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Amber Bowen on reinstatement of Rod Phillips

The reappointment of Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax, as the Minister of Long-Term Care in Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet, has been criticised by Amber Bowen, Liberal candidate for the Ajax seat in next year’s provincial elections.

Former Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips was forced to resign from the cabinet at the end of last year, after – and in face of calls to avoid non-essential travel – he decided to spend his Christmas vacation in the Caribbean island of St. Barts, while the province was in the grips of Covid-19 pandemic.

The media disclosure and the following public furore forced Phillips to resign as minister. But he still holds the MPP seat from Ajax, which is being challenged by local career educator Amber Bowen.

“While Rod Philips was vacationing in St. Bart’s instead of dealing with a health crisis, one senior was dying every hour in a Long-Term Care Home due to Covid-19,” said Bowen in a statement to Durham Post.

“My family and I ourselves were making the tough decision to move my 94-year old grandfather out of his seniors residence, during an outbreak, to live with family. He, and every senior in Ontario, deserves to know that they will be taken care of, that they will be loved and that they will get to spend their last days with dignity.

“Rod Philips has already failed my grandfather and seniors across Ontario once. I only hope that he will now listen and raise the standard of care that is provided, introduce sufficient paid days so that sick workers can stay at home, raise PSW and nurses wages and all of the other things needed to fix our long-term care system,” said Bowen.

On June 18, Premier Doug Ford announced changes to Ontario’s cabinet, which included the appointment of Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax, as Minister of Long-Term Care.

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