Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Nov. 12th, 2020

[Donna Duncan]

As per Mr. Lee's earlier comments, the people who are assisting swear an oath. We would hope they respect that oath.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Right, and that's where I was going with this. Are you aware of any widespread occasions where people don't represent properly?

[Donna Duncan]

We've certainly not heard of it in our homes in Ontario.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

How about you, Mr. Lee?

[Jason Lee]

No, I have not.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Those are all of my questions.

Thanks, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you.

Monsieur Therrien, you have two and a half minutes.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I have a very simple question for our witnesses.

We know that rapid testing kits will soon be distributed, at least to some extent. How will you be able to use these tests to further secure the voting process?

[Donna Duncan]

Certainly in Ontario, rapid tests are being introduced for staff in long-term care, and they are challenging. We do not, as of yet, have a less invasive test. In fact, it will be a deterrent because it is a deep nasal swab. In Ontario—as these swabs are now being incorporated in our province—if you have a positive antigen test, then you will have to do the more traditional deep nasal swab. These are deterrents. Certainly we've seen it, just from a general staffing perspective. The tests now being used, the NP swabs, are a deterrent to our staff and have contributed to our staffing issues.

[Jason Lee]

From my personal point of view, having more options available will be helpful, if we're faced with an election during a pandemic. They might be used, as one of your colleagues mentioned earlier, to test election officials coming into the homes to provide greater comfort that people in the homes are COVID-free.

I don't have first-hand experience with rapid testing. I don't believe they're in use in our part of the country just yet.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Monsieur Therrien, go ahead.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

I understand. Rapid tests will allow for quicker testing of election officials, which will make it easier for them to go to voting sites.

Is that correct?

[Jason Lee]

My first assessment would be yes, that would be something that would provide greater access for people to long-term care, if the comfort level was there for everybody involved, that the rapid testing was going to give assurances that they're COVID-free.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you, Mr. Lee.

Monsieur Therrien, I've tried to provide some flexibility each time for you because I know whenever there's translation there's a delay that cuts into your time a little bit.

Mr. Blaikie, you have two and a half minutes, and then this panel will end and we will start with our next panel.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you very much.

If we look at some of the provinces where there have been elections recently, in Saskatchewan it was four and a half years between elections; in B.C. three and a half years; and in New Brunswick, which I think was the shortest period, it was two years. I'm wondering if you think that the risk of disenfranchising people in long-term care homes is a factor that politicians ought to be considering whenever there's talk of a snap election on the Hill, whether it's the government or the opposition driving it.

Do you think that that's something that should weigh in the considerations of parliamentarians when we're determining whether we go to the polls or not?

[Jason Lee]

Speaking on behalf of the Canadian Association for Long Term Care, I'm not sure that we're really in a position to answer that question. It's out of our hands when elections are called. I'm sure that and a multitude of other things are taken into consideration when making such a big decision. We're just happy to be here to discuss the potential of an election and putting the time into planning and making sure that those seniors are not disenfranchised, that we've given them the proper thought and consideration to make sure they have every opportunity to vote whenever that opportunity arises.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you.

Ms. Duncan.

[Donna Duncan]

We certainly support the process, and really, we're unable to speak to that. We know that governments are elected by the people and it's a much broader population that the government should be taking into consideration.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

If an election had been called a few weeks ago, do you think there would have been a substantial risk of disenfranchisement of people in long-term care, or do you think the long-term care system is election-ready?

[Donna Duncan]

I do not think the long-term care system in Ontario is election-ready right now. We are navigating massive outbreaks and emerging outbreaks and hot spots, and certainly we have a lot of work to do, I would argue.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Lee.

[Jason Lee]

I would agree.

I was talking with Elections Canada officials. I know that they've been working on this scenario for the last several months trying to get ready. I don't think they're there yet so thankfully we're not in that position just yet, but every election that comes along catches some people off guard. They get ready when they have to, and we'll do the same if forced to.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Thank you so much.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

I have a point of order.