Ford unhappy with Essex farmers

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday, June 22, pleaded with farmers in Windsor-Essex to get their migrant workers tested for COVID)-19, and warned if needed he’d take stronger measures to ensure that.

As a result of outbreaks among farm workers in that area, Labour, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton announced at the same time that the federal and provincial governments would team up to inspect farms where migrant workers were employed. The inspectors would examine the working and living conditions for the migrant employees.

While taking questions from reporters, Premier Ford was critical of the farmers in the Windsor-Essex area.

“I love the farmers, but guys, you’ve got to help us here,” he said. “Farmers just aren’t cooperating,” and weren’t sending workers to get tested, despite the benefits of doing so.

“It’s not fair to the people of Windsor. It’s not fair to the region.”

The province wouldn’t give up, he said, warning “I’ll go to the extreme. We’re going to have to pull out other tools.”