Nickel Belt MPP to relentlessly pursue province to implement 911 recommendations

Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas plans to be relentless in getting the province to improve its 911 system.

The New Democrat, who is also theparty's critic for Health and Long Term Care, has been following a recent joint coroner's inquest closely.

Last week, the jury handed down 27 recommendations after hearing details of two different tragedies, including the bungled response from 911 the night of a boat crash on Lake Wanapitei in June 2013.

Despite five calls to 911 that night, three people still died.

Lake Wanapiteiis in the riding of Nickel Belt.

Over the past five years, Gelinas had advocated for an inquest into the deaths, and so she says she followed the proceedings closely, especiallywhile they were in Sudbury.

"None of the details were new [to me], because everybody that had been affected: the families, the people who responded to the call (firefighters, ambulance, police) they had all been in contact with me, so I knew the case inside and out," she said.

One of the reasons Gelinas says she pushed so hard for the inquest was to have the truth heard about what all happened the night of the boat crash.

"Don't get me wrong, it is horrifying what happened on Lake Wanapitei on June 30, 2013," she said.

"But at least people now know the truth."

'Lack of trust' in 911

Gelinas says she also wanted an inquest to address what she calls 'alack of trust' in 911 throughout her riding of Nickel Belt.

She frequently hears complaints from constituents about how the 911 system failed then when they tried to call the emergency number for help. However, Gelinas adds that when she would try to pass these complaints on she would frequently get the runaround.

"You're bounced from 'Oh no it's not this department, you have to go to that one' to 'Oh no it's the fire-fighters, no it's the police'. It's like a nightmare."

One of the jury's recommendations is the creation of an oversight body that would deal with complaints about 911.

"So now we will have somebody in charge of receiving complaints. Why is that important? Because those people, not only will they at least allow families to turn the page as to what went wrong, but they will also be an impetus for change for the better," Gelinassaid.

'Powerful document'

Gelinas says she will be bringing the recommendations forward to the new Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Sylvia Jones at Queen's Park. There are 19 recommendations directed toward the province of Ontario.

"I guarantee you that I will be there and I will push that each of those recommendations get implemented."

Gelinas calls the recommendations from the inquest jury a "powerful document"to help lobby for change.

"It is not one of my constituent's complaining. It is not the MPP complaining anymore. It is recommendations from a coroner that saythat things have to change to save lives."

Gelinasalready says she plans to be relentless in getting the provincial government to follow through on these improvements to the 911 system.

"So that they move forward so the government knows that they are important. Yes, they will require resources in order to implement, but Northerners lives are worth those resources," she said.

"Those recommendations can not be put on the back burner."

Click the link below to hear the interview.