(Queen’s Park) – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop today criticized the McGuinty government for patronizing seniors with a hastily-announced plan of surprise visits to long-term care facilities across the province and a toll-free number to register complaints about long-term care facilities.

“This announcement is a slap in the face to seniors like the United Senior Citizens of Ontario, with whom Julia Munro and I met just this week,” said Dunlop. “It’s a blatantly political move to divert attention from the real issues facing seniors today.”

Dunlop noted that the United Senior Citizens of Ontario are irate with the McGuinty government for eliminating the property tax credit for seniors that helps those seniors on fixed incomes to stay independent and live in their own homes longer.

Since coming to office, the McGuinty government has targeted seniors with other actions, including lifting the cap on hydro rates and musing about the idea of taking away all or part of the Senior’s drug plan.

“Seniors need to know what this government is actually doing to help seniors directly, not about whether or not the Minister is coming for a surprise visit,” said Dunlop. “This announcement, while veiled as an attempt to help seniors, is really an attack on long-term care facility operators – it assumes they’re all guilty of some wrongdoing.”

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)