The Government of Ontario votes against paid sick days for 23rd time

Despite Doug Ford’s emotional press conference last week, the Province has once again passed on a motion that would provide Ontarians with paid sick days.

According to Naheed Dosani, a palliative care physician in Toronto, 55 conservative MPPs voted against giving Ontarians paid sick days on Monday (April 26).

According to Jamie West, the NDP MPP for Sudbury, this marks the 23rd time the Province has voted against paid sick days.

The motion—known as Bill 247—was brought forward by Michael Coteau, a Liberal MPP for Don Valley West. It would have provided all Ontarians with 10 paid sick days per year.

Coteau was critical of the Province’s rejection of the Bill, which he said is supported by the majority of Ontarians.

“The government’s failure to provide paid sick leave is unconscionable. It is simply reprehensible,” he said in a post shared on social media. “Their votes are not against an Opposition MPP’s bill, but rather against the 83 percent of Ontarians who support paid sick days.”