Ford MPP must resign from parliamentary role after flagrant violation of COVID rules: NDP

Niagara West MPP poses for photo with crowded group of 40, indoors and maskless

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Deputy Leader John Vanthof is calling on Doug Ford to remove Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff from his post as parliamentary assistant for education after he posed for a photo with a crowded group of 40 people, indoors and without a mask, violating public health rules.

“With daily COVID-19 cases reaching as high as 1,000, it’s more important than ever to protect the lives of Ontarians that everyone – with no exceptions – follow the rules,” said Vanthof. “That’s why it’s so troubling to see the flagrant disregard for the rules from none other than the premier’s own team members.”

On the weekend, the premier’s parliamentary assistant for education, Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, shared images of himself in a crowded group of more than 40 people without physical distancing or masks. Niagara Region requires masks indoors.

Anthony Dale, CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association, also said Oosterhoff should resign from his parliamentary assistant role.

In Halton, two other Ford MPPs, both parliamentary assistants, say Ford’s messaging about public health orders are not clear and said that “people will start to ignore public health advice.”

“Why does the premier think his own team are ignoring him and public health experts?” Vanthof asked in question period on Monday.