THUNDER BAY — "It's tremendously disappointing, especially about schools," says Thunder Bay - Atikokan MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell.
The NDP member of the legislature reacted Tuesday to the Ford government's revised plan for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 across Ontario.
It includes at-home virtual learning for all students for a minimum of two weeks.
"We could have prevented that, with better precautions, and we were asking for things like proper protective equipment for students and staff, preference for vaccinations for education workers and students, and a plan to make the schools actually safer," Monteith-Farrell said.
She said the official opposition party has been advocating these measures for months, adding "Everyone knew this was coming, so it's not a surprise. My heart goes out to the families that are scrambling."
Monteith-Farrell said it was just four days ago that parents were told in-school learning would resume this week, but now people "are at their wits end."
Her crosstown counterpart, Michael Gravelle, said the Omicron variant has created a crisis in Ontario.
"I think what the government has particularly mishandled, in a very poor way, is the public education system," said the Liberal MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North.
"I've already spoken to scores of parents who are very upset about the challenges this is going to bring to them in terms of keeping their children at home."
He said he firmly believes precautions were available to make it safe to resume in-person learning, including improved ventilation, smaller class sizes .and N95 masks for teachers.
"I do think this is a real failure of this government," Gravelle said.
Teachers' unions are also expressing frustration, charging that the postponement of in-school learning was avoidable.
The government has said it will arrange for free emergency childcare for school-aged children of health-care and eligible front-line workers.
Both Monteith-Farrell and Gravelle also expressed sympathy for small business people having to deal with new restrictions.
In some cases, Monteith-Farrell said, they will have to shut down.
Gravelle agreed that the modified lockdown "is going to have a really huge impact, particularly on the dining industry."
The member for Thunder Bay-Atikokan questioned the decision to reduce access to COVID-19 tests as well.
The government has said this will help ensure support for the most vulnerable.
But Monteith-Farrell said "It's causing a lot of anxiety. People with symptoms, and they don't know what to do. Just to say 'Stay home,' well that's fine, but there's whole families that are now being required to isolate, and they don't even know if they have COVID."
She accused the government of taking a hit-and-miss approach with its COVID-19 strategy.
