Madam Speaker, the self-proclaimed feminist Prime Minister talks a lot about applying a gender lens to every policy decision. The reality is that a quick application reveals that his failure to prioritize rapid tests is failing women.
Women make up the majority of residents in long-term care and the vast majority of staff. These care homes have been the epicentre of this pandemic. Experts have been clear that access to rapid testing is key to mitigating outbreaks and fatalities in long-term care. We are now well into the second wave with numbers surging, yet our highly vulnerable senior population still has no readily available access to rapid testing. In fact, Canada is months behind other countries when it comes to procuring and approving rapid tests.
Women living and working in long-term care do not need feminist lip service. They need immediate supports to ensure their health and safety.