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WATCH: Ontario to investigate 'horrific' military report on long-term care homes

Ford promises justice, accountability following damning report

Update:

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says a "heartbreaking, horrific" report from Canadian Armed Forces on deplorable conditions in five of the hardest hit long-term care homes in the province will warrant an investigation by Ontario's chief coroner.

Ford says the report - which has already resulted in one death at a long-term care home referred to the chief coroner - will be released to the public in its entirety.  

"Until yesterday morning, we didn't know the full extent of what these homes - what these residents - were dealing with," Ford said Tuesday. "The reports they provided us were heartbreaking. They were horrific. It's shocking that this can happen here in Canada."

"It's gut-wrenching, and reading those reports was the hardest thing I've done as premier, knowin that so much more needs to be done. But what I am feeling, what we all are feeling, is little in comparison to the hardship that these residents and their families have had to endure. There's nothing worse than feeling helpless when it comes to protecting a loved one. So please, pray for these residents, please pray for their families." 

Ontario is now calling on the federal government to extend military deployment in the five long-term care homes for another 30 days.

The provincial government recently announced it will be launching an independent commission into Ontario's long-term care system beginning in September, but Ford says "everything is on the table" when asked why the province didn't call for a public inquiry into conditions at long-term care facilities.    

Original story:

Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to update Ontarians on the COVID-19 situation at 1:30 p.m. from Queen's Park today.

He will be joined by Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care, and Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General, to make the announcement. 

This morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in his address that Ford would be revealing a Canadian Armed Forces report on the condition of long-term care home in Ontario. Trudeau called the report 'shocking and disturbing.'

Village Media will carry the livestream, so stay tuned.