‘We made a mistake’: Emotional Premier Doug Ford apologizes for controversial COVID-19 restrictions

Thestar.com
April 23, 2021
Rob Ferguson

COVID means having to say you’re sorry.

An emotional Premier Doug Ford has apologized to Ontarians six days after announcing -- and then quickly withdrawing -- controversial measures like closing playgrounds and expanding random police checks to curb the spread of the virus.

Ford, in quarantine for two weeks at his late mother’s Etobicoke home after an aide tested positive for COVID-19, finally faced the media Thursday and said he “went too far.”

“Simply put, we got it wrong. We made a mistake,” the premier said from his mother’s sprawling backyard that was once the site of the family’s massive Ford Fest picnics.

During a live news conference Thursday, Premier Doug Ford says “we made a mistake. We got it wrong. For that I am sorry and I apologize.” The premier is referring to his decision to close playgrounds and increase police powers, decisions his government reversed 24 hours later. Ford also confirms that Ontario will have its own provincial paid sick leave program. But no details yet. "We are now working on our own solution."
“These decisions ... left a lot of people angry and upset. I know we got it wrong, I know we made a mistake and for that I’m sorry and I sincerely apologize,” he said, looking and sounding exhausted.

“Again, I am sorry and I apologize to each and every one of you.”

Some 30 Ontario police forces warned Saturday they would not enforce a return to “carding” in the province and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association threatened a constitutional challenge.

His voice breaking, Ford choked back tears when discussing the toll of COVID-19, which has killed 7,829 people in 13 months, including another 40 in the last day -- the highest in two months as Ontario struggles at another precarious point in the pandemic.

“I know that these lockdowns, they’ve been devastating for people. I hear it ... every single day. People telling me their stories, the stories that could make you cry,” the premier said.

“Families that haven’t been able to hold hands -- hold on, folks, I apologize,” he said, pausing to compose himself before continuing. “Hold the hand of their mum or dad as they passed away because of COVID-19 restrictions in hospitals, health care workers who have been pushed to the absolute limit, working to save lives...”

During a live news conference Thursday, Premier Doug Ford says “we made a mistake. We got it wrong. For that I am sorry and I apologize.” The premier is referring to his decision to close playgrounds and increase police powers, decisions his government reversed 24 hours later. Ford also confirms that Ontario will have its own provincial paid sick leave program. But no details yet. "We are now working on our own solution."
Ford pledged to soon bring in a provincial paid sick leave program to bolster the federal plan that pays just $450 a week after taxes and takes several days to get cash to applicants, who need to stay home and get tested when showing symptoms instead of going to work.

“We are now working on our solution to fill in those gaps,” he said. “It’s not lost on me that, unlike many people, I’m able to isolate and continue working. For too many people now, that’s not the case.”

While Ford, 56, who received his first AstraZeneca shot almost two weeks ago, has tested negative for the virus, he must self-isolate for another 12 days. His young male aide, who has COVID-19, is convalescing at home and another top staffer is in isolation but has tested negative.

Still, even before his quarantine, the premier was excoriated by opposition leaders for disappearing from public view and not taking questions for almost a week.

NDP Leader Andrea Howarth said Ford has repeatedly failed to implement key recommendations from his own science table of advisers over the past year, such as stricter lockdowns sooner with highly contagious variants circulating and a provincial sick pay plan that should have been in place by now.

“The province is on fire and we needed action today, and we still have not got it,” she added, noting hospitals are expecting the surge in patients to keep growing, perhaps to levels where ICU beds run out. “The devastation we’re seeing now is because he refused to listen.”

Pointing to research by the Peel Region health unit showing 25 per cent of workers have gone to work after showing symptoms, Dr. Irfan Dhalla of St. Michael’s Hospital said “how many lives would have been saved if we had provincial paid time off in January?”

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, who has called for Ford’s resignation, told reporters the premier is “in over his head.”

“In this moment of life and death decisions, he consistently drops the ball,” said Del Duca.

Some recent public-opinion polling have shown Ford’s numbers slipping, which has Horwath, Del Duca, and Green Leader Mike Schreiner looking ahead to the June 2, 2022 election.

A Maru Public Opinion survey released Thursday night found approval of the Ford government’s performance has plunged to 35 per cent from 48 per cent in the first week of March.

An Abacus Data poll released earlier in the week had the Liberals at 35 per cent, the Progressive Conservatives at 34 per cent, the New Democrats at 23 per cent, and the Greens at five per cent.

Similarly, an Innovative Research Group survey also released this week had the Liberals at 30 per cent, the Tories at 26 per cent, the NDP at 23 per cent, and the Greens at seven per cent.

For context, in the 2018 election that gave Ford’s party a majority, the Tories won 40.5 per cent of the vote, the New Democrats 33.6 per cent, the Liberals 19.6 per cent, and the Greens 4.6 per cent.