Families of Children with ASD Fill Ontario Legistlature
Algoma-Manitoulin NDP MPP Michael Mantha
It has been an emotional week at Queen’s Park with families and concerned Ontarians descending on the legislature to condemn the Liberal government’s many reckless actions.
This past Tuesday, families of children with Autism Spectrum disorder filled the legislature during question period. New Democrats continued to press the Liberal government to reverse its decision to cut funding for crucial therapies for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged five and over.
The minister’s decision to cut funds will leave kids with ASD with higher rates of behavioural difficulties and possibly worse: institutionalization, a life confined to a room or even their own bed. We’ve seen what this looks like and it’s devastating.
This is not the future for kids with ASD deserve in this province. Though more than 200 parents came to the Ontario Legislature to make their voices heard on the minister’s autism funding mistake, Deb Matthews, both the President of the Treasury Board and the Deputy Premier, made no reference to their efforts in her answer.
In the end, this minister holds the responsibility for the books. Sadly, families of children with ASD clearly see that this liberal government is leaving their vulnerable children behind. This government should not be balancing the books on the backs of kids with ASD.
In the same week the Liberals turned their backs on families in need by voting against saving specialized schools. Thursday the liberals voted against an NDP motion calling on the government to commit to the future of provincial and demonstration schools was voted down by the Wynne Liberals.
Provincial and demonstration schools are vital to exceptional needs students in Ontario. The unique education experiences offered at these schools have a proven ability to provide students with the skills they need to succeed. For months, families, parents and educators have pleaded with this government to keep these schools open.
Additionally this week the NDP demanded long-term, sustained commitment to support the people of James Bay and Attawapiskat. We asked the Premier to make an ongoing and long-term commitment to address the crisis in Attawapiskat; a sustained response that doesn’t end when the community is no longer in the media spotlight.
This is not the first time we’ve seen a rash of suicides on the James Bay. My colleague Gilles Bisson, MPP for Timmins James Bay pleaded for support for Attawapiskat following the declaration of a State of Emergency on Saturday in response to reports of 11 suicide attempts in one day, and further reports of over 100 suicide attempts and at least one death since last September.
New Democrats and the people of James Bay and Attawapiskat want to know, is that there is a long-term commitment to what is a huge problem in our communities. When you have 11 people in one day, from ages 11 to 71, try to take their life because of the situation in their community, we need to have an assurance that whatever we do going forward from here is going to be an ongoing and long-term commitment, and we’re not going to pull it away once the cameras have moved away from the story.
As always, please feel free to contact my office about this issue, or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at mmantha-co@ndp.on.ca or by phone at 705-461-9710/1-800-831-1899.
MPP Michael Mantha
Algoma-Manitoulin
