Canada Needs ACTION Now - COVID-19 Humanitarian Crisis
The Issue
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford,
We are medical doctors and front-line healthcare workers across Canada, and we urge you Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford to act now.
A year ago, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed the horrific images of overflowing hospitals and casualties from around the world. We are reminded of these images because we believe this will be the reality in Ontario hospitals and across Canada. Within a matter of weeks. Never did we think we would be in this situation now and it disheartens us to see fellow Canadians succumb to a virus that is simply preventable. We grieve the loss of 24,000 Canadian lives, the broken families they leave behind, and the over 1 million COVID cases that are sure to have long-term health consequences. We grieve because it didn’t have to be this way.
It is time to take action and listen to science and the medical community.
We are in this humanitarian crisis because of open international flights introducing variants of COVID, unsafe workplaces spreading the virus to families, a fragile infrastructure that simply cannot support this crisis, and an urgent need to get vaccines to those that need them the most.
The fact of the matter is, front-line workers at warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other industries are extremely vulnerable. They are exposed to the deadly virus in unsafe environments, then spreading the virus to their families. There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that these workers and their families are the victims that are filling up Ontario ICUs, and will continue to do so. If they continue to be ignored, not only will their industries collapse, but our healthcare system will too.
We call upon you, Premier Ford, to emergently protect the vulnerable workers by allowing for paid sick leaves and halting all unsafe workplaces. They are due to struggling workers who cannot afford to take time off and thus their lives are lost as they fear losing their livelihood.
In addition, Variants of Concern (VOC) are plaguing not just Canadian citizens, but global citizens as well. Many of those are unfortunately entering our airports, ultimately compromising their own health and the health of those they are close to. Travel quarantine measures have proved to be ineffective. We must do more to protect our borders and our communities.
Mr. Trudeau, we need secure borders and an immediate halt on all non-essential international travel. The term “essential” needs to be clearly redefined as truly and absolutely necessary to sustain life. The loss of more Canadian lives is at stake if no immediate action is taken.
Despite how the healthcare crisis in the U.S started secondary to COVID, they are now seeing control over their situation. We are not close to being there yet as Canadians. Why? We do not have an adequate supply nor a fair distribution process for vaccines. We urge you to strengthen the procurement and mass distribution of vaccines to all vulnerable regions and people. There have been only 12 million vaccine doses delivered for our population of 37 million and they are being delivered on a per-capita basis rather than prioritizing the more vulnerable populations. Our marginalized populations and the backbone of our society do not have equal access to the vaccine nor do they have the time off work to get vaccinated.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented health care crisis that is threatening every level of health care afforded to the citizens of our province. Whether you are a patient, a physician, or a worker, everyone will feel the far-reaching impact of this disaster.
The entire world is now looking at Ontario and Canada, and holding its breath for the inevitable calamity that is about to happen. We are beseeching you. Canadians need this right now before it is too late. As a respected colleague said: “We can help rebuild the economy, but once you’re dead, you’re gone forever”.
Our firm asks are:
- Allow for paid-sick leaves and halting all unsafe workplaces
- Secure borders and a halt on all non-essential international travel
- Procurement and mass deployment of vaccines to all vulnerable regions.
You have shown early in this pandemic the power of difficult decisions and the effect it had. We need this now. Our hospitals, families, and society depend on it.
Firas Al-Dhaher, MD, CCFP
Family Physician, Petrolia
Nour Khatib, MD CM, CCFP(EM), MBA
Emergency Physician, Toronto
Petition Closed
The Issue
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford,
We are medical doctors and front-line healthcare workers across Canada, and we urge you Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford to act now.
A year ago, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed the horrific images of overflowing hospitals and casualties from around the world. We are reminded of these images because we believe this will be the reality in Ontario hospitals and across Canada. Within a matter of weeks. Never did we think we would be in this situation now and it disheartens us to see fellow Canadians succumb to a virus that is simply preventable. We grieve the loss of 24,000 Canadian lives, the broken families they leave behind, and the over 1 million COVID cases that are sure to have long-term health consequences. We grieve because it didn’t have to be this way.
It is time to take action and listen to science and the medical community.
We are in this humanitarian crisis because of open international flights introducing variants of COVID, unsafe workplaces spreading the virus to families, a fragile infrastructure that simply cannot support this crisis, and an urgent need to get vaccines to those that need them the most.
The fact of the matter is, front-line workers at warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other industries are extremely vulnerable. They are exposed to the deadly virus in unsafe environments, then spreading the virus to their families. There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that these workers and their families are the victims that are filling up Ontario ICUs, and will continue to do so. If they continue to be ignored, not only will their industries collapse, but our healthcare system will too.
We call upon you, Premier Ford, to emergently protect the vulnerable workers by allowing for paid sick leaves and halting all unsafe workplaces. They are due to struggling workers who cannot afford to take time off and thus their lives are lost as they fear losing their livelihood.
In addition, Variants of Concern (VOC) are plaguing not just Canadian citizens, but global citizens as well. Many of those are unfortunately entering our airports, ultimately compromising their own health and the health of those they are close to. Travel quarantine measures have proved to be ineffective. We must do more to protect our borders and our communities.
Mr. Trudeau, we need secure borders and an immediate halt on all non-essential international travel. The term “essential” needs to be clearly redefined as truly and absolutely necessary to sustain life. The loss of more Canadian lives is at stake if no immediate action is taken.
Despite how the healthcare crisis in the U.S started secondary to COVID, they are now seeing control over their situation. We are not close to being there yet as Canadians. Why? We do not have an adequate supply nor a fair distribution process for vaccines. We urge you to strengthen the procurement and mass distribution of vaccines to all vulnerable regions and people. There have been only 12 million vaccine doses delivered for our population of 37 million and they are being delivered on a per-capita basis rather than prioritizing the more vulnerable populations. Our marginalized populations and the backbone of our society do not have equal access to the vaccine nor do they have the time off work to get vaccinated.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented health care crisis that is threatening every level of health care afforded to the citizens of our province. Whether you are a patient, a physician, or a worker, everyone will feel the far-reaching impact of this disaster.
The entire world is now looking at Ontario and Canada, and holding its breath for the inevitable calamity that is about to happen. We are beseeching you. Canadians need this right now before it is too late. As a respected colleague said: “We can help rebuild the economy, but once you’re dead, you’re gone forever”.
Our firm asks are:
- Allow for paid-sick leaves and halting all unsafe workplaces
- Secure borders and a halt on all non-essential international travel
- Procurement and mass deployment of vaccines to all vulnerable regions.
You have shown early in this pandemic the power of difficult decisions and the effect it had. We need this now. Our hospitals, families, and society depend on it.
Firas Al-Dhaher, MD, CCFP
Family Physician, Petrolia
Nour Khatib, MD CM, CCFP(EM), MBA
Emergency Physician, Toronto
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on April 18, 2021