Long-term care ministry under fire after former nurse charged with murder
'How do 8 murders happen in long-term care homes without the ministry noticing?' NDP asks
The safeguards in place by Ontario's Health and Long-term Care Ministry came under fire Tuesday morning as opposition parties questioned how no one noticed as a former nursing home employee allegedly killed eight seniors in care.
Elizabeth Tracey Mae Wettlaufer, 49, has been charged with eight counts of first-degree murder related to deaths ranging from 2007 to 2014. Ontario Provincial Police said Tuesday the former nurse is alleged to have administered a fatal drug to residents in her care in Woodstock and London during that time.
In Question Period, the province's NDP seniors' affairs critic asked how the ministry was unaware of the deaths for roughly eight years.
"These horrific multiple murders raise serious questions of oversight by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care," London–Fanshawe MPP Teresa Armstrong said. "How do eight murders happen in long-term care homes without the ministry noticing?"
Neither Premier Kathleen Wynne nor Health and Long-term Care Minister Eric Hoskins responded directly, both saying the police investigation limited what they could say.
Wynne said the alleged murders are "extremely distressing" but it would be inappropriate for her to comment further.
"I don't think there's anyone in this legislature who would not agree that this is a tragic, tragic circumstance," Wynne said.
"The police have made it clear that there is no threat to safety and we now need to let the police do their job."
Hoskins said the ministry learned about the police investigation on Sept. 29. That's when investigators said they had begun looking into several deaths in southwestern Ontario, which they believed might be connected.
The ministry conducts regular inspections of long-term care homes and their staff, Hoskins said, in side-stepping a question about whether regulations governing nursing homes should be reviewed in light of the murder charges.
Tories call for 'swift response'
"I want to reassure Ontarians that the safety and security of Ontario seniors, including those in long-term care homes is my highest priority," Hoskins told reporters at Queen's Park.
"As the police said, no resident of a long-term care home needs to be concerned about their safety as a result of the investigation."
Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown said he was "sickened" by the charges.
"There has to be a swift response," he said of the ministry.
As more details come out about the deaths, Brown said he'll want to review whether the government should make any changes to long-term care regulation.
With files from Mike Crawley