NDP MPP Claims Gov’t. Using Legal System As A Weapon Over Autism
Posted March 13, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The law is supposed to protect the innocent.
But if you believe the New Democrats, it’s being used for a far more nefarious purpose by the McGuinty government.
The Liberals have been embroiled in a major battle for years with the families of autistic children. Autism is a syndrome that causes kids to be non-communicative and display other behavioural problems that prevents them from relating to the world around them.
The only treatment that’s really been found to work – intensive one-on-one behavioural therapy – is expensive. It can cost as much as $60-70,000 a year:
But the government has only been willing to pay for it until children suffering from the syndrome turn six years old.
Many parents have sued over being denied funding after the deadline, and the government has met every challenge in court.
But when NDP critic Shelly Martel tried to find out how much those battles are costing taxpayers, she claims she ran into a red-tape covered brick wall.
The Attorney General’s Office has now named Martel and the Information and Privacy Commissioner as part of a judicial review, which Martel claims is to try and stop her inquiries.
“For three years I tried to get access to information which I think should be in the public domain,” she maintains.
“After all, we are talking about taxpayers’ money and how it has been spent …
“It is clear the Liberals are prepared to do whatever it takes to prevent this information from coming out, even to pursue litigation against an MPP in the hope that I will give up and go away.”
Frank Addario is Martel’s lawyer.
“What drives people crazy about dealing with government [is] having to pry it from the government as if it belonged to the government as opposed to you and I,” he explains.
Queen’s Park’s refusal comes even though the Privacy Commissioner ordered the figures released.
The Liberals claim public schools can handle the situation after a child turns six and there’s no reason to pay.
But parents deny regular institutions can provide the necessary teaching to give their kids even a shot at a normal life and they’re left to bear the burden for themselves.
Some have been forced to pack up and leave Ontario for Alberta, where the coverage they need is provided.
