnerable seniors continues.   
      
   Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the order Wednesday morning, saying in a   
   statement it will mean Ontario is better prepared to “immediately swing into   
   action if a home is struggling to contain this deadly virus.”   
      
   Ontario is the latest province to take such measures, following Quebec,   
   British Columbia and Alberta, all of which have seized control of private   
   seniors' homes in recent weeks.   
   _____________________________   
   CBC - May 13   
      
   Patient advocacy group in Quebec says province violated seniors' rights with   
   pandemic response   
      
   Amanda Vyce represents members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees who   
   work in long-term care. She said she has been calling on the federal   
   government to work with provinces and territories to bring long-term care   
   under the Canada Health Act,    
   making it a publicly insured core health care service that is accessible and   
   universal.   
      
   "COVID-19 didn't create the deadly crisis we're facing in long term care. The   
   systemic issues that facilitated this heartbreaking situation existed long   
   before this moment. What the pandemic is doing is shining a spotlight on those   
   problems and making    
   them worse," she told the House of Commons health committee last week.   
   _______________________________________   
      
   Getting older?  . . .  'Sum quod eris'.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)