We have reached the point in Ontario where things are so bad with the pandemic that the province has requested military assistance, and arrangements have been made for three medical assistance teams to be dispatched by today, along with other Red Cross personnel. As well, nine healthcare professionals from Newfoundland and Labrador, including the premier’s wife, are also being flown to Ontario by means of military transport.

But what is Doug Ford and his murderclown regime doing to help the situation? Absolutely nothing! They voted against another attempt at getting paid sick leave implemented, and they are keeping their focus solely on the border, rather than their need to enforce quarantine measures locally. (Oh, and it’s not just Ford balking at paid sick leave – every premier is doing it, even those in the Maritimes who have had relative success in containing the virus so far).

This stunt was a mere 24 hours ago.

Get your own damned house in order. #onpoli https://t.co/Clia1FQZVR

— Alheli Picazo (@a_picazo) April 26, 2021

https://twitter.com/robert_hiltz/status/1386359274415214598

.@IainTRankin once again refuses to mandate employer-paid sick days for all, essentially condemning low-wage workers to choose between buying food and following COVID stay-at-home orders. Once again the right to private profit matters more to his government than public health. https://t.co/SNYwFgcGrW

— Ben Sichel (@bsichel) April 26, 2021

Meanwhile, there is a bit of good news in that a Federal Court judge refused to grant an injunction to end the hotel quarantine programme, saying it will go to a full hearing in June, and saying that the infringements on freedoms are reasonable in the public health context. Granted, we have enough people who can’t seem to pick a lane between demanding stricter border measures while also demanding an end to hotel quarantines, but since when has consistency been the strong point of political parties or MPs?

Good reads:

• There are a lot of questions being asked about Switch Health, whom was contracted to conduct a lot of the federal testing for those crossing land borders.
• While the UK and EU are talking about vaccine passports for travel, PHAC remains concerned that we don’t know if you can still transmit while vaccinated.
• The government could table back-to-work legislation for the Port of Montreal today, as they weasel about their preference for negotiated solutions.
• Seamus O’Regan says the government is working on a “Just Transition Act” to help energy workers find clean-economy jobs.
• Trade minister Mary Ng won’t say how many shipments the government has intercepted of suspected materials created by forced labour in China.
• Changes to Bill C-10 – the Broadcasting Act – have the government now trying to let the CRTC regulate all uploaded user content like YouTube, and even apps.
• Construction on the Trans Mountain expansion has been halted for four months because of hummingbird habitats. No, seriously.
• Indigenous leaders say that there isn’t enough for their infrastructure needs in the budget, while the minister says they are still determining the extent of their needs.
• The Speaker has decided to gently chide MPs about that screenshot of Will Amos, and won’t launch an investigation into who leaked it. Of course.
• Susan Delacourt remarks on the absurdity that Ontario has become a “have-not” province, as Newfoundland and Labrador is sending us doctors.

Odds and ends:

My book #UnbrokenMachine is currently 25% off at the @dundurnpress site, as is the book I contributed to, #RoyalProgress. If you haven’t checked them out yet, this is your opportunity. https://t.co/knf87Htrad

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) April 5, 2021

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