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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 15 ,2 01 9 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised family of newspapers is comprised f of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editor@oakvillebeaver.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeavfacebook.com/OakvilleBeavf @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 289-293-0617 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Digital/Flyer/Retail: 289-293-0624 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We for verification purposes. We f reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM EDITORIAL The fingers were firmly pointed at the Ontario gov- ernment recently when the findings of the public in- quiry into Elizabeth Wettlaufer's nursing-home murder spree were revealed. And that's as it should be. Rather than apportion blame for Wettlaufer's unde- tected, decade-long rampage through southwestern Ontario long-term care facilities, Justice Eileen Gillese, who led the inquiry, focused on preventing such crimes from happening again. The province has a key role to play in achieving this goal and it was good to hear Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton announce the government will take "immediate action" on the report's 91 recommendations, and that "part of that plan will include providing new funding." But this isn't just about more money or what the government at Queen's Park can do to protect the 78,000 people living in Ontario's 626 nursing homes. Sure, Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives can change the law governing the system. But the system must change itself. One of the most stunning facts about Wettlaufer's story is that her crimes would not have been discovered and she wouldn't have been stopped and imprisoned for life if she hadn't turned herself in to the authorities. In the fall of 2016, this troubled woman confessed to murdering eight patients and trying to kill several oth- ers while working for four different employers over nine years. It is mystifying but also highly disturbing that none of these employers ever suspected she was capable of such depravity. She was never a model employee. Incompetent, she continually made medication errors. She stole drugs to feed her addiction. Many people knew of her misconduct and malpractice, and in 2014, Wettlaufer was fired from Caressant Care in Woodstock, partly because of her serious medication errors. Yet she found no difficulty in being hired elsewhere. Why? Past employers repeatedly gave Wettlaufer glowing reference checks, despite the medication errors she had made and repeated complaints co-workers made against her. The College of Nurses of Ontario - the governing body for the profession - kept her termination notice on file but took no action to indicate it had "serious con- cerns" about Wettlaufer. In addition, and just to show how widespread the gaps in this system are, Wettlaufer received indirect oversight from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, which inspected the homes she worked at, and even from the coroners who investigated some of the seniors' deaths. And so, while it's good this government has accepted Commissioner Gillese's findings and will submit a follow- up report a year from now on what's being done to im- prove the situation, the real fix lies with the system itself. The province should accept Gillese's recommenda- tions and strengthen medication management, hiring practices, employee training and communications at nursing homes. Such measures should be expedited, and they don't have to cost a lot. In contrast, increased staff- ing levels will require more provincial funding. Given that lives are at stake, the funds should be found. NURSING HOME SYSTEM MUST EMBRACE CHANGE Not sure if partnering with a charity is right for you? Here is what Fortune 500 has to say about that: "Charitable, philanthropic efforts on part of the em- ployees and employer re- sult in workplaces that are better for business, better for the people who work there and better for the world. For example, our study of several hundred companies and more than 380,000 employees in con- junction with this list re- vealed that giving back is associated with greater employee retention, higher levels of brand ambassa- dorship on the part of workers and more enthusi- astic employees. Staffers who believe their organiza- tions give back to the com- munity are a striking 13 times more likely to look forward to coming to work, compared to employees who do not perceive their employers to be generous toward the community." Build team spirit and cama- raderie in the office: • Register a team for Mudmoiselle or CIBC Run for the Cure • Create hype in the of- fice and participate in the Paint your Workplace Pink Campaign" • Volunteer for a day selling pink ribbons at a lo- cal grocery store Gain exposure for your brand: • Donate 400 branded items for Mudmoiselle swag bags • Sponsor Mudmoiselle or CIBC Run for the Cure • Have employees wear corporate-branded cloth- ing • Register a team for Mudmoiselle • Register a team for CIBC Run for the Cure • Volunteer for a day selling pink ribbons at a lo- cal grocery store Align with a charity for improved consumer opin- ion: • Become an event spon- sor at Mudmoiselle or CIBC Run for the Cure • Donate a portion of sales with a Canadian Can- cer Society partnership • Make a donation to re- search or support pro- grams such as Wheels of Hope Mudmoiselle is a ladies- only, five-kilometre, fun mud run on Sept. 14. Visit www.mudmoiselle.ca. CIBC Run for the Cure is a one- or five-kilometre walk or run supporting breast cancer on Oct. 6. Vis- it www.cibcrunforthecure- .ca. For more information or to discuss which option is the right fit for you, please call 905-634-6893, ext. 3135. Shelley Frank is the community fundraising specialist for the Canadian Cancer Society's Halton Unit. HELP YOUR BUSINESS - AND A GOOD CAUSE HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO DO BOTH, WRITES FRANK SHELLEY FRANK Column