April 20th, 2021

NDP’s Cillis condemns Donna Skelly’s campaign against paid sick days

FLAMBOROUGH – Allison Cillis, NDP candidate for Flamborough-Glanbrook, has responded after PC MPP Donna Skelly passed the buck on paid sick days Tuesday in the Ontario legislature.

Skelly, who has voted against paid sick days legislation proposed by the NDP, stood in the legislature to continue to pretend this life-saving measure to protect workers is not the responsibility of the province. Right now, there are at least 16 active workplace outbreaks in Hamilton.

“ICUs in our region are bursting at the seams and still taking patients from the GTA flown in by helicopter, and we are seeing more essential workers getting infected with this virus on the job and losing their lives. More people will get sick, and some will die if we don’t put powerful public health measures in place right away, including paid sick days,” said Cillis.

“Every public health expert says paid sick days save lives. No worker should be forced to choose between putting food on the table and risking their health, but that’s exactly what Doug Ford is forcing them to do.”

“Donna Skelly is spending her time in the legislature opposing paid sick days, instead of fighting for lives of workers in our community. We need a government that will save Ontario from this crisis that Doug Ford walked us into, and that’s why I’m supporting Andrea Horwath’s call for paid sick days, for workplaces that aren’t truly essential to be closed temporarily, for financial support for affected businesses and workers, and for paid time off for all workers get their vaccine,” said Cillis.