Liberals must fix paid sick leave to save lives: Jagmeet Singh

Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, joined by Brampton ONDP MPPs, called on the Liberals (again) to fix paid sick leave to help save lives of essential workers in the Region of Peel.

BRAMPTON — The region of Peel has been a hot spot since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Liberals have failed to deliver the help people need to get through the pandemic. Essential workers are putting their lives on the line every day, going to work sick because they don’t have the option of staying home. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh urged, once again, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to fix paid sick leave to protect essential workers, their families and community.

“The Liberals are sitting on the sidelines while essential workers and their families are being admitted to ICUs because of the virus,” said Singh. “Justin Trudeau needs to fix the paid sick leave program now so essential workers don’t have to choose between going to work sick or losing a paycheque. This is a simple fix that the Liberals can do now to save lives.”

Liberals promised the provinces and territories that they would implement a federal program offering 10 paid sick days. There are, however, many issues with the program precluding people who really need it from accessing it. For essential workers to be safe, New Democrats have been calling on the Liberals to allow sick leave to be taken one or two days at a time, give a full income replacement and send the income replacement to workers quicker— because rent and paying bills can’t be delayed.

“There is no excuse to continue delaying access to paid sick leave for essential workers,” said Singh. “So many families are mourning the loss of their loved ones. Losses that could have been prevented if paid sick were more accessible. Liberals need to stop the delays, fix the program and save lives.”