We need your help to ensure equality for ALL disabilities

We can’t do this without you!  Do you have 30 seconds to spare? The Government of Ontario needs to stop discriminating between disabilities. All individuals with disabilities should be supported according to their need not their label!  Let’s come together with a united voice and be heard; we are asking the government to stop systemic discrimination, and to start supporting the needs of ALL disabilities. Click here to access this MPP letter writing tool.

This tool is brought to you by our friends at Project 321 Peel. This group of determined parents and caregivers set of goal of sending 1500 letters, they are just one week in and 528 letters have been sent. Let’s ALL help them reach this goal.

#NoChildLeftBehind
#InclusionRevolution

On Monday, May 6, 2019, the Ontario Disability Coalition was pleased to hold a press conference at Queen’s Park, to discuss the plight of over 50,000 children in the province of Ontario with disabilities other than autism.

In response to our press conference, Minister Lisa MacLeod admitted that children with special needs other than autism are deserving of support from the Ontario government.

Unfortunately, her solution was to direct 50,000 families of children with disabilities other that autism to the current Ontario Autism Consultations.

This simply will not do.  

Today, the Ontario Disability Coalition sent a response back to Ministers MacLeod and Christine Elliott, to express our concern and frustration at the government’s continued dismissal of the needs of thousands of children with disabilities in Ontario: 

News reporters following ODC’s press conference:

May 7th 2019,
TorStar QPBriefing By Sneh Duggal
Disability advocates say province’s current disability strategy is ‘picking winners and losers’
https://www.qpbriefing.com/2019/05/07/disability-advocates-say-provinces-current-disability-strategy-is-picking-winners-and-losers/fbclid=IwAR1puf713pra0esdw23JOQ3QzET6xXvGhqH1DgA7pcDe1qhqKi_2Yyl_m1M

May 6th 2019,
Toronto Star By Kristin Rushowy
Children with disabilities ignored by province, parents say

Deane is my brother.

He is physically and developmentally disabled and he is about to lose most of the support services that help him live a healthy, engaged life. Why? Because he will soon age out of the school system.

That’s right. When Deane and thousands of disabled young people like him reach the age of 21, the majority of support services provided by our society stop. Families like mine will be left with only their abiding love because there are few to no activities, facilities or programs to meet their children’s extensive needs.

Soon, my exams begin and Deane graduates high school. Graduating is a big deal for Deane and an even bigger deal for my parents because my brother’s future is so uncertain. Going into post-school life is hard for anyone. When I graduate I will have many choices of what to do with my life. Deane’s choices are limited by his disability.

The plan right now is that he will stay at home with my mom and dad until he makes it to the top of a 5-to-25-year waiting list for a place in a special care home. The challenges are endless. One of my parents may have to stop working, meaning one less income. And, what will they do all day – day after day – to keep Deane stimulated and learning? Getting out and about is not easily done. Neither mom nor dad can lift Deane by themselves and his mobility lift can’t go everywhere with him.

Deane went to a day program outside the city as a test to see how he liked it, and whether he and the program can fit together. He said that he at least liked it a little bit. I guess it will take a while for him to get used to it. Perhaps he will try this next year but because it is such a far commute it is a temporary fix, not a solution.

As difficult as this situation is, my parents and I are a loving, positive team. We are not wealthy but we have some resources. When I imagine being a single parent who doesn’t speak much English, who has a developmentally disabled child, I despair. When I imagine a support system that would help Deane and all disabled people throughout their lives, I wonder why it does not exist in our wonderful Canada.

We need all levels of government to recognize this, and put into place a re-defined support service system that helps the disabled and their families lead lives of joy, security, and comfort. We need post-secondary education options for these people who now have nowhere to go. We need support services that do what parents, siblings, and un-paid caregivers often can’t do by themselves.

Please bring the plight of maturing disabled people and their families to the attention of your representatives at all levels: municipal, provincial, and federal. Tell them that getting your vote depends on how well they support all the people of Canada. Deane and I know that’s how democracy works.

Rayne

Please add your own comment to the story I have shared and share it with your MPP and anyone else you think needs to hear this message. You can find your MPP here:
https://www.ola.org/en/members/parliament-42

Today appeared to be letter writing day for the ministry as a number of members received the same response letter.  It did not take long for members to respond.

Dear Mrs Jane Cleve,

Thank you for your response letter. Just to clarify my letter to Honorable Lisa MacLeod and Premier Doug Ford was specifically about the lack of therapy and funding for therapy for children with physical and developmental disabilities(zero). I am very much capable of navigating/looking for services/resources; the problem isn’t my inability to navigate the system but rather there isn’t anything available in terms of physical therapy, occupational therapy as well as speech/communication therapy for children like my son. The whole point was/is to ask for change to the current system which has been discriminating against children like my son. How is it that one disabled child (with autism) can get $80,000+ for various therapies including and not limited to physical therapy while at the same time another disabled child (physically and developmentally disabled) gets $0?

I am not satisfied with your letter/response as it doesn’t speak to my concerns and frustrations; the government of Ontario is discriminating against my child as it is not giving same support to him as it does for children with autism.

I hope to see prompt change to current system which lacks support for physically and developmentally disabled children. There are thousands of children like my son, waiting to see same treatment as children with autism spectrum disorder.

I hope to hear back from you; addressing the concerns that I have been tirelessly expressing along with thousands of other parents.

Sincerely,

Aida

Many parents, caregivers and individuals with disabilities are asking how they can get involved.  Here is an easy way to participate and become politically active from your computer or smartphone even. 

Writing an email/letter to your MPP is an excellent way to help move this political cause forward.    If  you need some guidance we attached below a sample letter with some suggested wording, Please customize your letter to your needs, and keep it simple.  One page is best as they receive many emails daily and you want yours to be read. 

Below is a link to Queens Parks MPP directory.    After sending your email/letter we suggest you follow up with a phone call in 3 business days if they have not responded especially important if your looking for a meeting with your MPP. 

We truly believe every single email, phone call and meeting  makes a difference.  

MPP ODC template letter

MPP Contact list and Directory

Sample Letter

Date
NAME OF MPP/PARTY LEADER
Address of Office

Re: Meeting request from (your name)

Dear MPP (First Name Last Name),

As a constituent in your riding, I am writing today to express my concerns with the government’s recent announcement on April 2, 2019, that the needs of anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 children, youth and adults with disabilities in Ontario will not be addresseduntil the government finalizes its Ontario Autism Program.

The stark reality is that all individuals with disabilities, irrespective of labels, require and are deserving of appropriate therapeutic interventions.   No individual should be forced to wait their turn for life-altering therapies while the government limits its focus to only one diagnosis.

The government needs to ensure that the

advantages being afforded to children with a diagnosis of autism through the OAP, such as access to Direct Funding Options for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, are equally available to children, youth and adults with any other disability in Ontario.

To do otherwise is systemic discrimination.

[INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY HERE]

The government’s policies and practices towards individuals with any disability other than autism are devastating and discriminatory. Children, youth and adults with any disability need access to the appropriate intervention at the right time and with the appropriate intensity.

I look forward to meeting with you to discuss these issues and ways in which we can work collaboratively to ensure that all individuals with disabilities receive the appropriate, customized, and intensive intervention and they require.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Address
Your Contact Number

We put together this petition in response to the thousands of families whose children, youth and adults with ALL disabilities were told to wait your turn.   We are asking you to stand in solitary with us because disability does not discriminate and neither should our government.

CALL TO ACTION: 

Please download, print, sign and mail this petition to Queen’s Park.
Attention MPP Monique Taylor 111 Wellesley St, W. Toronto ON M7A 1A4  

We realize this is old school but Queens Park rules requires hard copy petitions. All ages can sign but you must live in Ontario.

2019.04.08_PetitionToEndDiscrimination (1)

The Real Wait List: Minister Macleod tells over 50,000 children with disabilities in Ontario to “wait their turn”

TORONTO, ONTARIO – April 2, 2019– The Ontario Disability Coalition is dismayed at Minister Macleod and Minister Elliot’s announcement today that the needs of anywhere from 50,000  with disabilities in Ontario will not be addressed until the Government finalizes its Ontario Autism Program.

“The Government of Ontario’s continuing practice and policy of putting the needs of children with one type of disability, over the needs of every other child with a disability, is discrimination.  No child should be forced to wait their turn for life-altering therapies while the government continues to limit their focus to only one diagnosis”, says Sherry Caldwell, Co-Founder of the Ontario Disability Coalition.

The Ontario Disability Coalition will continue to advocate for the needs and rights of all individuals with disabilities in the Province of Ontario until the Government ends its policy of discrimination.

The time is now.

About the Ontario Disability Coalition

The Ontario Disability Coalition was founded to address and redress the ongoing and proactive discrimination of the Government of Ontario against persons with disabilities. It is a grassroots organization, comprised of thousands of concerned parents, caregivers, and persons living with disabilities in Ontario. We represent all disabilities, including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, FASD, Rett Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Visual Impairments, Hearing Impaired, Chromosomal Abnormalities, and many other rare and unique disabilities.

MEDIA CONTACT:

For more information, please contact:

Sherry Caldwell, Co-Founder
Ontario Disability Coalition
Tel: (416) 903-5067

Email: sherry_caldwell@icloud.com
@ODCoaltion