ZOOMER SQUAD: WILL THE FORD GOVERNMENT'S MEASURES TRULY ADDRESS HEALTHCARE CRISIS?

Libby Znaimer is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine and Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP and David Cravit, Chief Membership Officer of CARP.

In the news: late last week, the Ford government introduced measures aimed at addressing the ongoing health care crisis in the province. Among them was the controversial plan to introduce legislation that would move elderly patients out of hospitals and into alternative facilities as they await for the move to their preferred long-term care home of choice. Another notable measure is that paramedics will now also be able to take patients to other places other than the ER including a mental health facility or to treat them at home or at the scene. Finally, we do a bit more follow up on the Lisa LaFlamme story and specifically discuss the controversy that a Bell Media executive complained about her going grey. Our squad discusses the latest.

AMBULANCE USE IN ONTARIO AND PARAMEDICS TRANSFERRING PATIENTS 

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Mike Merriman, the paramedic and EMS chair for CUPE Local 416.

As touched on in the previous segment, the Ford government is also going to expand how it allows paramedics to take patients to other places besides the ER like at a mental health facility and to treat them on site (and at home if that's the case) in an effort to alleviate the pressures on hospitals as they face staffing shortages including nurses. Meanwhile, a study out of McMaster University reveals that ambulance usage in Ontario has far exceeded the rate of population growth. Mike weighs in on the latest.

SHOULD AC BE A RIGHT FOR TENANTS?

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Toronto Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto—Danforth.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is calling on the Ford government to make AC a vital service in order to protect vulnerable residents like the elderly and to protect them as well from threats of eviction by landlords for AC usage and/or installation. The Ontario NDP have been very vocal about this issue and the topic has come up time and time again especially after the numerous heat waves that Ontario experienced this Summer.

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