The Public Inquiry into the Safety and Security of Residents in the Long-Term Care Homes System to begin Public Hearings on Tuesday, June 5, 2018

TORONTO, May 29, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Justice Eileen E. Gillese, Commissioner of the Public Inquiry into the Safety and Security of Residents in the Long-Term Care Homes System, has announced that the Inquiry's Public Hearings will begin on Tuesday June 5, 2018.

The Public Hearings will be held in Courtroom 201 of the Elgin County Courthouse, 4 Wellington Street in St. Thomas.

The Public Hearings will take place during the weeks of June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 16, 23, 30, August 6 and September 24, 2018. Generally, the Public Hearings will run Monday to Thursday in any given week, the schedule will be updated regularly on the Inquiry's website www.longtermcareinquiry.ca

The Public Hearings will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with short morning and afternoon breaks.

A list of anticipated witnesses and anticipated areas of examination for the upcoming hearing week will be posted on the Inquiry's website the Friday before each hearing week.

The proceedings will be webcast live, webcast recordings will remain available until the end of the Public Hearings. The webcast will be accessible from the Inquiry homepage. The video feed will be available in the Inquiry's media room which will also be equipped with WiFi. Transcripts of the daily proceedings will be posted on the website the following morning by 9:00 AM. 

Photography inside the Courtroom is permitted only at the start of the Public Hearings through arrangements with Peter Rehak, the Inquiry's Director of Communications and with the Commissioner's leave. 

The Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry was established on August 1, 2017, by Order in Council following Elizabeth Wettlaufer's conviction of eight counts of first degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault; offences she committed while working as a registered nurse in Long-Term Care Homes.

The Inquiry's mandate is to inquire into the events which led to the offences committed by Elizabeth Wettlaufer. Additionally, the Inquiry is directed to inquire into the circumstances and contributing factors allowing these events to occur, including the effect, if any, of relevant policies, procedures, practices and accountability and oversight mechanisms.

Order in Council
Additional information for media is available on the Inquiry's website:www.longtermcareinquiry.ca

SOURCE The Public Inquiry into the Safety and Security of Residents in the Long-Term Care Homes System

For further information: For media inquiries please contact Peter Rehak, Director of Communications at: 1-437-776-4123 or [email protected]; For substantive information requests please contact Mark Zigler, Co-Lead Commission Counsel at [email protected]