The Doug Ford government’s recent amendments to the current stay-at-home order once again shows how politically disinterested he is in genuinely addressing the current healthcare crisis. We at the Magkaisa Centre demand Doug Ford to stop putting the blame on us — the essential workers and racialized and marginalized communities — for his uselessness and failures. He would rather misdirect the issue to continually obscure the public of his ongoing  band aid solutions. Increasing police authority and power to already heavily policed neighbourhoods, only reinforce the marginalization and racialization of working class communities living and working in  COVID-19 hotspots. Policing does not ease the pressure on our current healthcare system; it does not relieve the stress that healthcare workers are experiencing now. More importantly, the amendments do not address the root cause of the continuing rise of COVID-19 infections among essential workers, their families and in the community.

Doug Ford’s continued haphazard response has clearly paved the way to our current dire situation and shows the outright neglect for the needs of essential workers most at risk of COVID-19 infection. If he and his cabinet are looking to point the finger of blame, they must turn that finger towards themselves. They continue to implement measures that do not serve the best interest of the majority of the people in Ontario. Ford and his lackeys are not fooling anybody with these theatrics that act as a smoke screen while he takes the opportunity to further advance the economic and political agenda of the class he represents at the expense of the working class.

As part of the Congress Progressive Filipino Canadians we demand the immediate implementation of measurements and policies centred on the needs and wellbeing of the working class. We demand paid sick days for the essential workers and the hastening of the vaccination programs to the racialized and marginalized areas and communities. As part of the working class in Canada, we will continue to expose and oppose the hypocrisy of this government and will not allow any racist and anti-worker rhetoric and measurements come unnoticed.

 

The Magkaisa Centre:
Filipino Canadian Youth Allianc-Ontario (FCYA-ON)
Philippine Women Centre of Ontario (PWC-ON)
SIKLAB-ON

 

For more info, contact us:

magkaisacentre@gmail.com