Latest / Kvetch & Release / AM800 CKLW Roundtable with MPP Lisa Gretzky, Greg Lemay, & Paul Synnott

Transcript

AM800 CKLW Roundtable with MPP Lisa Gretzky, Greg Lemay, & Paul Synnott · Kvetch & Release

0:00
Good morning everyone. I hope you're all doing well. Nine oh five on
0:03
the twenty eighth of May. Well, last night happened. That was a
0:10
whole thing, that debate. Can you call it a debate? I don't
0:13
know what. You can call it a whole lot of things, but I
0:15
don't think my boss is gonna let me use a lot of those words on
0:17
air, quite frankly, So we're just gonna call it a misstep for right
0:21
now. We'll circle back to it. It's the Friday round Table, and
0:26
boy am I glad to be joined by Paul Sennett of The Daily Bungle,
0:31
Greg La May community activist, and Lisa Gretzky Windsor to come windsor Or West
0:36
MPP. How are you doing, Lisa, I'm doing well. It's good
0:40
to have you in studio. I mean, it's gonna maybe take some therapy
0:42
after watching the debate last night. But is thant that we're doing well?
0:45
Yeah, Well, we're gonna we'll dive into the debate after this segment here.
0:49
Let's maybe talk about something that might make the debate have gone better for
0:53
some people. More wine, not a strike at the LCBO, but the
0:58
LCBO itself. I'm sure, some people stop by the LCBO before the debate
1:02
and maybe they wished they had picked up a little bit more during the debate.
1:04
But that's also a question that people have to wonder right now with today's
1:07
AM eight hundred newspool question, will you stock up on alcohol ahead of a
1:11
potential strike at the LCBO For the first time, the lcbos are going to
1:15
be opened throughout this long weekend and then coming on the fifth, a potential
1:19
closure for fourteen days following that, if things don't resolve, they'll be opening
1:25
up select stores across cities on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from certain hours.
1:32
It's an interesting start to the summer season. But you know, quite frankly,
1:38
we typically see labor action after strong economic rebounds after periods of strife,
1:46
and this is no different. Right now, we've gone through COVID and here
1:49
we are on the other side, and Lisa, what do you think about
1:52
this one with a potential strike at the LCBO approaching. Well, so I
1:56
saw the announcement that the LCBO is talking about where you can order online or
2:01
call in an order. However that's going to work and have someone deliver it
2:04
to the door. My opinion, that's using scab labor. These workers are
2:09
at on strike to have a livable wage. Everybody is struggling right now,
2:15
so I don't think it's unheard of that they're asking for a company that makes
2:19
millions and millions of dollars to have a decent wage, be able to keep
2:23
a roof over their heads, and feed their kids. We've heard concerns about
2:27
safety, so in some lcbos around the province there's been serious safety concerns for
2:32
the workers that need to be addressed. So I think you're right. I
2:36
mean, at some point the workers say enough. Without the workers, this
2:40
corporation wouldn't be making the money that they're making. So I think it's fair
2:45
that they're saying it's we deserve a slice of that. Greg. When you
2:50
look at a potential strike looming, are you going to be going and stocking
2:53
up a bit in case it happens, but also be what do you think
2:55
about the whole situation. No, I don't think I'm going to stock up.
3:00
It's uh, like I said, you get you can go to a
3:01
grocery store too, and if you wanted to pick up some beer or some
3:05
wine, you can hit that there, and I think I think that could
3:07
be part of this as well, with respect to you know, Ford saying,
3:12
hey, we're gonna push liquor out to certain spots too, right,
3:15
So I think I think there's some labor issues there. Obviously, talking to
3:20
some of my friends that work at the LCBO there, there's some concern there
3:23
with that, and they're saying, hey, it's going to be you know,
3:25
problems in the future, you know, with respect to this, and
3:28
I don't, I don't know if I see it that way, but I
3:30
said, it's gonna it's gonna be interesting to see how this folds out.
3:32
But I think I think they're They're definitely right. They do deserve more of
3:38
a way, you know, living wage, and I think that's what this
3:40
comes down to. So obviously, Paul, there is the push right now
3:45
from the government to be moving beer sales and pre mixed drink sales in two
3:50
corner stores can meaning stores, potentially gas stations depending on how they're classified.
3:53
We're not quite sure about how that one's gonna roll out right now. What
3:58
do you think about having this potential job action at a time when the conversation
4:02
of expansion is happening I don't necessarily think it's going to be the best way
4:06
to foster goodwill of the public by taking something away while the government is actively
4:13
saying we want to make things easier. I understand that that's probably not the
4:17
forefront of what this conversation is for the unions right now, But I'm looking
4:21
at the sentiment of the public and I wonder what your thoughts are. You
4:26
know, I agree. I mean, I think it's something that needs to
4:28
be to tread lightly. Now would probably not be a good time, and
4:33
specifically not with this government to go on strike. It may very well play
4:39
right in their heads and say, you know what, let's move to private
4:41
delivery. It doesn't mean that the taxpayer is going to make any less.
4:46
The warehousing is still controlled by the province. The taxes are still the same,
4:51
The taxes are still mandatory. They're set by the government. So I
4:57
mean, you'd have to be beyond incompetent not to raise a profit to have
5:00
a profit because the government sets the taxes and that that generates the revenue.
5:05
The you know, Alberta successfully privatize their system they into into private stores.
5:15
I mean, it's it's an option. I think the workers do to deserve
5:18
significant pay increases, much like everybody that have that have fallen behind. But
5:24
there there are a lot more issues. They're demanding more stores to be open
5:27
in longer hours. They want to set the terms of how things move forward.
5:34
You know, it's best that these things aren't negotiated in public, but
5:38
there there's a lot on the table, and there there's a lot of play
5:41
here. I'll push back on one thing. This has nothing to do with
5:44
scab labor at this point. There is no strike. The government's advocating right
5:47
now for ways for maybe people to stock up. I mean, because that's
5:51
what people are looking to do. They're looking to avoid long lineups and problems.
5:57
I don't know how it affects the agency stores though there is the Agency
6:00
store McGregor. I don't know a lot of people know about that. It's
6:04
beautiful store. As I understand it. They won't be able to purchase anything
6:10
after whatever they have if a strike comes into effect, because they're still supplied
6:13
by the LCBS, by the warehouse. Yeah, I wasn't sure if they
6:16
were still allowed to sell or anything I looked at. I couldn't find it.
6:20
The agency they'd be allowed to continue to sell their product, as I
6:23
understand it, but once they sell, and let's be honest, that would
6:28
probably be like Tuesday at four in the afternoon. Quite frankly, if I
6:31
can just bring a different please peace to the discussion. We have a government
6:36
who seems fixated on alcohol. We have an increase in addictions and longer and
6:46
longer wait times for people to access support for support. So while this government
6:50
is focusing on liberating alcohol, spending millions of dollars getting out of a contract
7:00
with the beer store that's going to end in the next twelve maybe eleven months,
7:04
rather than they're not putting up money into addiction services. They're not putting
7:10
that into education around addiction, they're not putting that into people being able to
7:15
access support. So I think at some point it really begs the question why
7:18
is the government so focused on alcohol and making that more freely available than putting
7:27
it into the supports and services that people need. Today. When I saw
7:31
this all be announced and roll out and he started to see some of the
7:35
timelines shaping out, the first thing that popped in my head was, Oh,
7:39
he's going to call a snap election immediately after Labor Day, like right
7:42
after labor day. The psychic shift that's going to happen among people in the
7:45
province who are the target base of this move. It's going to be like
7:47
what happened with bucketbeer the first time around. It's going to be a psychic
7:54
conscious changer, and he's going to come out and say, my friends,
7:59
this was the first labor day that you were able to go and pick up
8:03
a six pack at the corner store, even after five pm. Not that
8:07
you could have done it before five pm on a labor day anyways. And
8:09
those are the kind of common sense measures that we're going to continue to bring,
8:13
which is why I'm seeking a renewed mandate like that. I can see
8:16
it all playing out right now. I think the twenty twenty five early election
8:20
call is a headfake that's happening right now about the spring. But we'll see
8:24
how I guess it all rolls out. It's really interesting, so to speak.
8:30
But you are absolutely right, Lisa. I mean, this government did
8:33
start off with Bukabier and here we are again. Is it surprising? No,
8:37
No, not at all. Again, it's about priorities and this government
8:43
is more about gimmicks and to the point of an early election. I mean,
8:48
there are very strong indications that there will be an early election. We
8:52
are not supposed to go into an election until twenty twenty six. They have
8:54
a very large majority government. There is no reason to be going in to
9:00
an election that costs money. So again, rather than thinking about what people
9:05
need now to address the housing crisis, the affordability crisis, people not being
9:09
able to get put food on their table, the fact that food banks can't
9:11
keep up with demand, people can access health care. This government is focusing
9:16
on something like alcohol sales to try and boost their numbers, and then they're
9:24
going to try and justify needing a new mandate to do the work that they
9:30
claim they're already doing. So I think that's I'm hearing it. I'm hearing
9:35
it from my constituents. They understand that this government is considering wasting money that
9:41
should be on an early election rather than investing it in the services and supports
9:46
that people need today. I don't know about you, but I want the
9:50
bag back. You can say it's focused on alcohol. I say it's focused
9:56
on choice. At the end of the day, the government is looking at
10:00
it in a certain way. They want to get into the business of running
10:03
an alcohol store, running an LCBO. Make it about choice. So let
10:07
the people decide, let the private sector run it, and the government can
10:09
focus on what they do need to focus on, which is running the things
10:13
the government should be running. I mean back, I remember first going to
10:16
the beer store with my father back in the seventies and used to go up.
10:20
But it was like the old consumer distributing. You didn't even see the
10:22
alcohol. You used to have to go up and fill out a form and
10:26
slide it behind somebody at a wicket, and then they went in the back
10:28
room, put your alcohol in the bag and then carried it out. I
10:31
mean it was really like a Soviet error store. That's what lcbos used to
10:35
be like, because that was the way to control. So you know,
10:39
there's more than one way to look at things. While other jurisdictions across the
10:43
country certainly have access like this, I've been to Alberta and the prices were
10:48
more expensive quite frankly for some of the same products, and we're going to
10:52
be seeing i'd imagine something like that here because there's the profit motive. We're
10:54
going to be losing out on some money because the retailers, as I understand
10:58
it. Are we going to get a ten to fifteen ten percent discount on
11:01
the product itself from the LCBO so that they can have an actual profit margin
11:05
without having to go and price higher than the LCBO. But we'll see how
11:09
things things play out. For sure, there's no doubt about that. It
11:13
is nine sixteen. We'll take a quick break right now. When we get
11:15
back, we'll continue with this Friday roundtable. We're back, John let here.
11:18
It is our Friday round table at Paul Stonett, Greg LeMay and Lisa
11:22
Gretzky. There was a debate last night. I still can you can you
11:26
call it a debate with what happened? It was? It was, it
11:28
was, Oh, it was scary at times. US President Joe Biden did
11:33
not bring his A game. I would say he didn't even bring a D
11:37
game. He was directly yeah, yeah, he was on stage sometimes even
11:41
though I don't think he was quite sure that he was there. It really
11:43
prompts questions, in my opinion, not just of is this man going to
11:48
be moving forward as the nominee on the ticket for the Democrats, but also
11:52
does he have any position remaining as president of the United States after what we
11:56
saw last night. It was concerning. We've all delt with aging family members,
12:01
and I think what we saw on that stage, what we saw in
12:03
those eyes is something that's familiar and saddening, and it was I think new
12:09
as well for a lot of people who haven't seen that side of the president.
12:13
Lisa, you're an elected official, what did you think about last night?
12:18
It was uninspiring and painful, painful to watch. And you know,
12:26
I'm going to talk about two particular parts of the debate, two discussions that
12:31
were supposed to be happening, which was when they brought up women's reproductive rights,
12:39
and to hear conversation about, you know, the two of them puffing
12:43
up their chests and who is better personally, rather than talking about policy,
12:50
and rather than talking about what they would do to make things change, whether
12:54
that's for the better or for the worse. And I'm speaking, I'm talking
12:58
about this if you take the parties out of it, I'm just talking about
13:01
the two men that were on the stage last night, not the parties behind
13:05
them and what they stand for. Then you moved on to childcare, and
13:09
Trump went into this rant about military power has nothing to do with childcare and
13:16
and yes, men need to be able to access childcare, but it's largely
13:22
women that are impacted. And so to hear him go on this rant about
13:26
their military might you know, I mean some sweeping comment about there there were
13:31
no terrorists in the world while he was president. I just about fell off
13:35
the couch when he said that. And I will say the Biden was really
13:39
no difference. It was a lot of ego on that stage and a lot
13:45
of I'm better than you. I was going to make another comparison, but
13:50
that's probably not appropriate for air. I'll just say a lot of chest thumping
13:54
and you know, my guns are bigger than yours. We'll go with that
13:58
one. But it wasn't actual sings, my golf swings bear. It was
14:03
not addressing uh, women's reproductive rights. They weren't talking really until Joe Biden
14:09
threw a little snippet in about childcare. And these are really these are real
14:15
issues, These are real issues that they should be discussing. And I felt
14:18
like it was just very dismissive. You know, I don't know if we
14:22
can attribute it just to the fact that, quite frankly, both of them
14:24
are old white men, and you know that speaks a lot. As you
14:28
said, we're not talking with the parties. Just the fact that these two
14:31
men that are on this stage, a lot was on display for people.
14:35
What do you think, Greg, Well, you're talking about their age.
14:39
Is that three year difference between the two and it seems like Trump has way
14:43
more energy than Biden does. Let's just leave it there. But yeah,
14:48
like from from billionaires to trillionaires, to abortion to things that were I don't
14:54
know, none of it really was true of half the stuff that was said.
14:58
You know, he was talking of certain things and it was just theatrics.
15:03
Really, it's it's it's it's pretty painful to watch, Like like Lisa
15:07
just said, you would think that they would be focusing on the real issues
15:11
and get down to, you know, things that matter, and they're not
15:13
talking about those things. They're talking about just my golf swings bigger than yours.
15:18
I can I can beat you at this. Let's play a game.
15:20
It's it's pretty embarrassing for the country really, But I don't know, those
15:26
are the best two that we got. That's that's what we're gonna roll with.
15:28
I guess I didn't just he was trailing off. It was incoherent.
15:35
He was going from topic to topic, often just one word at a time,
15:39
jumping. It was. It was difficult to watch. Paul. The
15:43
first thing that you said when we sat down was you'd love to see the
15:46
internal polling after that, I don't. It can't be good for the president
15:50
and the party. Let me tell you that much. Oh as we're speaking,
15:52
I did pull it up, so the CNN had a flash pole out,
15:56
so they they sampled before the debate, and the prediction before the debate
16:04
was fifty five to forty five percent for Trump. They sampled the same people
16:10
after the debate. Sixty seven percent said Trump won, thirty three percent said
16:15
Biden. I mean I've said for for a long time that you know,
16:19
we study the rise and fall of great empires throughout history. I mean,
16:25
I think over the last ten years we've been watching the decline of the American
16:27
Empire. It's just it's been a tragedy in slow motion. And last night,
16:36
regardless of who you thought won, I think as most Americans could hang
16:41
their head in shame to say that this was an example of our democracy and
16:45
action. I'd go hide somewhere. It was it was shameful. It was
16:51
to call it a debate. I mean, ultimately, yeah, Trump did
16:53
what he needed to do. I mean, ultimately, he doesn't care that
16:57
he lied virtually every time he open his mouth. He just wanted to be
17:00
forceful versus Biden not beaming me, and he highly succeeded at that. It
17:07
was just it's a shame to see. It scares me. It really scares
17:12
me. I mean people don't talk about it much, but you know,
17:15
the chance we used to talk about the old atomic clock and how close we
17:22
were to a nuclear war. I mean, how close are we to a
17:26
civil war in the United States? Is on the path that we're on.
17:30
People say that might be hyperbole, but it's getting crazier. And you know,
17:34
the only path forward, you know, does Biden drop out and go
17:38
to an open convention. You know, I'd love to see Gretchen Whitmer run
17:42
for president instead of Biden, bring forward a younger generation of new ideas.
17:47
I mean, the fact that this is the best the Americans have to offer
17:51
two old white guys who are long past their pride. Three hundred and thirty
17:56
million Americans. You know, let's say that maybe watch sixty million of them
18:00
under eighteen, So the only superpower. This is the best they got.
18:03
What's interesting though, is like Trump's whole thing is like try to get under
18:07
your skin, and Joe's like so late to the party that when he tries
18:11
to boke at him, it just goes over his head. Right, It's
18:14
like he's not winning. It's like it's it's a kryptonite, right. Well.
18:18
There was also a clip that came out of the after the debate where
18:22
Joe's on stage with his presidents, on it stage with his wife and she's
18:27
given like a rousing pump up and goes, you did such a good job.
18:32
You're great, and this is why everyone needs you, and it's he's
18:36
just sort of the same that he was when he was on stage. It's
18:38
sort of absent. Brian Lilly writes, it's like watching a kindergarten teacher give
18:44
a gold star after show and tell it's painful, but it's uncomfortable. He
18:48
needs help running him as abusive. I mean, do you think about that,
18:52
Lisa in the same terms, like, is it abusive to keep someone
18:55
in politics maybe when they're past their time to be well? I think there's
18:59
a really fine line to walk there, because I don't think we should be
19:03
excluding anyone just because of their age, absolutely so, but their ability and
19:12
their stability, I'll say their ability and their stability. And what I saw
19:18
last night was two men who were openly calling each other children, calling each
19:22
other names, You're a child, No, you're a child, back and
19:26
forth at each other. And that's concerning to me. And I'll go back
19:30
to the egos too, where it was all about the ego. It was
19:33
not focused on the people of the States. There was no conversation that I
19:38
saw or felt was specifically to helping the people of that country. And that's
19:45
concerning. And I've been in many debates, and full credit, they are
19:49
stressful. Things come up that you've got to be quick on your feet,
19:53
and sometimes your response isn't all the greatest, and it's not when you've got
19:57
a minute or two, it can't be fullsome But but to go into these
20:03
personal attacks on each other instead of focusing on what they were really there to
20:07
do, which was to tell the people of America that they were the best
20:11
candidate and we're going to do They had policies that were going to ensure that
20:15
everybody in America were going to be taken care of. It and they both
20:18
failed epically. Well, I'll just leave it with this polster David Coletto from
20:26
abacust Data wrote last night after the debate, any surrogate who comes on after
20:30
this debate and says Joe Biden is fit to be president can never be trusted
20:33
or taken seriously. Again. I think that this has certainly changed things in
20:40
US politics, and the next four months are going to be very interesting as
20:45
we when's the next de beate guess they're going to be probablycorn Well nine twenty
20:49
nine. We've got a break right now. We got the Information Update coming
20:52
up next and then we'll get back to our Friday roundtable with Windsord to come
20:55
c MPP Lisa Gretzky, community activist Greg LeMay, and of the Daily Bungle
21:00
Paul Sinate. Don't go anywhere, folks. Hey, we're back, John
21:07
Lecke here on AM eight hundred, c KLW nine thirty four. We are
21:11
keeping the Friday roundtable going with Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky. You're not switching
21:17
ridings I've heard. I'm not. No, You're staying in the West.
21:19
So when I had said Winsor to comes to you, that was way off.
21:22
Well, I mean the writings. Do you sure so you know what?
21:27
I was only off by like ninety five percent? Then I live downtown
21:32
so you could tick. We're here. Also, community activist and advocate Greg
21:37
Lamy is in studio and of the Daily Bungle Paul Senate. Two tweets came
21:41
out yesterday from the Prie Minister Justin Trudeau. Starting today, kids under eighteen
21:48
who don't have dental insurance can apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Nearly
21:52
a million kids don't have dental coverage and that is about to change. He
21:56
then tweeted an hour and a half later, starting today, persons with disabilities
22:02
who didn't have coverage before can apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Finally
22:06
get on a plan and start going to the dentist. This is a big
22:11
change for our healthcare system. This gradual rollout of the dental Plan. We
22:15
know by I think twenty twenty five, the end of the year, it
22:18
should be covering everyone who doesn't have insurance in the country. Lisa, this
22:22
is really big. Even though it infringes to an extent on provincial jurisdiction.
22:29
There's been agreements that have been made to allow it to roll out. Alberta
22:32
has said, no, what do you think about this program? I think
22:36
it's important. I mean, as new Democrats federally and provincially, we've been
22:40
pushing for a dental care plan and full disclosure for many years. Before I
22:45
was elected, I was a dental assistant in an office downtown Windsor where we
22:49
saw a lot of low income people, a lot of people with disabilities on
22:53
social assistance, and it is incredibly important for everyone to have that access to
23:00
health care, and dental care is health care. And I often say that
23:06
when you invest in people in the front end, there's a huge savings economic
23:10
savings on the back end. And so I can tell you from my experience
23:12
having patients come in with no insurance and needing know they have an absess too,
23:19
they need treatment, they can't afford it. They end up at the
23:22
emergency department thinking something's going to happen there, they can't treat it. They're
23:26
given prescription that this person now cannot fail, and they end up back in
23:30
the dental office. And in some cases those infections can spread into your bloodstream,
23:37
to your heart, to your brain. We've seen it, so it's
23:40
really important that the federal government at least is starting to kind of understand that.
23:45
But they wouldn't have gotten there if it was not for the federal NDP
23:49
putting them in a box, putting him in that corner and making that happen.
23:55
And I think it's really important that all provinces recognize how important and dental
24:00
care is, access to dental care is, and treat it like healthcare and
24:04
make sure that everybody in this province has access to it without having to pay
24:08
for it. Yeah. Of course that Supply and Confidence agreement is what has
24:14
brought about these big investments and changes to our healthcare system. That agreement between
24:18
the Liberals and the NDP. Federally, this is a big change, Greg,
24:22
I know you know you've worked for yourself, so insurance is not provided
24:27
from the employer for free to you unless you decided to go out and get
24:32
it. What are your thoughts about this change? Well, I also work
24:34
for the school board, so I do have benefits there, but no,
24:38
it's obviously a welcome change. Main point, the main entry to your bodies
24:44
obviously orally right, So like if you're putting things in your mouth, it's
24:48
going in your body. Having good oral health is important. Like Lisa just
24:52
said, you know things are how many other things can you prevent by having
24:57
good oral health? Right, So it's going to I think it's going to
25:00
be better for the healthcare system in the long term, right with respect to
25:04
that, and I think this is a good win for everybody. Really,
25:08
Paul, what are your thoughts about the expansion of this program. I think
25:12
it's greatly needed. I think the way it's being done is horrendous. I
25:17
mean you mentioned that it's somewhat infringes on provincial it's not somewhat. It completely
25:22
infringes on provincial responsibility. And in point of fact, there were no agreements
25:26
made with any provinces. There were no consultations with any provinces prior to launching
25:32
this. And the proof of concept of that is dentists are voting with refeet.
25:36
None of them are signing up. I mean, this care may be
25:38
available, but what's the closest dentist to you that's going to provide it In
25:44
London? There's a distinct possibility. I mean, most dentists. The governments
25:48
scrambling right now trying to change the program to encourage dentists to sign up.
25:55
The second thing I mean in regardless, I mean you mentioned that, you
25:57
know, Danielle Swith, the prem of Alberta, has has said she's gonna
26:00
opt out, and you know they promptly sent out the Minister Mark Holland to
26:06
say, you know, Premier Smith wants Canadians to keep gargling with gas to
26:11
because of dental problems. What they ignored in March when this was first announced,
26:18
Premier Legal of Quebec first thing out of his mouth was we've studied this,
26:22
Quebec is d opting out and we expect three billion dollars. What was
26:26
response from the government? Prime Mister troll says he was he was open to
26:30
discussing it. This is completely a provincial responsibility and Alberta arguably has Currently it's
26:36
not the best the best that it could be, but they do have the
26:40
most comprehensive and best dental program already available. Why not enhance that program.
26:45
I think it's a service that's much needed. The way it's being rolled out
26:49
is horrendous and it's not necessarily going to lead to more care for a whole
26:52
lot of people. It's going to mean a lot of lineups for the few
26:56
doctors or dentists direction providing the service. If I can jump on that with
27:00
my experience, what I will say is this, for years, dentists,
27:04
including I worked in a West End office, in a downtown office, and
27:08
I will tell you that the province is failing to meet the needs of low
27:14
income individuals that need dental care. I know, I've seen it firsthand.
27:19
The vast majority of dentists that will accept programs like this, whether it's Healthy
27:26
Smiles through the province, the Senior's Dental Care Plan through the province, which
27:30
has been a nightmare. There are many seniors who are not getting access to
27:34
care. The biggest issue is that dentists lose money by treating these patients.
27:41
They lose money, so fewer and fewer actually want to see them. Dentists
27:45
have to make money, they have staff, they have overhead, they have
27:48
costs, they have to live as well. So there has been a complete
27:52
failure through successive governments, not just this one, it's getting worse, but
27:56
not just this one, to actually fund the programs that are in place,
28:03
to ensure that we don't have those lineups, that we have people who are
28:07
willing to provide that care, that when the dentists that do take on patients
28:12
under these programs need to do so in hospital that we don't have emergency or
28:18
ours that could be open closed because the province is not properly funding the healthcare
28:25
system, so we can't open those ours. So I think that I agree
28:29
the provinces should be the ones taking charge of this is the rollout of the
28:33
federal program perfect absolutely not. But I think provinces also take have to take
28:37
responsibility. If they want to say we want to be the ones making the
28:41
decisions, then they have to take responsibility for their failures, and they have
28:45
to take responsibility for the systems that they've already got in place that are not
28:51
meeting the needs of people that need care or the people that provide that care.
28:55
Well, this is a good political football for every to toss around.
29:00
Quite frankly, the Feds are trying to play electoral politics with this and they
29:04
want it to roll out for their benefit. Of course, so Quebec might
29:07
get a certain special deal whereas other provinces aren't going to be eligible for it
29:12
because LaBelle Provence deserves, you know, to be treated a little bit special
29:15
here or there, I suppose, But there have been a lot of people
29:19
who have signed up. Now, our health minister said in six weeks two
29:22
hundred thousand people have gotten care and eleven five hundred providers have signed up.
29:27
Now that does Paul I recognize only represent forty percent of the country's dentists.
29:33
Do you think that though, that number will continue to increase or do you
29:37
think that what Lisa is saying resonates here that the benefit just isn't there right
29:42
now for them as they're seeing it. I agree with li say, I
29:47
think Ontario and most provincial problem programs in the country are underfunded. But I
29:52
mean again, I go back to it's a completely provincial responsibility. The federal
29:56
government never even to sit down and consult with the provinces. I mean,
30:02
they already have the systems in place, so they can do it, as
30:04
they have with other things in healthcare. They can say, okay, on
30:07
tarot here's your five billion dollars it must be spent on this, and they
30:12
can come to those agreements, and then the federal government doesn't have to set
30:15
up another bureaucracy, more systems to handle payments and everything else. I mean,
30:23
right now, that's one of the biggest reasons dentists aren't signing on.
30:26
They don't understand the program, they don't know how they're going to be paid,
30:30
how much they're going to be paid, so they're not signing up.
30:33
So, yes, you know you said at eleven thousand, I hadn't found
30:37
a number at how many had signed up. So how many dentists are there
30:41
in the country? What is that eleven thousand represent? Okay, that's still
30:45
a pretty low number. It's early. I would expect it to rise.
30:48
But why why creates We already have systems in place, We've done it with
30:55
other things in healthcare. Healthcare is a provincial responsibility. Say here in taroll,
30:59
here's your fivellion dollars. Let's check the system and move on to the
31:03
next thing. So here's one thing that I hadn't noticed until now. People
31:07
who qualify for this and get enrolled into it receive a welcome package from Sunlife
31:14
with a member card and a starting date for when their services begin to be
31:18
covered. So you're not using your provincial health card in this at all.
31:22
You are signing up with a private business here. That was a new thing
31:26
for me. I did not realize there was a benefit of a provider they're
31:30
obviously walking away with something here, not sure whether or not it's a cash
31:34
dollar. They're gaining access to a heck of a lot of data, quite
31:38
frankly, and then that's how the program runs, and that means bureaucratic costs
31:45
as well. So there's a lot of moving parts here. I think it
31:48
would be nicer if, you know, the provinces did just fund healthcare to
31:52
the way that it should be. Like we've all agreed around the table here,
31:55
but I'm also not going to go and just castigate this and say it's
31:59
a bad thing because it's got some moving parts here. I like to go
32:01
to the circus and see the clown juggle in a lot of plates in the
32:05
air at once, and this is sort of feels like the same way.
32:07
There's a lot of juggling happening here, but it makes it entertaining, and
32:10
that's why we like to talk about it as well. But we saw the
32:13
entertaining part last night. We did see the clowns last night. Nine forty
32:17
five will break right now. When we get back on the other side,
32:19
we will keep the round table going. We're back. John. Let keep
32:25
here on AM eight hundred kow continuing our Friday round table with Windsor West,
32:30
MPP Lisa Gretzky, community activist Greg Leamy, and the Daily Bungles Paul Senate.
32:36
Alarming statistics have been released by an Ottawa based detachment of the Ontario Provincial
32:40
Police. In a post on Twitter, they said that they laid four charges
32:45
against individuals in four separate intimate partner violence cases. And if that's not bad
32:50
enough, these arrests all occurred within a single week. Police told City News
32:55
that there could be other cases under investigation and that quote, no two weeks
33:00
are ever the same. I think I just want to start things off right
33:05
there. Quite frankly, Lisa, these are really alarming statistics. That's a
33:09
large number in just one week. But it's that second statement from the police
33:14
that really stands out to me. No two weeks are ever the same.
33:17
That it hits hard, it does, and it's infuriating, it's frustrating.
33:27
I believe that all those incidents happened. I believe it's Runfrew County, is
33:30
it not. Where two years ago there was an in question into the deaths
33:36
of three women at the hand of the same man, and there were eighty
33:40
six recommendations that came forward, the majority of them were for the province actionable
33:45
items, and yet we are continuing to see an increase. And I want
33:51
to add, I mean we hear a lot about women being the victims,
33:57
it does happen to men as well. Oftentimes there is shame or stigma around
34:02
men coming forward, but the large majority of the cases are towards women and
34:08
in some cases their children. And it's high time for the government the Province
34:15
of Ontario to join the nearly one hundred municipalities the warden A Lanert County,
34:22
our own municipality in declaring this the epidemic that it is so that all the
34:30
resources that are needed to be put into combating this and educating therapy when needed,
34:37
is in place so that we can end this cycle. One if I'm
34:42
remembering that story correctly, one of the people arrested was a fifteen year old
34:47
boy. A fifteen year old boy, and without the education piece, without
34:55
the funding and the resources put into place to to address some of the violence
35:02
that children are seeing in their own homes, that cycle is going to continue
35:07
to happen. And so I think it is long past due for the government
35:12
to make the declaration. So the opp released a statement that said, in
35:16
reality, IPv is a very underreported crime. Many victims of IPv may,
35:22
for their own personal reasons, choose not to contact the police. We encourage
35:24
anyone experiencing into partner violence to call the police or to reach out to resources
35:29
available in the community, and of course anybody listening right now do the same.
35:32
If you are in an experience like that, please don't let it go
35:37
unheard. Greg, I want to bring your voice in next. Yeah,
35:39
I was looking at the stats, just Ontario stats with respect to this.
35:45
We're talking four to one for women. But again, like Lisa said,
35:49
it could be the stigma attached, it could be under reporting. Obviously,
35:53
it seems like we keep circling back here to the province not funding certain things
36:00
properly and putting those resources in place. And I think that's where this falls,
36:05
is that we need that education piece. We need the resources there to
36:09
like Lisa said, end the cycle, Paul, those are you know,
36:15
staggering statistics here? Are you at all surprised when you hear that it's that
36:20
high or is it indicative of you know, I guess the situation that we're
36:23
all in right now, in North America. Quite frankly, I guess the
36:27
world got to go. I'm not particularly surprised. I mean I'm horrified to
36:31
some extent, but not surprised really. I mean this is I mean,
36:36
there's certainly a growing awareness about this, and there certainly needs to be more
36:40
and I agree, more more education, more more programs surrounding it. I
36:47
mean I don't understand why, but certainly the Premiere Ford was late to the
36:52
party on this. I mean they could have supported the epidemic declaration a year
37:00
ago and didn't, but they have now said that they do support it.
37:04
I mean, and it's important to support that. I mean a lot of
37:07
people may understand it. I certainly didn't, so I did more research and
37:10
spoke to a number of people. I mean, it's about moving it away
37:15
from the being the criminal justice system being the only way to deal with this,
37:20
and realizing that through health programs and education, and to support it prior
37:28
to it happening, not after the fact, although there were important criminal justice
37:34
changes that needed to happen. I mean, we needed to change the bail
37:38
so that when somebody violates an order, they don't get arrested and then bailed
37:43
out the next day. I mean the federal there's a federal MP who just
37:47
passed a private member bill. It's going to the Senate that makes a course
37:52
of action a criminal act, which is important. But by the same token,
37:57
there are programs that need to be done. And I mean olifer.
38:00
I mean, I've read an editorial from the Toronto Star for in April.
38:05
Toronto Star is no friend to the premiere forward, but I mean I'm surprised
38:09
you'd buy a copy. Yeah, oh, I read all of them.
38:13
But to quote the Toronto Star, I mean, to its credit in terror.
38:17
Government has already implemented some important public health programs, including the Partner Assault
38:22
Response Program, which teaches abusers non violent strategies and skills, and the Fourth
38:28
r which promotes healthy relationships among youth. Now those are only two things.
38:31
Is it enough? Of course it's not, and we need more. But
38:36
again, in a lot of times, sometimes we have to put some of
38:39
the partisan politics aside, put some of the rhetorical aside, and look more
38:44
towards solutions. We don't always have to throw the bricks. Let's have healthy,
38:47
open discussions on this and move things forward. I would just if I
38:52
can interject this when I brought forward Bill one seventy three, the Partner Violence
38:55
Epidemic Act, there was an opportunity for two years for the provincial government to
39:00
make the declaration. They have yet to actually utter the words that IPv is
39:05
an epidemic. They have not actually made a declaration. And in the meantime
39:10
we're seeing women, children, men who are under financial control, coercive control,
39:20
They're being abused, they're dying. So the time for the government to
39:23
make the declaration is now, to take action now, and it's not a
39:28
part is an issue. This was a report, a corner's inquest report that
39:36
came forward. The mass casualty report from Nova Scotia also made it clear there
39:39
needs to be a declaration and so we need to move forward on that,
39:44
and they need to put all the pieces in place. Fund women shelters,
39:46
fun transitional housing, make sure they have income security, paid leave from work.
39:52
When fling violence, well, I know that there is a subcommittee on
39:55
Intimate Partner Violence and gender based violence in Queen Park right now. Of course
40:00
things are moving forward, but your point is taken. Of course, you
40:05
know, I think that everyone around this table would like to see action happen
40:08
sooner than later, because I don't want to keep reading stories like these ones
40:13
that come across the news feed. Quite frankly, they're horrifying and they're tragic.
40:16
It is nine fifty six. We are just about at the end of
40:20
the program here, but we've got time for our plugged in segment where we
40:23
let everyone around the table shout something out they think needs some attention or promotion
40:29
or even self promotion. Greg, you self promote, what do you want
40:31
to talk about? I don't ever self promote. Downtown Windsor's hosting a music
40:37
block party starting the Saturday, so head out downtown. It's a good opportunity
40:40
to you know, relive that downtown, revitalize it. This is this is
40:46
an opportunity to go down and enjoy. Thank you very much for that,
40:51
Paul, How about yourself? Candidaday, I hope everybody has it safe and
40:54
happy a long weekend. But I mean the candidate parade, the further pump
41:00
downtown has moved back downtown. I just looked it up this mornings. I
41:02
didn't know what the route was, but I mean it's going to be from
41:06
Wyot down let then down Riverside Drive. The Karen come out. I'll throw
41:10
on some red and white, come out and get some free flags. Isn't
41:14
Dan running? Isn't Dan ahead of the parade or something? Donald is one
41:17
of the Grand Marshals of the periade. So they're a great time. I
41:22
mean, I haven't had a chance to look at the weather forecast, but
41:24
I mean I think it'll be great if they're a lot of fun. Monday
41:28
is scheduled to be sunny with a high of Monday which is seventy seven.
41:32
It'll be a real nice day, family and have a lot of fun.
41:37
Okay, And how about yourself, Lisa, what needs to be plugged in?
41:40
Well? I was going to do the parade as well. This will
41:43
probably be one of the first years where it wasn't sweltering hot during the parade,
41:46
so I'm looking forward to that. But I also give a plug for
41:51
the downtown Windsor farmers Market. They're up and going on the weekends. Sandwich
41:57
Town is starting to have outdoor mark grits and other things going on. So
42:01
I would highly recommend that people take the opportunity to visit the downtown farmers market
42:08
and also sandwich Town excellent choices. There's so much to do this weekend every
42:15
weekend. Love living in Windsor. Thank you so much to Friday's roundtable,
42:20
the Daily Bungles, Paul Sennett, community activist Greg LeMay and Windsor West MPP
42:25
Lisa Gretzky, John Lydkey here on AM eight hundred. Will be back after the tentacle