We sent this as an email to Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce this morning.

Subject: Accountability. Yours, specifically.

Feel free to borrow from it in forming your own notes to these “leaders.” They can be reached at: [email protected] and [email protected] / [email protected]

Hello,

I am writing to request a detailed spreadsheet that outlines exactly what funds have been directed to the effort to keep schools open. I want to see every penny accounted for.

The money from the federal government that you received in 2020 should have gone to an effort to hire more teachers, subs, custodians, and bus drivers. There should have been testing available at schools and teacher designated vaccine clinics over the break(s). Have you not noticed the amount of vacant buildings in this city? Those could have been designated for classrooms to create smaller classes in larger, better ventilated spaces.

Speaking of vacant spaces, how have some of these not been used to address the surge in need for care? How has nobody figured out how to convert them into short term covid hospitals? Oxygen stations?

All this time you ALSO could have been offering subsidies for people who want to go to nursing school. Did nobody account for the inevitable burn out of healthcare workers? Did nobody account for the fact that medical professionals were going to get sick and need time off? Did nobody account for the fact that nurses and doctors would have to walk away from their jobs to support their children’s online learning?

The fact that we have all these tools available (vaccines, masks, testing, vacant spaces), all this knowledge about the virus, 2 years to plan, and yet the only solution you can come up with is to shut everything down is completely embarrassing.

I understand that you ran on a platform that included cutting spending to healthcare and education (like that was ever a good idea) but where has that landed us? When is it time to put your inflated egos aside and admit that your plan was flawed from the beginning? Now? Now that it’s turned into a catastrophe?

What’s truly abhorrent is that you have chosen the most vulnerable and voiceless population – our kids – to absorb the burden of your flawed and selfish decisions. How incredibly cowardly of all of you.

So now, accountability. While you’re still in office, you work for me. So in addition to the detailed spreadsheet I demanded above, I hereby formally demand DAILY updates on your progress in making arrangements to open schools. Daily updates on N95 masks for teachers, on how you’re creating smaller class sizes, on where the fucking HEPA filters are. I want to see DAILY UPDATES on your plans for paid sick leave for contract staff. Daily updates on PCR and rapid tests designated for schools.

You should all be ashamed. You’re fighting with teacher unions, and for what? Their requests are within reason in the context of a global pandemic. Shelf your egos and get on with it.

The provincial election is in less than 150 days. Figure it out, boys. Figure. It. Out. Your days are numbered.