Parti Quebecois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says seniors need a specialized ombudsperson because the mandate of the Quebec Ombudsman is "very broad."
The PQ reiterated its commitment to create a position of protector of seniors in a news conference in Saguenay on Sunday.
"It is one thing to have a coroner who intervenes when the damage is done," said the SQ leader. "We do not accept seniors losing their lives in unacceptable circumstances."
While the ombudsperson must protect the entire population, seniors' reality raises specific issues, according to St-Pierre Plamondon.
"We want the ombudsperson to be entirely dedicated to that mission and to develop expertise in abuse prevention," he said.
St-Pierre Plamondon defended creating another structure, while the Québec Ombudsperson has already looked into the matter.
"When we talk about public finances, this is a $12 million expense. It's not an inordinate expense, either," he said. "We want the Seniors' Ombudsman to be entirely dedicated to that mission and to develop expertise in abuse prevention.
"The Public Prosecutor, with the resources it is given, does work that is useful, but we cannot expect the them to be able to cover all aspects of respecting the rights and then the fate of each citizen. It's a mandate that is very broad."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 18, 2022.
