Ontario's indoor mask recommendation absent from Sylvia Jones’ legislature talking points, documents show

Ontario’s November indoor masking recommendation was not considered a “key message” for the health minister when speaking in the legislature at the time, documents show.

Ontario’s November indoor masking recommendation was not considered a “key message” for the health minister when speaking in the legislature, documents show.

On Nov. 14, the province’s chief medical officer of health “strongly" recommended that masks be worn in all indoor public settings in an effort to relieve the burden being placed on hospitals and pediatric centres by the triple threat of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

“As the risk to Ontarians increases, we must use all of the layers of protection that we have,” Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters at the time.

But that recommendation was not followed or reiterated at Queen’s Park that same week, with many Progressive Conservative MPPs, as well as Premier Doug Ford, ignoring the advice of the province’s top doctor by not wearing masks themselves.

CTV News Toronto obtained photocopies of Health Minister Sylvia Jones’ legislative binder from Nov.14 to Nov. 16 following an access to information request. It includes “key messages” and talking points used to respond to inquiries made during Question Period.

In the documents, the only instance in which masking was recommended was for those who were “in close contact with the most vulnerable–children under the age of five and those who are immunocompromised.”

No mention of Moore’s “strong" recommendation to wear masks in indoor public settings could be found in the notes.