ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L'ONTARIO

Tuesday 25 April 2006 Mardi 25 avril 2006

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): Yesterday, parents from across Ontario descended on Parliament Hill, calling on the federal and provincial governments to include autism treatment as a publicly funded service. It is disappointing that neither the Premier, who made a promise to the families of autistic children that would have extended autism treatment beyond age six, nor the Minister of Health Promotion -- who both, ironically, live in the nation's capital -- was there. That's because families, advocates and autistic kids had to go to the federal government because this McGuinty government has broken yet another of its campaign promises. Unfortunately, this promise is to young, vulnerable children and their parents.

I rise today to ask this Liberal government: Why make a promise to a child with autism and then not make good on it?