The format of a My Take is 150 words – no more, no less – to express an opinion on a different topic each week. This week’s topic was public inquiries
So yesterday morning the provincial government voted, by a count of 60 to 38, against a motion proposing a public and independent investigation into the deaths of 47 residents at the notorious Herron long term care home on Montreal’s West Island in the early days of the pandemic. The no voters, all from the CAQ, applauded former Health Minister Danielle McCann and Seniors’ Minister Marguerite Blais as they did so.
Setting aside the applause, which is jarring in a context where thousands of people have died, the idea that it could be up to the government to make decisions about investigating itself is just totally bizarre, isn’t it?
We wouldn’t ask an individual suspected of abuse or criminal negligence to decide whether or not someone should investigate their actions, so why is it okay for a party in a majority position to do the same?
