In response to your first question with respect to training, I believe that in Quebec, and definitely in Ontario, the government issued an order that allowed long-term care homes to essentially hire people off the street to fill staffing gaps in homes across the province. At this point in time, I don't know how many people have been hired through these avenues. These folks have been hired off the street with no previous experience or training related to work in the long-term care sector.
When the order was issued, our alarm bells were ringing very loudly. This is extremely concerning because the work of care aides is highly skilled. You're working with a population where many individuals have dementia. They can't communicate effectively what their needs are. You have individuals who have difficulty swallowing and need assistance with feeding. You need to know how to transfer individuals from a bed or wheelchair into a bathtub using a mechanical lift or from a chair into a bed or vice versa. These are highly skilled tasks, and the thought that someone could be hired off the street or simply volunteer their services, as altruistic and well-intended as they may be.... The risk to quality of care to patients is very high and very alarming.
With respect—