It is a heavy hammer, and one that has never been used before, but Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to consider enacting the Emergencies Act.
In a letter to Trudeau, Singh wrote, "Early on in the pandemic, you raised the possibility of a declaration of a public welfare emergency under The Emergencies Act. In light of the dire situation in Ontario, the question of The Emergencies Act must be revisited."
A declaration under the legislation would allow the federal government to take temporary measures that would not be considered appropriate in normal times. That includes prohibiting travel, redistributing resources and those in essential services, offering emergency payments, and establishing emergency shelters and hospitals.
"I believe such a declaration, applied to Ontario, could help ensure a more coordinated delivery of vaccines to those who need them most, as well as enabling workers to prevent the spread by taking paid sick days and time off to get vaccinated," continued Singh's letter.
The Ontario NDP has pushed for paid sick days, but so far, the Ford government has rejected the measure.
"For some workers, this is their only option," wrote Singh.
Ontario has asked other provinces to send healthcare workers to help in the province's overwhelmed intensive care units. Newfoundland offered its help, but it was unclear if it was allowed. Alberta denied the request. It is also coping with a surge in cases involving COVID-19 variants of concern.
The federal government would have to extend the declaration every 90 days.
So far, there is no indication Trudeau will bring in The Emergencies Act, but Ontario reported 4,447 new cases of COVID-19 this morning. There are a record 2,202 people in the province's hospitals and 755 patients in intensive care units.
