Ontario Premier Doug Ford's mom-in-law, 95, diagnosed with COVID-19

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Premier Doug Ford’s mother-in-law has tested positive for COVID-19.

The 95-year-old mother of his wife, Karla, lives at West Park Long-Term Care Centre in Toronto.

Ford did not disclose the diagnosis during a media conference Thursday but he struggled to control his emotions as he talked about the Toronto Sun’s Thursday front page photo by Veronica Henri that showed an elderly resident of a Pickering seniors’ home looking forlornly through a window.

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Under general questioning about outbreaks at long-term care facilities in Ontario, Ford said his heart breaks for the residents and the families.

“When I see the front page of the Toronto Sun and you see a loved one with their elderly parent and they put their hand up against the window, that’s heartbreaking,” Ford said. “I relate to it in our own family.”

Ford continued to struggle to hold his emotions in check as he answered repeated questions about the long-term care outbreaks.

With more than 500 deaths of residents in long-term care, Ford said the system needs to be changed.

“We can do better,” he said.

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According to West Park Long-Term Care, there have been 49 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents, 30 cases in staff and 13 related deaths.

Ford has talked in the past about how difficult it is for his wife, who has been unable to visit her mother during the lockdown.

The premier’s own mother, Diane, died in January after a battle with cancer.

aartuso@postmedia.com