MONTREAL -- Parti Québécois (PQ) opposition critic for seniors Lorraine Richard is calling for a public and independent inquiry into the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She says her request is being made in the name of transparency, but also in memory of the thousands of seniors who lost their lives to the coronavirus.
The MNA is asking that all reports, documents and analyses completed during visits to the province's CHSLDs during the first three waves of the pandemic be made public.
Richard argues it is essential to know the facts surrounding testimony at the coroner's inquest into the mass deaths of Quebec's seniors and deplored that some instructions were only given verbally and inspection reports were allegedly destroyed.
Richard says she believes the leaders of the CISSS and CIUSSS must be called to testify, as well as members of the crisis unit.
Three months ago, the PQ called for an inquiry into the first wave of the pandemic, following the release of a preliminary report by Health and Welfare Commissioner (HWC) Joanne Castonguay.
The first wave resulted in 5,157 deaths in Quebec's seniors' homes -- or 90 per cent of the fatality rate at that point.
Castonguay wrote that the seniors were victims of poor and disorganized governance.
She said there lacked a global strategy to offer a uniform quality of care and not enough information for managers to make the right decisions.
She recalled that over the past 20 years, under several governments, numerous reports have been written on the shortcomings of management in seniors' home and therefore, the responsibility must be a collective one.
Richard is inviting the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government to participate fully in the inquiry.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 22, 2021.
