The Ministry of Health finally sent the Coroner’s Office an “Excel sheet” which “records what would have been sent by the inspectors” who made CHSLD visits in the spring of 2020.
This was announced on Monday by Géhane Kamel, who is investigating the deaths that occurred in CHSLDs during the first wave of the pandemic. She had requested that all the inspectors’ reports be sent to her.
The Assistant Deputy Minister for Seniors, Natalie Rosebush, had testified that nothing had been preserved, while Prime Minister François Legault assured last week that “no report was destroyed”.
On Monday, Coroner Kamel claimed to have received a “blank report” accompanied by an “Excel sheet”. She wondered “what am I doing with this” and reserved the right to subpoena certain inspectors to testify.
“My head is not yet done,” she said, raising the possibility of taking more time in January in order to “be able to give answers to families”.
“You start to know me […], I am sometimes a little box of surprises. If I have the impression that we have not come full circle, I will ensure that we hear from new witnesses. “
His investigation continues Monday, at the Shawinigan courthouse, with the testimony of Dr. Jasmin Villeneuve, medical consultant at the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ).
The two Arruda hats: “it tires me,” says Kamel
During this testimony, the coroner asked to know if the recommendations of the INSPQ concerning the wearing of the mask, for example, were modulated according to stocks.
“To say that there is no pressure would be to lie,” replied Dr. Villeneuve. In the case of a lack of equipment, that cannot change our recommendations.
“At one point, we recommended the N95 for general aerosol interventions and we were told: ‘We’re going to run out of it’. Well, it takes that. It is not for us to manage the stock. It’s boring to say, but that’s it. “
Me Kamel then spoke on the dual role of the national director of public health, Horacio Arruda, who is also deputy minister. “This convergence tires me,” she said.
She went on to say that she was “happy” to hear that Dr. Villeneuve’s team had provided “scientific” recommendations during the pandemic.
Dr. Jocelyne Sauvé, specialist doctor at the INSPQ, who had already testified, will be heard again on Monday. Ms. Rosebush will also be testifying a second time on Wednesday.