FACT CHECK: CNN report not quite what Ford claims

QUEEN’S PARK — In question period, Doug Ford bragged that American cable news network CNN praised Ontario’s COVID-19 response. But he was making stuff up again.

CNN did broadcast a story on Canada’s response to COVID-19 but did not single out Ontario for any praise. Ford also failed to note the following section (at 2:47):

“More than 8.500 people have died. The vast majority linked to crowded and poorly staffed senior’s homes.”

The news segment also features a nurse at Pinecrest Nursing Home, a long-term care facility in Bobcaygeon where 29 residents died of COVID-19. She says:

“I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff happen and I don’t remember anything with this level of sadness.”

“We’d like an honest evaluation of how Ontario did in the first wave of COVID-19 so that we can better prepare for the second wave,” said NDP Ethics and Accountability critic Taras Natyshak. “Doug Ford is, once again, making stuff up. This time, he’s doing it to avoid having to do the work to fill the gaps in the COVID-19 response. It’s people’s health and financial wellbeing at risk here – not the time for self-aggrandizing game-playing.”

CNN’s story is here: https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2020/07/03/canada-flattens-coronavirus-curve-newton-newday-vpx.cnn