What was said in the Ontario Legislature on issues of concern to the Jewish
Community.
In the Ontario Legislature – May 13, 2008
In
today's edition -- please scroll down to find more information on:
1.
Oral Questions: Autism Treatment
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ORAL
QUESTIONS
AUTISM TREATMENT
Ms. Andrea Horwath ahorwath-qp@ndp.on.ca:
"My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services, and
it goes like this: Why has the McGuinty government driven a desperate parent
to stage a hunger strike over the lack of publicly funded treatment for children
with autism? And why has her government taken so long to clear the waiting
list of over 1,500 children in this province? The question is very basic:
When is this waiting list going to be cleared?"
Hon. Deborah Matthews dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org:
"Let me start by saying that I have met with Mr. Marinoiu twice in the
last several days. I met with him on the front lawn of Queen's Park and then
I met him in my office. I can assure you that my ministry staff are working
hard with him and his family to make sure that that he is getting all of the
supports that his family is entitled to."
"I can tell you that I understand how important it is to him and to all
parents who have children with autism that we continue to improve services
for children with autism. I am absolutely committed to improving services
for children with autism. The work that has been done by parents from all
parts of the province on this issue continues to encourage us in our work
to improve services for children with autism in this province."
Ms. Andrea Horwath: "This minister knows that the reality
is that the wait list in Ontario keeps on growing. Parents don't feel that
their services are being improved at all. Stefan Marinoiu's hunger strike
is a drastic action directly related to the fact that these parents don't
think that services are improving in Ontario. Parents came from all over the
province today to send this government a message that this life-and-death
action that Stefan is taking is something they're here to support, because
they need some action on this file and they need it now. Their children are
languishing on waiting lists in Ontario. They're not getting the IBI, the
intervention and the treatment that they need and deserve in this province.
The government is indifferent to their needs."
"After
half a decade, why is nothing happening? Why is the McGuinty government not
providing treatment for all of the children and all of the adequate supports
that are required for their families?"
Hon. Deborah Matthews: "To suggest that nothing has
been done is simply not accurate. Let's take a look at what we have done.
Since we were elected, we have more than tripled the funding for IBI. We have
almost tripled the number of children receiving IBI services. Ten years ago,
the budget for autism services in this province was half a million dollars;
today it's over $150 million. Ten years ago, no children in this province
received IBI therapy; today over 1,400 children are receiving IBI therapy."
"Do we still have work to do? Absolutely. Is our next step making schools
a welcoming place for children with autism? Absolutely."
"I will tell you what I told Mr. Marinoiu, and that is this: We are working
as hard as we can. I urge him to stop his hunger strike, go back to his family"-
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): "Thank you. New question."
