Ontario's NDP leader wants the Ontario government to start collecting race-based data when it comes to the delivery of healthcare.
Andrea Horwath's call echoes those from health experts across the province, including the AllianceON Black Health Committee, the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities, and Black Health Alliance. Her call for an emergency order to collect data detailing the race of patients comes with a request for the Ford government to address systemic racism in provincial institutions.
"This call included enhancing accountability infrastructure to address police violence, systemic bias, and harm to black communities," demanded Horwath.
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath in Windsor (Photo by Jason Viau)
She also demanded funding for the Anti-Racism Directorate and other groups working to address anti-Black racism.
The demand comes after the death of a Black personal support worker who died of COVID-19. Horwath said Leonard Rodriques (shown above) did not get proper personal protective equipment at work and was sent home from the hospital after seeking treatment.
"When Leonard got sick, the family experienced barrier after barrier in accessing appropriate care, and after his death, the trauma only continued," said Horwath. "We are not able to tell if this, the neglect from our healthcare system, is a pattern or a one-off because there is no data to support it."
Rodrigues's wife, Dorothy, asked for the immediate collection of race-based data following the death of her husband in a letter to York South-Weston MPP Faisal Hassan.
"Will the Premier listen to Dorothy?" asked Horwath in question period Wednesday after reading portions of the letter. "His spouse is pleading with the government to act."
The 61-year-old died May 7. He worked at Access Independent Living Services in Toronto, according to a release from Unifor, which demanded proper personal protective equipment for all workers working in community and home healthcare.
"It was horrifying to learn from Leonard's family that when he got sick, he was wearing a mask he had purchased at a dollar store," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias on May 13.
The focus on the plight of Black communities has heightened over the past week following the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. The incident has prompted protests around the globe, including in Windsor and Sarnia. Protests are also planned in Chatham and London.
On Wednesday, CNN reported a charge of third-degree murder against Derek Chauvin, the officer directly involved in Floyd's death, had been upgraded to second-degree murder. Three other former officers involved in the incident have also been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting third-degree manslaughter.