NDP reacts to statement by the Canadian Medical Association

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh issued the following statement:

“Throughout this pandemic, our priority as New Democrats was to help Canadians stay safe and healthy.

Health care workers, nurses and doctors have risked their lives on the front lines to take care of our loved ones for the last two years. We need to make sure they receive the support they need to in turn stay safe and healthy. Like all workers, they deserve to work in a safe space.

With anti-vaccine mandate protests being organized across the country, it is clear that we need to do more to protect our health care workers from harassment and intimidation. Workers who have kept us safe the last two years were told not to wear scrubs in order to stay safe — instead of being protected from violence and harm. This is unacceptable.

Protests threatening healthcare workers and patients cannot happen. It's wrong and we cannot tolerate it.

As we chart a course forward from the pandemic, we have to make sure that our health care system is stronger than ever before. We will continue to urge the Liberal government to increase the health care transfers to the provinces and territories so we can address staffing shortages and make sure health care workers have the supplies they need to stay safe.

We thank Canadian Medical Association members for their work taking care of our loved ones. Canadians can count on New Democrats to continue pushing the Liberal government to prioritize the health and safety of our health care workers and our loved ones they help heal.”