Demonstrators turned out on Valentine's Day to say the Ontario government isn't showing much love for those with autism.
Dozens of people, mostly parents and caregivers to those with autism, gathered outside the Windsor field office of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services on Thursday, speaking out against the Ford government's plan to change provisions to Ontario's autism program.
The government said that effective April 1, affected families will be given access to childhood budgets so they can find services from the providers of their choice. The budgets will cover those under the age of 18 and are set up according to the length of time a child may be in the program. For example, a child with autism at two years of age may receive up to $140,000, while an older child may be entitled to less.
Those attending the rally said the plan is nowhere near enough, considering the care many of those with autism require.
April Pare, a parent of a child with autism and the organizer of the rally, said the PC plan barely scratches the surface.
"If you consider the costs of occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, our kids have a multitude of diagnoses," said Pare. "My daughter alone has epilepsy, autism, ADHD. She has a sensory processing disorder."
Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Percy Hatfield, who attended the rally with Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky, is trying to encourage the Tories to rethink the plan.
"Very few people are happy with this plan," said Hatfield. "Children with autism are on a spectrum. Some have a mild case and some are much more severe, and what the Conservatives have on the table is just a cookie-cutter approach, one size fits all."
Much of the anger at the rally was directed at the Lisa McLeod, the minister of Children, Community and Social Services. According to the Ottawa Citizen, McLeod recently told members of the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysts that unless they agreed to accept the autism plan, they should plan for a "long four years".
Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath called on McLeod to resign in a statement released Thursday.
“Parents of children with autism and advocates have been clear, Doug Ford’s cuts to autism services will already hurt tens of thousands of kids and their families," said Horwath. "With these threats hanging over advocates for children with autism, it is clear we’re seeing the Ford Conservatives engage in a dangerous and chilling politics of revenge and personal attacks. This is absolutely inexcusable."
