Ontario 2022 Election

Over 91,600 Ontarians will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and 31,000 Ontarians will die from it in 2022.1 Clearly, this life-threatening illness affects entire communities, especially families, friends, and co-workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delayed diagnoses and postponed testing and surgeries, creating a public health crisis that will result in increased mortality from late-stage cancer soon.

The government of Ontario has an important role to play in making sure that everyone diagnosed with cancer has timely access to cancer care and essential medical services as well as access to emergency rooms and the treatment and medications they need. As a candidate in the Ontario provincial election, we would like to hear from you about these issues.

CCSN is asking three questions of each and every candidate and party in the 2022 Ontario election about what they will do, if elected, to improve the lives of cancer patients and survivors:

Question 1: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

If elected:

  1. Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 per cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years?
  2. Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?
  3. Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and treatment?

According to the latest data, 2022 will be the worst year for cancer deaths in Ontario due to widespread disruptions of cancer screening resulting in delayed diagnoses, postponed testing, surgeries, and treatment. This will result in an estimated minimum of 8,700 excess cancer deaths between 2020 to 2030, although this number will undoubtedly be much higher since continuing delays will increase the mortality by between six to eight per cent.

The Ontario government must prevent this from happening! Clearly, Cancer Can’t Wait!

Question 2: The expansion of lung cancer screening

If elected, will your government:

  1. Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?
  2. Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules?
  3. Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?

Lung cancer has been the leading killer among all cancer types in our country, and for far too long, a diagnosis of lung cancer has been a death sentence. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With new technologies, innovative medicines, and earlier diagnosis, we can significantly improve the likelihood that lung cancer patients can become lung cancer survivors.

Question 3:

If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

CONTEXT: In Ontario, access to routine breast screening mammography is not offered to women in their 40s. The Canadian breast screening guidelines state that women in this age group should be allowed to decide whether to have a mammogram. Despite this guidance, many women are unable to obtain the necessary referral for this procedure. Only four per cent of Ontario women aged 40-49 have been screened.2 It is important to note that 17 per cent of breast cancers3 and 27 per cent of years of life lost4 occur in women in their 40s. Cancer in this age group is more aggressive, which leads to increased mortality rates. Women in their 40s are not acceptable losses. Many have young children, are caring for aging parents, and are contributing to the economy.

Early detection is critical to avoiding the most aggressive medical care and saving lives. Women in their 40s who get mammograms have a 44 per cent lower mortality rate from breast cancer than those who are not screened.5 Many other jurisdictions in Canada provide women with the option to self-refer, either at age 40 or after their first mammogram in their 40s.

We thank you for your attention to these important matters.

Yours sincerely,
Jackie Manthorne

 

Sources

  1. Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2021. Toronto, ON: Canadian Cancer Society; 2021.
  2. Nadler MB, Ivers N, Marchand-Austin A, Lofters A, Austin PC, Wilson BE, Desnoyers A, Amir E. Patient and provider determinants of breast cancer screening among Ontario women aged 40-49: a population-based retrospective cohort study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Oct;189(3): 631-640.
  3. Howlader N, Noone A, Krapcho M, Miller D, Brest A, Yu M, et al. SEER cancer statistics review, 1975–2018. National Cancer Institute. 2021
  4. Oeffinger KC, Fontham ET, Etzioni R, et al. Breast Cancer Screening for Women at Average Risk: 2015 Guideline Update From the American Cancer Society. JAMA. 2015 Oct 20;314(15):1599-614.
  5. Coldman A, Phillips N, Wilson C, Decker K, Chiarelli AM, Brisson J, et al. Pan-Canadian study of mammography screening and mortality from breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014;106.

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

An Ontario Liberal Government will invest $1 billion over two years to clear the surgical and diagnostic backlog. We will clear the backlog by investing in additional capacity – empowering hospitals to operate significantly above pre-pandemic volumes and expand operating room, MRI and CT operations – including into evenings and weekends.

We will also establish and publish maximum wait times for all surgeries and return to pre-pandemic wait times for those above the maximum by the end of 2022. This includes cancer surgeries.

We will create a centralized electronic surgical waitlist – requiring all specialists to use e-referrals to shorten wait times and maximize scheduling efficiency.

Unlike Conservatives, Ontario Liberals believe in public health care. We’ll support the creation of not-for-profit surgery centres managed by local hospitals to more sustainably maintain higher surgical volumes.

Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening

One of the lessons from COVID is the fragility of our healthcare system and the sometimes lack of coordination between various parts of the “system”. An Ontario Liberal Government is committed to making healthcare more accessible to all Ontarians, in all regions of the province and from all socio-economic groups.  We will work with key stakeholders to review the existing provision of critical services, such as lung cancer screening, and will move rapidly to eliminate any barriers to access for those services. This includes a commitment to a new cancer centre in Brampton.

We will invest in engaging preventative health initiatives that teach people about their health, including raising awareness about the signs of stroke and concussion safety. We will also charge a fee to the tobacco industry, making back the $44 million spent on efforts to prevent or get people to quit smoking under Smoke Free Ontario.

 Question 3 response: If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

An Ontario Liberal Government will be guided by evidence in making any healthcare related decisions. We will commit to undertake a full and comprehensive review of the medical evidence – led by healthcare professionals and including cancer organizations – to determine any changes to cancer screening.

Thank you for the email and the questions. It is no question at all that we need a health care system that supports us. The Liberals will clear the surgical and diagnostic backlog with a $1 billion investment over the next two years.

We will ensure that everyone has access to a doctor or nurse within 24 hours, and grow the number of hospital beds by 20%.

Ontario’s health care system, and the people behind it, are stretched to their limits – it doesn’t have to stay that way.

We will also build capacity for 100,000 nurses, doctors and other health care workers, including those in cancer care, by covering tuition costs for those studying in the medical fields.

A Liberal government will also stop the expansion of for-profit health care and support not-for-profit surgery centres managed by local hospitals.

Kind Regards,
Shelby Ch’ng

Thank you for sending me these questions for me to answer. I have attached the answers below.

Question 1 response:

Right now, to my knowledge, 250,000 Ontarians are waiting for much-needed surgeries while millions of diagnostic procedures are delayed because of the pandemic. Only 40% of patients are receiving MRIs on time and more than 30% of people who need a knee replacement or prostate cancer surgery are not being treated on time.

As a caregiver to my aging mother, I am acutely aware of the need for expeditious and expansive health care and the obstacles that are presented as a result of the backlog permitted over the last few years.

The new Ontario Liberal team is offering people a choice: four more years of the same or an Ontario Liberal plan that will invest $1 billion in clearing the surgery backlog, dramatically expand surgical and diagnostic capacity, and create over 3,000 new hospital beds.

Question 2 response:

Ontario Liberals will create over 3,000 new hospital beds and build up capacity across the province, starting with:

- Turning Brampton’s Peel Memorial into a full hospital and delivering a third new hospital and cancer centre in Brampton

- Delivering the new Mississauga Hospital and redeveloping the Queensway Health Centre

- Redeveloping Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, SickKids, Sunnybrook and St. Joseph’s Health Centre

- Expanding Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s mental health and cancer services

- Adding cardiovascular surgery services in Thunder Bay

- Building new hospitals in Windsor, South Niagara, Markdale, Moosonee, Moose Factory Island, Innisfil, Whitby and Ottawa

- Redeveloping hospitals in Chatham-Kent, Waterloo Region, Brantford, Paris, Kincardine, Collingwood, Muskoka, Alliston, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Grimsby, North York, Scarborough, Newmarket, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Prince Edward County, Kingston and Kenora

I will advocate for programs that expand access, reduce the stigma of having lung cancer or any other medical issue (such as mental illness) , and encourage preventative care.

Question 3 response:

I would follow the science on this issue and would adhere the guidance of a newly appointed Liberal health minister that would prioritize access as well as preventative care. It has been shown that women with a family history of breast cancer may benefit more from starting screening before age 50 and that screening is covered by OHIP. I also recognize the enormous benefits of preventative screening for early detection.  The Ontario Breast Screening Program recommends getting a mammogram every two years. You don’t need a doctor’s referral if you are over 50 and the service is covered by OHIP. I would advise the health minister to consider the viability and benefit (from a patient’s perspective and not for profit institutions) to expand non-referral mammograms beyond the high-risk assessment currently required.

Sam Bhalesar

Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Ottawa West-Nepean

Thank you for your email.

I’m very happy to share that the Ontario Liberal Party has a plan to clear the surgical and diagnostic backlog with $1 Billion of investment over two years. Our healthcare system has been severely stressed by the pandemic and it’s time to invest and ensure the capacity is there to take care of all of us.

We will build capacity by hiring more nurses, doctors, paramedics, PSWs and other medical professionals.

Cancer has touched so many families in Ontario – including mine. I want to ensure that all Ontarians have equitable access to healthcare and that cancer patients receive the urgent care they need.

It will take time and there are no shortcuts to fixing our healthcare system but we can – and will, get it done.

Best,

Paul Saguil

Thank you for reaching out! As a Registered Nurse who worked on the front lines throughout this pandemic, I understand firsthand just how strained our healthcare system was. Not only with virus patients, but also with disruptions to the normal care that other patients would have received. Please find my responses to your question below:
Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario
a) The Ontario Liberal Party is committed to investing $1B to creating additional capacity to clear current surgical and diagnostic backlogs. Wait times will be returned to pre-pandemic levels before the end of 2022.
b) The surgery backlog will be returned to pre-pandemic levels before the end of 2022, for all surgery and diagnostic procedures.
c) In addition to clearing the surgery backlog back to pre-pandemic levels, the diagnostic backlog will also be cleared (including cancer related screenings). Cancer-specific capacity will also be increased with a new cancer centre being built in Brampton and expanding Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s cancer services.
Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening
a) The Ontario Liberal Party is committed to delivering a cancer centre in Brampton. We are also committed to expanding Peterborough Regional Health centre’s cancer services. We will also make virtual medical visits a permanent option where appropriate to help reduce barriers to care.
b) We are committed to working with stakeholder groups to improve our healthcare system and provide better access to required care for all Ontarians.
c) We are committed to funding awareness programs and engaging health initiatives in our province. Initiatives relating to lung cancer and smoking are among those planned.
Question 3 response:
The Ontario Liberal Party is committed to improving our healthcare system and will work with stakeholder groups and experts to improve our processes and provide better care. We will listen to the needs of our constituents and consult with medical experts to deliver the best care for Ontarians.
Thank you,
Rimmy Jhajj

Question 1: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

An Ontario Liberal Government will invest $1 billion over two years to clear the surgical and diagnostic backlog. We will clear the backlog by investing in additional capacity – empowering hospitals to operate significantly above pre-pandemic volumes and expand operating room, MRI and CT operations – including into evenings and weekends.

We will also establish and publish maximum wait times for all surgeries and return to pre-pandemic wait times for those above the maximum by the end of 2022. This includes cancer surgeries.

We will create a centralized electronic surgical waitlist – requiring all specialists to use e-referrals to shorten wait times and maximize scheduling efficiency.

Unlike Conservatives, Ontario Liberals believe in public health care. We’ll support the creation of not-for-profit surgery centres managed by local hospitals to more sustainably maintain higher surgical volumes.

Question 2: The expansion of lung cancer screening

One of the lessons from COVID is the fragility of our healthcare system and the sometimes lack of coordination between various parts of the “system”. An Ontario Liberal Government is committed to making healthcare more accessible to all Ontarians, in all regions of the province and from all socio-economic groups.  We will work with key stakeholders to review the existing provision of critical services, such as lung cancer screening, and will move rapidly to eliminate any barriers to access for those services. This includes a commitment to a new cancer centre in Brampton.

We will invest in engaging preventative health initiatives that teach people about their health, including raising awareness about the signs of stroke and concussion safety. We will also charge a fee to the tobacco industry, making back the $44 million spent on efforts to prevent or get people to quit smoking under Smoke Free Ontario.

Question 3: If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

An Ontario Liberal Government will be guided by evidence in making any healthcare related decisions. We will commit to undertake a full and comprehensive review of the medical evidence – led by healthcare professionals and including cancer organizations – to determine any changes to cancer screening.

Thank you very much for sending The Ontario Greens your organization’s questionnaire. We appreciate
the opportunity to speak on these issues that matter to those affected by cancer and their families. I am
happy to provide you with a response on behalf of the party.

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

If elected:

a) Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 per
cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years?

Yes.

b) Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?

Yes.

c) Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how will your
government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care, support and
services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities, where there were
staffing shortages even before the pandemic.

With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded, publicly
delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all Ontarians.

We will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5% and work with the
federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries, imaging, and other services.

We will also invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to meet demand in high growth
areas.

We plan to address the staffing shortage in a variety of ways. We will establish a nurse-led task force to
make recommendations on matters related to the recruitment, retention and safety of nurses and
immediately repeal Bill 124 and the problematic sections of Bill 106 to allow all healthcare workers to
bargain collectively for fair wages.

Increasing nursing program enrollments, supporting certification upgrades for healthcare workers
through expanded bridging programs at publicly funded post-secondary institutions and fast-tracking
credential approvals for international healthcare workers are other examples of the approaches we will
take.

Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening

If elected, will your government:

a) Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern
Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?

Yes, Ontario Greens will rebalance the healthcare funding formula to ensure better access in those areas
and use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern and rural communities
and those communities that have traditionally been underserved. We would also create opportunities
for specialist and sub-specialist trainees to undertake electives and core rotations in the North.

b) Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or
have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary
nodules?

Yes.

c) Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer
and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?

Yes.

Question 3 response:

If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

Yes.

Green Party of Ontario

Thank you for reaching out to me, I am always glad to see passionate members of our community speak out on the issues that we all face.

As a member of the Green Party of Ontario I have seen the reports and understand the gravity of our situation. We need a rapid fix for this critical issue, not the weak response and budget cuts seen so far. I can assure you that the healthcare crisis, specifically cancer research, is at the top of my task list should you vote for me in this coming election.

As a citizen in the community, I understand just how desperate the situation is. I have seen the damage done and felt your despair. I am in full agreement with you that we need to better prioritize surgeries, cancer care, and allow for more options in self-referral. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that there will be a better, brighter Woodbridge left for our future generations, and I promise that I will not rest until it can be secured.

Never give up on what you believe in, it’s voices like yours that need to be heard.

Sincerely,
Philip

Philip James Piluris (he/him)
Candidate – Vaughan-Woodbridge
Green Party of Ontario

Thank you for reaching out, and thank you for voicing this concern. I did not know personally the struggles faced by those with lung cancer, and the lack of screening.

You’re right, Ontario should do more for the lung cancer community. If elected, I would be glad to sit with the Right2Survive coalition to discuss what needs to happen.

I am open to supporting the idea of increasing access to lung cancer screening in Ontario. We need to care for individuals, and ensure they can receive the proper treatment they deserve. Lung cancer, along with other conditions, should be de-stigmatized.

I will commit to removing geographic barriers for lung cancer screening, expanding access to screening and funding an awareness program.

Thank you,
Steven Warren

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

If elected:

a) Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 per cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years?

Yes.

b) Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?

Yes

c) Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care, support and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities, where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic.

With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all Ontarians.

We will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5% and work with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries, imaging, and other services. We will also invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to meet demand in high growth areas.

We plan to address the staffing shortage in a variety of ways. We will establish a nurse-led task force to make recommendations on matters related to the recruitment, retention and safety of nurses and immediately repeal Bill 124 and the problematic sections of Bill 106 to allow all healthcare workers to bargain collectively for fair wages.

Increasing nursing program enrollments, supporting certification upgrades for healthcare workers through expanded bridging programs at publicly funded post-secondary institutions and fast-tracking credential approvals for international healthcare workers are other examples of the approach we will take.

Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening

If elected, will your government:

a) Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?

Yes, Ontario Greens will rebalance the healthcare funding formula to ensure better access in those areas and use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern and rural communities and those communities that have traditionally been underserved. We would also create opportunities for specialist and subspecialist trainees to undertake electives and core rotations in the North.

b) Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules?

Yes.

c) Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?

Yes.

 

Question 3 response:

If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

Yes.

I hope this answers all of your questions.
If you require further details, please refer to our platform:
https://gpo.ca/platform/caring-society/

Regards,
Thomas

Thomas Yanuziello (He/Him)
MPP Candidate for Etobicoke Lakeshore
Green Party of Ontario

Thank you for reaching out and for sending along these questions. This is a deeply personal topic for me as a very close family member went through the problem of a delay in screening and treatment due to the pandemic that made his situation much more serious, creating additional stress and pain.

I have already answered a survey regarding increased lung cancer screening, where I have pledged my support to expand this vital service throughout the province. It is a crucial that we increase this area of preventative medicine, especially as we will see rising air pollution due to the climate crisis. We see this already in western Canada with the number and extent of wildfires.

Regarding the surgery backlog, our party has put in a plan in our platform to address the backlog and get surgeries happening again. Too many people have waited too long to get the urgent care that they need.

At the core, the GPO believes in preventative medicine, not only is it better for the wellbeing of citizens, but it reduces the financial and other pressures on our hospitals. That would include addressing poverty, homelessness, food security, the state of the environment etc. But, it also includes investing in primary care, which is crucial in catching illness early. Our platform includes policies to expand healthcare options across the province through community health centres. Having expanded primary healthcare services across the province will help fight cancer. In addition, women should absolutely have access to mammograms after 40 and should have access to more frequent cervical screening; these are crucial to women’s health.

Thank you again for reaching out,

Carol Dyck
Green Party candidate for London North Centre

Thank you for reaching out to inform me about the CCSN, and advocating for Ontarians with cancer. I noted my answers in green to your questions in the attached document.

On a personal note, I lost a close uncle to lung cancer some years ago and know the lasting impact of that experience. Also, being a woman over 40, I know the importance of screening as a preventative measure and the challenges to getting equity in health care. A female friend of mine in her early 40s is currently battling breast cancer that returned, and her struggle with our healthcare system is at the forefront of my mind.

Ontario Greens know there’s a direct link between working conditions and quality of health care, including mental health. Our plan emphasises the connections we all share. It values the quality of life of all Ontarians. To help fix Ontario’s health care crisis, I encourage you to vote more Greens in.

Thank you again for advocating for yourself, and those with cancer

Please find my answers to the questions in green below:

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

If elected:

  1. a)Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 per cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years? – Yes
  1. b)Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022? – Yes
  1. c)Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care, support and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities, where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic.

With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all Ontarians.

We will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5% and work with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries, imaging, and other services. We will also invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to meet demand in high growth areas.

We plan to address the staffing shortage in a variety of ways. We will establish a nurse-led task force to make recommendations on matters related to the recruitment, retention and safety of nurses and immediately repeal Bill 124 and the problematic sections of Bill 106 to allow all healthcare workers to bargain collectively for fair wages.

Increasing nursing program enrollments, supporting certification upgrades for healthcare workers through expanded bridging programs at publicly funded post-secondary institutions and fast-tracking credential approvals for international healthcare workers are other examples of the approach we will take.

Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening

If elected, will your government:

  1. a)Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?

Yes, Ontario Greens will rebalance the healthcare funding formula to ensure better access in those areas and use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern and rural communities and those communities that have traditionally been underserved. We would also create opportunities for specialist and subspecialist trainees to undertake electives and core rotations in the North.

  1. b)Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules? – Yes
  2. c)Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease? – Yes

Question 3 response:

If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40? – Yes

If you need the GPO’s position on any other issues please do not hesitate to reach out.

Kind regards,

1.a) Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 percent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years?
b) Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?
c) Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care, support, and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote, and Northern communities, where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic. With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system that is
equitable, accessible, and comprehensive for all Ontarians. The Green Party is committed to work with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries, imaging, and other services. We recognize that the postponement of cancer services during the pandemic
has created a crisis in healthcare that must be addressed through funding, realignment of services and the increase of options for primary care. When it comes to healthcare, a wide variety of services are needed for early detection and treatment of illnesses in community clinics, community hospitals
and regional cancer centres.

2.a) Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?
b) Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules?
c) Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While other parties wait for every crisis to reach a boiling point, our Green Party vision is to try to solve problems at their source. When it comes to healthcare, this means it’s about early detection and treatment of illnesses in community clinics rather than the hallway of a hospital. Improved access to lung cancer screening by creating accessible sites to eliminate barriers to care would be a priority. We intend to invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to meet demand in high growth areas in all areas of the province. The Green Party would improve integration and connectivity across healthcare service providers using digital data sharing and patient health coordinators. Improved screening through more sites, widened parameters of screening and improved awareness encouraging screening all fit the Green Party of Ontario’s vision of an improved publicly funded health care system.

3. a) If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?

The Green Party is dedicated to exemplary health services to women across the province in several ways which would improve early detection of breast cancer and therefore result in better outcomes. Women should direct their healthcare including mammograms and women need the means to do so to be accessible and timely way. We would expand the number of and fully fund women’s health clinics and abortion clinics in Ontario. We would also expand access to family health teams in communities across the province and increase opportunities for physicians to join team-based models of care. This would include a diverse array of healthcare providers in the teams to ensure a holistic, connected, comprehensive approach to health. As well we would make permanent the 50 community wellness nursing positions supporting First Nations communities while investing in increasing the number of Indigenous-led health clinics. We would expand the roles and scope of nurse practitioners as primary health care providers, especially in areas that lack primary care options.

The Green Party of Ontario is committed to improving health care in Northern Ontario and would use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern and rural communities. We would create opportunities for specialist and subspecialist trainees to undertake electives and core rotations in the North. By improving access and expanding healthcare in
Northern Ontario we would alleviate some pressures on the healthcare system in Southern and Eastern Ontario as well. These improvements to healthcare in Ontario would provide better cancer
detection, early intervention, and result better care and outcomes for all cancer patients.

Your questions are very important and I am running in this election to be a voice to not just protect, but to continue to build and support our public health care system. I am deeply, deeply concerned it is being sold off for profit and as a result, many will suffer.

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

The Green Party of Ontario (GPO) is dedicated to ensuring our public health care is fully supported and stays securely in the hands of the public.

From the GPO Platform:

“As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While other parties wait for every crisis to reach a boiling point, our vision is to try to solve problems at their source.

When it comes to healthcare, this means helping people to access healthy food and a place to call home. It’s also about early detection and treatment of illnesses in community clinics rather than the hallway of a hospital. Most importantly, it’s a plan to respect nurses, PSWs and other healthcare workers to retain these professionals rather than burning them out.

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care, support and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities, where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic.

With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all Ontarians.”

The GPO will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5%.

- Work with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries, imaging, and other services.

- Invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to meet demand in high growth areas.

Question 2 response: The expansion of lung cancer screening

Excerpts from our GPO Platform:

Create a robust system of primary care:

- Support a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system and oppose further privatisation of care.

- Expand access to family health teams in communities across the province and increase opportunities for physicians to join team-based models of care. Include a diverse array of healthcare providers in the teams to ensure a holistic, connected, comprehensive approach to health.

Build a more equitable healthcare system:

- Immediately strike a task force to develop policies and initiatives that address the adverse effects of racism, homophobia, and transphobia on peoples’ mental health and the barriers they face to accessing healthcare.

- Expand the number of and fully fund women’s health clinics and abortion clinics in Ontario.

Question 3 response:

The GPO Platform states the GPO will create a robust system of primary care

- Support a publicly funded, publicly delivered healthcare system and oppose further privatisation of care.

- Expand access to family health teams in communities across the province and increase opportunities for physicians to join team-based models of care. Include a diverse array of healthcare providers in the teams to ensure a holistic, connected, comprehensive approach to health.

- Increase options for primary care, such as community health centres and nurse-practitioner-led clinics, to ensure access to non-urgent 24/7 care.

- Improve integration and connectivity across healthcare service providers through the use of digital data sharing and patient health coordinators.

- Improve diagnosis and OHIP-covered care for rare diseases, including but not limited to lyme disease, long-COVID, and chronic pain disorders.

- Increase funding for and access to midwives and other community perinatal care services across Ontario.

Carla Johnson (she/her) Candidate, Green Party of Ontario

Cambridge Riding

Question 1 response: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario

a) Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum of 10 per cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of three years?
Yes.
b) Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?
Yes

c) Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how
will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and
treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care,
support and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities,
where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic.
With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded,
publicly delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all
Ontarians. We will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5% and work with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries,
imaging, and other services. We will also invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to
meet demand in high growth areas. We plan to address the staffing shortage in a variety of ways. We will establish a nurse-led task force to make recommendations on matters related to the recruitment, retention and safety of nurses and immediately repeal Bill 124 and the problematic sections of Bill 106 to allow all healthcare workers to bargain collectively for fair wages.
Increasing nursing program enrollments, supporting certification upgrades for healthcare
workers through expanded bridging programs at publicly funded post-secondary institutions and
fast-tracking credential approvals for international healthcare workers are other examples of the
approach we will take.

Question 2: The expansion of lung cancer screening

If elected, will your government:
a) Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?

Yes, Ontario Greens will rebalance the healthcare funding formula to ensure better access in
those areas and use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern
and rural communities and those communities that have traditionally been underserved. We
would also create opportunities for specialist and subspecialist trainees to undertake electives
and core rotations in the North.

b) Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules?
Yes.

c) Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?
Yes.

Question 3: If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram, starting at age 40?
Yes.

Question 1: Recovery from COVID-19 disruption of cancer care in Ontario
a) Will your government increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by a minimum
of 10 per cent over pre-pandemic levels starting in 2022 and continue for a period of
three years?
Yes.

b) Will your government prioritize cancer surgeries to end the surgery backlog in 2022?
Yes

c) Recognizing that the postponement of cancer services causes a healthcare crisis, how
will your government ensure the continuation of cancer screening, surgeries, and
treatment?

We are now facing a backlog for care, with thousands of people still waiting for health care,
support and services. It’s even more challenging for rural, remote and Northern communities,
where there were staffing shortages even before the pandemic.
With surgery backlogs and an understaffed sector, now is the time to expand a publicly funded,
publicly delivered healthcare system that is equitable, accessible, and comprehensive – for all
Ontarians.

We will increase year-over-year hospital base operating funding to a minimum of 5% and work
with the federal government to provide surge funding to reduce the backlog in surgeries,
imaging, and other services. We will also invest in new and expanded hospitals as needed to
meet demand in high growth areas.
We plan to address the staffing shortage in a variety of ways. We will establish a nurse-led task
force to make recommendations on matters related to the recruitment, retention and safety of
nurses and immediately repeal Bill 124 and the problematic sections of Bill 106 to allow all
healthcare workers to bargain collectively for fair wages.
Increasing nursing program enrollments, supporting certification upgrades for healthcare
workers through expanded bridging programs at publicly funded post-secondary institutions and
fast-tracking credential approvals for international healthcare workers are other examples of the
approach we will take.

Question 2: The expansion of lung cancer screening

a) Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate barriers to care?
Yes, Ontario Greens will rebalance the healthcare funding formula to ensure better access in
those areas and use incentives to bring physicians and allied health professionals to Northern
and rural communities and those communities that have traditionally been underserved. We
would also create opportunities for specialist and subspecialist trainees to undertake electives
and core rotations in the North.

b) Expand access to lung cancer screening for those who are at risk individuals who do
not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to
have incidental pulmonary nodules?
Yes.

c) Create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for
lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease?
Yes.

Question 3:
If elected to government, will your party allow women to self-refer for a mammogram,
starting at age 40?
Yes.

Dear Canadian Cancer Survivors Network,

Thank you for your work and for your recent email. You won’t be surprised to learn that my life like almost everyone was touched by cancer. In my late teens I lost my father to lung cancer and just 10 years ago I lost my “little sister” Eve ( she was just a year younger than myself).

I truly wish we took on this disease as a society with the urgency and commitment it deserves. Government should and must lead.

I hold a vision of an integrated health care system that builds upon social determinants of health. I would claim no expertise on this except that I have been known as a good listener. I know that common sense is often more difficult than it should be to implement in our healthcare system.

I believe that every individual, regardless of who they are, should have what they need when they need it in order to be as healthy as they can be. That’s it. That’s my goal.

Can it be done? I believe so. Your voices are crucial to ensure the will exists for real change in how we do things. Your voices of lived experience connect with all of us.

I can tell you the NDP will immediately rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better, starting with:

Immediately making take-home cancer drugs free
Providing cancer treatment closer to home
Ensuring that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can be billed to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

The NDP will also build a full dedicated cancer centre in Brampton to address Ontario’s growing number of cancer cases.

All the best,

Thank you for writing to me and raising these important questions. My answers follow!

Question 1 and 2 response:

Please allow me to respond to the specific parts of these important questions with a statement of our comprehensive plan! As a caregiver in the healthcare system (I am a Registered Nurse), and having worked on the front lines throughout, the pandemic I am acutely aware of the urgent need for reinvestment in, and strengthening of, Ontario’s healthcare system. I have been appalled by the inadequate preparedness of our healthcare system to address the needs of the people of Ontario, especially during the pandemic. Healthcare has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Ontarians should not be suffering in pain, waiting in long queues for life-saving surgeries!

Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to reduce the waiting times for surgeries. The ONDP will address this need as an urgent priority. An NDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time.

The NDP government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better! We’ll tackle the backlog head-on; we will improve care both in and out of hospital; we will improve screening (with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities), and we will deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity. We will start a healthcare worker hiring blitz. We will create a centralized surgical referral system. And we’ll make sure that all of this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system!

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so that no-one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment.

Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new CancerCentre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province.

An ONDP government will make take-home cancer drugs free of charge to patients: our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket.

We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs, including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer.

We will also ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that prioritizes preventing severe illnesses.

An ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will make cancer care more equitable and it will also make the resources of our public healthcare network better utilized, by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

Thank you again for allowing me to tell you about our cancer-care plans.

Yours sincerely,

Aisha Jahangir,
NDP Candidate,
Etobicoke North

Thanks very much for your email. The NDP has the most robust commitment to improve Health Care. I of course support your work
Ron LeClair
NDP-Essex

Thank you for reaching our and asking me these questions. My mother died from melanoma in 2012 and on June 1st it will be 10 years since her passing. I know first-hand how cancer can affect family, friends, and the community.
Here are responses to your questions:
Question 1 response:
We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries. An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.
Question 2 response:
We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.
Question 3 response:
It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.
Thank you for your consideration and reaching out about this difficult issue.
Kind regards,
Julia Kole

ONDP Candidate for Mississauga Lakeshore

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries. An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.

Question 3 response: Will you allow women to self-refer for a mammogram starting at age 40?

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries.
An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our
healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the
full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public
health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries.
An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the
full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public
health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries.
An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the
full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public
health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases

Thank you for your interest in making cancer care more accessible. Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen how delays in screening and diagnosis can have a detrimental impact on a cancer prognosis.

We have a commitment to make tobacco companies pay for all Smoke-Free Ontario programming. Companies that have profited for decades from the sale of cigarettes will cover the cost of providing Smoke-Free Ontario programs, as recommended by the Canadian Cancer Society. Smoke-Free Ontario programs will include public health education and promotion to prevent young people from starting to use vapes. The priority for young people is prevention– to reduce the likelihood of developing a dependence on tobacco products. With the introduction of public health education campaigns and peer-to-peer learning, we will combat youth vaping. We will work with manufacturers and retailers to change the packaging of vaping products to follow the guidelines of other tobacco products. This would include limitations on the sale of vaping products at accessible retailers. Packaging for vaping products can be made less discrete to reduce use among youth.
We will reintroduce Vaping is Not for Kids bill to prohibit the promotion of vaping products, restrict sales to specialty shops, bump the minimal legal age to 21, require Ontario Health to prepare an annual report on vaping usage and its health effects and set tax money aside for research and health promotion.
We will work with the federal government to tax vaping e-liquids to reduce likelihood of uptake of vaping and tobacco use by youth. We will focus on taxing manufacturers and retailers rather than the consumer. Taxes on tobacco products disproportionately impacts poor, racialized and queer communities who face the pressures of economic inequity. During the pandemic addictions issues have increased dramatically, calling for new approaches to harm reduction. Vaping products can be a helpful tool in harm reduction programs for cigarettes and more dangerous drugs, but they need to be used responsibly and kept out of the hands of Ontario’s young people. We will work with public health units and community healthcare providers to offer better public health education and support to establish healthy lifestyles, particularly for youth.
We also have a commitment to providing cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication.
We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment through any public health emergency. Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to- reach communities, and partner with world-class institutions to deliver care closer to home.

We’ll identify and publicize the number of delayed procedures and publish regular progress reports. We’ll expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our health care system.

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries. An ONDP government will
invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will
rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer
care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full
cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure
that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

Good afternoon, thank you for reaching out with your questions, and sharing the priorities of the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network with me.  Please see below for my responses to your questions.

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by the neglect of our healthcare system by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. The people of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries.  An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to ensure that people who require surgery will get it on time.  Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries, and the ONDP will do just that.  The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario’s cancer care for the better.  We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home.  We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system.  We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

My dad has end-stage cancer.  If it weren’t for last-minute acceptance into a trial that covered the cost of his take-home cancer treatment, we would have to find $300 a day to cover his life-extending treatment.  No one should have to take on a lifetime of debt in order to receive life-saving treatment.  Our PharmaCare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication.  We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home.  We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment.  Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province.  We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs, including screenings and tests, to increase our resilience against cancer.  We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses on preventing severe illnesses.ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms.  This will make cancer care more equitable and make our public healthcare network resources better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

With thanks,

Christine Santos

NDP Candidate-Ajax

Question 1 response:

We are appalled by poor performance of our healthcare system that has been neglected by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. People of Ontario should not suffer from pain and long queues for life-saving surgeries. An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and the ONDP will do just that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.

Question 2 response:

We commit to provide cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.

Question 3 response:

It is vital for Ontario to have a healthcare system that focuses of preventing severe illnesses. ONDP government will support self-referral of women over 40 for mammograms. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these issues.

Dear CCSN,

Thank you for reaching out to me today. Your questions are of utmost importance and it is urgent that we all recognize the public health crisis that our province is facing. As a frontline worker at Scarborough General for over a decade, I have seen firsthand the hardships that my patients and their families have faced as a result of the broken promises and cuts past Liberal and Conservative governments have made. The last few years of the pandemic were the most frightening – it is time for change.

The Ontario NDP and I are committed to fixing our province’s healthcare system in every aspect. We will ensure that the lives of cancer patients and cancer survivors are improved through our plans of expansions, investments, repairs to our healthcare system without privatization. COVID-19 has created a backlog of nearly 20 million health care procedures, including cancer surgeries that must be prioritized, that must be addressed and will be addressed by investing to eliminate it – something the previous Ford government did not bother with. The Ontario NDP and I will also raise hospital funding to exceed health sector inflation, population growth, expanded operating plans, and unique local needs such as aging populations. 

It is important that we take immediate action and we will do so by hiring 30,000 nurses as soon as we are in office, as well as expediting the recognition of internationally trained healthcare professionals in order for them to join the province’s workforce faster and support our Ontarians. In addition to hiring more healthcare workers, we will ensure increased hospital capacity through a centralized referral system and expanded hours over evenings and weekends and so, will provide expanded support for cancer screening and treatment.  I am committed to improving and expanding cancer screening, with a focus on hard-to-reach communities. 

In order to improve access to lung cancer screening, we will ensure needed hospital projects and expansions in Brampton, Niagara Falls, Windsor-Essex and Kitchener get shovels in the ground without sacrificing needed health services in surrounding communities. We will immediately begin work on new hospital projects in Brampton, Scarborough and Sioux Lookout. The Ontario NDP and I are also committed to hiring 300+ doctors and 100+ specialists in Northern Ontario and increasing residency positions at NOSM University. It is a priority for us that we improve access to cancer care for all.

Ontarians who need cancer care, their families, and survivors of cancer deserve reliable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare. As Scarborough-Guildwood’s next MPP, I will dedicate my work to providing Ontarians with the support they need.

Sincerely,

VERONICA JAVIER

Scarborough-Guildwood NDP Candidate

Dear Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN),
Thank you for your questions, and please see my responses below:
Question 1 response:
As a health care worker, I have seen the lack of resources and support from consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments to our healthcare system. People of Ontario, and the people of Brampton should not suffer from pain and long wait times for life-saving surgeries. An ONDP government will invest in our healthcare to make sure that people who require a surgery will get it on time. And an ONDP government will bring a new cancer centre to Brampton to ensure that families do not need to travel long distances to access the healthcare they need. We also know that Ontario needs more doctors and nurses to tackle the unprecedented waiting times for surgeries and we will fix that. The Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and deliver care closer to home. We will expand operating room hours over the evenings and weekends to increase hospital capacity, engage in a health care worker hiring blitz, and create a centralized surgical referral system. We’ll make sure this gets done without privatizing our healthcare system.
Question 2 response:
Ensuring that families and individuals have the necessary screening and treatment available to them close to home is essential, and we commit to ensure everyone has access to comprehensive cancer treatment near where they live, so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. Our plan to improve cancer care includes a new Cancer Centre in Brampton and improved capacity for diagnostic imaging across the province. ONDP will make take-home cancer drugs free regardless of your insurance and where you receive care. Our pharmacare plan will cover the full cost of take-home cancer drugs, ensuring no one pays out of pocket for this critical medication. We will properly fund public health education and prevention programs including screenings and tests to increase our resilience against cancer. We will ensure that future pandemic planning incorporates a plan to sustain cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment through any public health emergency.
Question 3 response:
I completely agree and understand how important it is that everyone in Brampton and in Ontario have a healthcare system that focuses of prevention of illnesses. Mammograms for women over the age of 40 is important to catch illness early and the Ontario NDP supports self-referral. This will not only make cancer care more equitable but also make resources of our public healthcare network better utilized by reducing the number of severe breast cancer cases.
Thank you for your advocacy,
Navjit Kaur
Brampton West Ontario NDP Candidate

Thanks so much for writing to Bhutila Karpoche about such an important issue. A cancer diagnosis is a frightening prospect, one that more and more Ontario families are dealing with. Too many Ontarians are waiting for cancer surgery or forced to travel far from home to receive cancer treatment. Ontario’s health care system is broken. An Ontario New Democrat government will rebuild Ontario cancer care for the better.

As we outlined in response to your organization’s questionnaire, Bhutila and Ontario’s New Democrats recognize that there is not equitable access to cancer diagnostic and treatment services across the province.  That’s why our platform commits to providing cancer treatment closer to home. We’ll tackle the backlog head-on, improve care in and out of hospital, improve screening with a special focus on hard-to-reach communities, and partner with world-class institutions to deliver care closer to home. We’ll ensure communities have access to comprehensive cancer treatment close to where they live so no one has to travel a long way to get essential care such as radiation treatment. For example, we’ll immediately fund the building of a dedicated cancer care centre in Brampton.

Fixing cancer care has to be part of fixing our overall health system. The Ontario NDP has a practical, doable plan to rebuild and strengthen health care in Ontario. We’re committed to making investments in critical services. We’ll make sure health care workers get the pay they deserve and launch a campaign to recruit, retain and return nurses and other health care workers to our hospitals and public health units, including in underserved areas like rural and northern communities.

A New Democratic government looks forward to working with organizations like the Right2Survive Coalition to ensure people receive the right care at the right time close to home.

If you are interested in knowing more about how a New Democratic government will fix health care, you can find that here: https://www.ontariondp.ca/platform/health-care

Bhutila Karpoche is a champion for public health care. An epidemiologist by training, she is a public health researcher and community organizer with deep roots here. As our MPP, Bhutila is a hardworking problem solver, has tabled more bills than any other MPP this term and has been voted Toronto’s Best MPP by Now Magazine readers 3 years in a row. She was named one of Toronto’s Most Inspirational Women of the year by TRNTO Magazine in 2019.

Determined, pragmatic, and hopeful, Bhutila is running for re-election because her work isn’t finished yet. She and the NDP have a plan for a more affordable, fairer, and greener Ontario. She is ready to play a leadership role in an NDP government in Ontario—a government that finally puts people first.

Thanks again for your advocacy.

Sincerely,

Shelly

Volunteer

Bhutila Karpoche for Parkdale—High Park

Right2Survive gives people the opportunity to email a letter to their candidates which asks candidates to:

  1. Improve access to lung cancer screening by adding new sites in Peel, southwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario, and northern Ontario to eliminate geographic barriers to care.
  2. Expand access to lung cancer screening for at risk individuals who do not currently or have never smoked, specifically including those who are determined to have incidental pulmonary nodules.
  3. Work with community organizations to create and fund an awareness program that will encourage people to get screened for lung cancer and help reduce the stigma associated with the disease.

Go to https://right2survive.ca/advocacy/election-advocacy/ to take part in this campaign.

Cancer deaths must not be a side effect of the pandemic: delays in cancer
diagnosis and treatment could cause thousands to suffer and die prematurely.

Pandemic-related delays to screening, treatment, and surgeries have created a backlog of cancer patients needing more support, at more advanced stages of cancer.

The pandemic has brought our cancer care systems to a crisis point in Canada. There are signs that the cancer death rate is accelerating due to delays in cancer screening, treatment and surgeries over the last two years. Today, we announce the launch of Cancer Action Now, an alliance of 27 health care organizations that have come together to urge provincial governments across the country to make cancer a priority as we re-build our health care systems in the wake of the pandemic.

The effects of the pandemic on people with cancer will last at least a decade. Pandemic-related declines in diagnosis and treatment could result in at least 21,247 more cancer deaths than predicted between 2020-2030. 1 However, the actual number of excess cancer deaths is likely to be much higher. Each four- week delay in cancer surgery can increase the rate of mortality by 6-8%. Yet 50% of cancer patients, to this day, continue to have their appointments cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic. 2 With nearly
half of Canadians predicted to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, governments across Canada must make a new plan to address the problems our cancer care systems are facing. A patient’s perspective Laura, mother of two teenagers, was diagnosed at the end of 2021 with metastatic breast cancer.

The pandemic impacted access to primary care and delayed her scheduled mammogram. By the time Laura was able to access the cancer screening program, it was found that her cancer had progressed to stage 4, meaning that it cannot be cured and can only be treated. Laura is sadly not alone, and even with the resumption of cancer screening programs, patients face long wait times and later-stage diagnoses. The latest research shows that we need to increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by at least 10% over pre-pandemic levels in each province to address all backlogs. 3 Cancer Action Now is confident that with urgent action from governments, we can improve the situation and create better outcomes for people with a diagnosis of cancer.

Cancer Action Now alliance member, Jackie Manthorne from Canadian Cancer Survivor Network says “Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, and it won’t wait for the pandemic to end. By increasing cancer diagnostic and treatment capacity to address the backlog, we will have a fighting chance to minimize the excess cancer deaths in Canada. The issues with our cancer systems existed well before the pandemic but have worsened over the last two years. We need governments to acknowledge this problem and urgently develop a new plan. We need cancer action now.” The pandemic has shown us the power of coming together and fighting a common cause. With the Ontario election just around the corner, Cancer Action Now calls on the next Ontario government to set an example for other provinces and create a cancer action plan to address the delays in screening and treatment for cancer patients. Together, we can drastically improve cancer outcomes for Canadians.

About Cancer Action Now:
Cancer Action Now is a national alliance of patient organizations, professional associations, and life sciences companies who are witnessing the magnitude of the problem our cancer care systems and its patients are facing in light of the pandemic. We have come together to call on governments to address the issues in our cancer care systems so that Canadians with cancer have a chance to live longer, better lives than anywhere else in the world. Cancer Action Now Alliance membership is ever-growing and includes:
- Bladder Cancer Canada
- Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons
- Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology
- Canadian Breast Cancer Network
- Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
- Canadian Liver Foundation
- Canadian Urological Association
- The Cancer Collaborative
- Cancer Research Society
- Coalition priorité cancer au Québec
- Colorectal Cancer Canada
- AstraZeneca
- Gastrointestinal Society
- GSK
- HPV Global Action
- Kidney Cancer Canada
- Life Saving Therapies Network
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
- Lung Cancer Canada
- Lung Health Foundation
- Merck
-Myeloma Canada
- Ovarian Cancer Canada
- Pancreatic Cancer Canada
- Roche Canada
- Save Your Skin Foundation
- The Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada

For media inquiries, please contact:
Charlotte Webber
613-691-2195
charlotte.webber@hkstrategies.ca

1 Malagon (2021), https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.33884
2 Malagon (2021), https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.33884
3 Chen-See (2020),https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30397-1/fulltext
and CCSN (2021), https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/situation-critical-new-survey-reveals-covid-19-continues-to-disrupt-cancer-care-
across-canada-triggering-another-public-health-crisis-835328225.html

To view responses from candidates in the Ontario 2022 election, click the links below: