August 22 2026-A Rapid-Testing Trial at Long-Term Care Homes & A Closer Look at Ontario's New Hate Crime Prosecutions Unit

It’s a first in Canada and the hope is that it will make it easier to prosecute hate crimes. Ontario has just established a specialized hate crimes prosecution unit, staffed with Crown prosecutors experienced in the legal complexities of hate speech, bias-motivated crimes, and the line between criminal conduct and protected expression. The impetus came from a private members’ motion tabled by MPP Michelle Cooper in April. Not only do private initiatives rarely succeed, this one came to fruition at lightning speed. Libby talked with Ontario PC MPP Michelle Cooper (Eglinton-Lawrence).

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The idea is based on a lesson learned from the pandemic when Covid-19 tore through long-term care homes killing thousands of our most vulnerable citizens. A recent clinical trial found that using  rapid, on-site testing for respiratory viruses at nursing homes could prevent 8,000 emergency department visits every year.   Dr. Jerome Leis, is Medical director of infection prevention and control at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and co-principal investigator of the trial.