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AUTISM
Klees: Parents Won't Forget Broken Promise to children with Autism July 10, 2007 ( Richmond Hill ) MPP Frank Klees, the PC Education Critic, called today's announcement by the McGuinty government to provide funding for autism summer kids' camps " too little too late." Klees also questioned the timing of the announcement which came on the very day that the Richmond Hill Kids Camp opened for the summer. details Three Party Political Debate on Autism Policies in Ontario The Alliance for Families with Autism are Hosting a Political Debate Monday June 4th at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel, Richmond Hill doors open at 6:30PM amd debate begins at 7PM Details of event click here. MPPs participating in the political debate are: Watch Video: Frank Klees, speaks at Autism Rally
February 23, 2007 For Immediate Release KLEES : NEW TORY PLAN TO HELP CHILDREN WITH AUTISM Focuses on eliminating wait list, respecting parents and supporting children (Queen's Park) Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees, the PC Education and Citizenship & Immigration Critic today joined with PC Party Leader John Tory in announcing a plan to help children with autism and their parents obtain the services they need. "Autism is not just a challenge for individual children, but for entire families," said Klees. "Right now, the parents of more than 1,200 children under the age of six with autism are feeling abandoned. Their children languish on a growing waiting list for vital treatments that have been proven to work." Tory released the PC Party Autism Policy at Children at Risk, Ottawa , an organization that provides training and support to families with children who are diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum Disorders. The plan, that would cost an additional $75 million annually and would be implemented after the October election, has several elements, including:
"I welcome the timely leadership of John Tory on this issue," Klees said. "This plan details specifically and precisely how a John Tory government will succeed on behalf of families with children with autism where the McGuinty Liberals have failed." Klees has been actively advocating on behalf of autistic children and their parents in his role as PC Education Critic, and played a key role in developing the Tory plan. He has repeatedly raised the issue in the Legislature and has condemned Dalton McGuinty for breaking his promise to act on behalf of parents of autistic children. www.frank-klees.on.ca see "Children's Services". "Parents of children with autism are tired of unfulfilled promises," said Klees. "They want to be able to rely on real leadership, the kind of leadership that will provide them with the supports and programs their children need today." "Today's announcement marks a turning point for autistic children in the province of Ontario and I am proud to stand with my leader, John Tory, in letting their parents know that we have listened to their concerns and that we will be taking the determined steps to ensure they receive the help they require and deserve!" -30- Attached For further information Frank Klees, MPP 416-325-7316 MEDIA ADVISORY January 29, 2007
P.C. Education Critic Frank Klees, MPP for Oak Ridges, will be in Sudbury , Ontario today to meet with parents of autistic children and with representatives of the Rainbow District School Board to discuss Special Education issues regarding children with autism.
Among those Mr. Klees will meet with are: Jean Hanson, Director of Education, Norm Blaseg, Superintendent of Special Education, Rita Della Vedova, Principal of Special Education and Brenda Dumontelle, Special Needs Training and Program Office.
Mr. Klees will next visit a number of Sudbury schools. October 6, 2006 Frank Klees will be attending the opening of their new office 324 Highway 7 East Suite 101 Richmond Hill The Ontario Trillium Foundation will present a grant for $152,600.00 over three years to improve services in York Region to Chinese-Canadian children with developmental disabilities. Advocating for Autism Services in Legislature first piece of business in the fall 2006 See press release September 26, 2006 "The one Provincial Politician who did respond and has kept us up to date as to what is going on at the Provincial table (re: Autism) is: Frank Klees MPP of Richmond Hill, Ont. We would like to thank him and his staff for all their efforts to keep Autism on the Provincial Governments table and keeping us informed." Dennis and Wendy Lendrum August 16, 2006 Letter to the Editor
The following is an excerpt from Ontario Hansard Record June 12, 2006 The debate is on Bill 52 Education Statue Law amendment Act (Learning to age 18), 2006 Frank Klees, MPP Oak Ridges There are many parents who are observing this debate, and they're asking, "If you're going to follow through on this promise, why are you not following through on the promise you made to autistic children and their families that the government, that Mr. McGuinty, when he became Premier, would extend funding for autistic children and give them the same fair and equal opportunity to learn and to develop life skills as any other student in the province?" Why be so selective? Why come forward with this legislation that is, without question, very, very conflicting in terms of the support, very controversial? Even the teachers' federations oppose this bill. They have been urging the government not to proceed, to rethink what they're doing here. I know of very few education stakeholders who support this legislation. So parents of autistic children, who are wrestling daily with the challenge of affording their children an equal opportunity for an education, are asking the question of this Premier, of the Minister of Education, why? Why take legislative time, why invest additional funds in a bill, in an initiative that, quite frankly, in the order of priority, when you consider that there are young children in this province who are struggling just to have the opportunity to learn language and speech, to communicate in the very basic fundamentals of how to carry on their lives -- this government is turning its back on them. Having made the promise, they're parading now with great fanfare the fact that they're willing to follow through with this bill. There would be those of us who would say the government should be brought to account for that, and I believe they will be. I believe, as people across the province get to know what this government truly is doing with education policy, they will come to understand that it's much less about serving the students and the parents of this province and ensuring that public education carries out the mandate of education and it's much more, in the mind of this government, to placate certain stakeholders, to placate certain interest groups, because it's in their political interest . The Kennedy Legacy April 5, 2006 Klees, "After two and half years, rather than delivering on his (Kennedy) promise to provide services to autistic children, this minister is fighting autistic children in the courts. Rather than improving services to Special Needs students, this minister presided over the clawing back of Special Needs funding from school boards across the province, and ..." more Frank Klees, MPP continues to advocate for autism funding. He made the following statement in the Ontario legislature today, December 13, 2005
Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): Forgive me for being cynical about the education minister's grand announcement today that threatens students under the age of 18 with being stripped of their driver's licence and imposes fines of up to $1,000 on students and parents for truancy or dropping out of school. This is the same education minister developing this hare-brained idea and, no doubt, he'll find the money to fund a system of enforcing stripping of driver's licences and fines. This is the same education minister who cannot find the resources or the time to provide the necessary supports to autistic children in this province who need to learn, who deserve to have the support network in place, and whose parents want them to have that opportunity. This is the same minister who comes forward to this House with this idea that is so counter-productive, will never work, will never be enforceable, is absolutely impractical, and he has turned his back on autistic children, refuses to meet their needs and, in fact, is challenging a court order that orders him to supply education services to these children. It's a shameful day in this Legislature.
Families across the province gathered in front of the Legislature today December 5, 2005 to send the Premier a message. Once again Mr. Klees has asked the Premier to keep his promise. The following is the Hansard record of the question and the Premier's response. Frank Klees made the following statement in the legislature November 3rd 2005 regarding Autism services In the closing moments I have available to me, I want to shift focus to another group of children in this province who I believe are being neglected and who I believe this government has turned its back on. I have done a great deal of work over the last number of months with parents of autistic children. Along with my colleague Julia Munro, I travelled to Michigan and we visited a school there in Marysville. This is a school that, quite frankly, I think we should be looking at in this province as an example of what can be done for children with multiple disabilities and challenges. more... Klees presents PETITION on behalf of thousands of parents October 18, 2005 click here Klees Joins Autism Awareness Rally Sept 19 click here The Liberal articles by Chris Traber Autistic children being 'sacrificed' Sept 20/05 click here Parents Rally for Autism Funding Sept 15/05 click here Education Funding and Autism in the Provincial Budget Klees, May 17, 2005 Statement Frank Klees advocates for treatment for Autism: Question to the Premier May 2, 2005 Klees Calls On Premier to Keep Autism Promise April 27, 2005 Klees:Premier's Judgement Morally Bankrupt April 21, 2005
Frank Klees made the following statements in the legislature: April 7, 2005 AUTISM SERVICES Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): Children and young people with autism and severe mental and physical disabilities brought together Christians and Jews at a historic event last night. Major General Doron Almog, former head of the Israeli Defence Force, south command, whose 21-year-old son, Eran, is autistic, characterized the event as a gathering of "the strongest for the weakest." The event, whose honorary chair, Gerry Schwartz, raised in excess of $400,000 in support of the Aleh Negev project in Israel where children and young adults with autism receive compassionate care and benefit from rehabilitation therapies. Present at the event was the Israeli Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Olmert, who praised supporters for demonstrating in such a tangible way that they care for the human needs of people. I was honoured to be in attendance at this event. I was inspired by the support for the Aleh Negev project and the generosity of the supporters. It was heartwarming to see what is being done for autistic children in Israel. But as a member of this Legislature, I also felt a sense of shame for our own province, because rather than forging similar coalitions and demonstrating political and moral leadership on behalf of autistic children, our Premier, Dalton McGuinty, and his government are refusing to provide even the basic care and therapies ordered by the Ontario Superior Court. I call on this Premier and this government to reassess their priorities.
April 6, 2005 AUTISM SERVICES Speaker, Dalton McGuinty made this unqualified promise to autistic children and their parents: "The Ontario Liberals support extending autism treatment beyond the age of six." That same Dalton McGuinty said, and I quote "I.believe that the lack of government-funded IBI treatment for autistic children over six is unfair and discriminatory." Those promises were made while Dalton McGuinty was scratching for votes in every corner of the province and behind every issue. So desperately did he want to be Premier, that no promise was with-held, and no issue was beyond his political ambition. He is Premier now, and while he and his ministers have the titles, the offices and the trappings of power, they have lost the respect, the trust and the confidence of the very people who entrusted them with leadership responsibilities. Speaker, integrity is about keeping your word, doing what is right and having the courage to face difficult issues head-on. This legislature and the people of Ontario have witnessed their Premier fail autistic children and their parents on all three counts. -He did not keep his word -He did not do what is right -And he did not even have the courage to face those with whom he broke faith. Choosing rather, to turn his back on those to whom he made commitments, and refusing to take responsibility, and deflecting any and all questions on this important issue to his ministers..who were equally as evasive. Speaker, the people of Ontario deserve better!
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Help for Children with Autism Ministry Policy Guidelines Notice - Non-application of age limit for program eligibility
Woodland Development Centre This facility was visited by Mr. Klees and MPP Julia Munro on Sept. 26, 2005 as part of their research into autism and special needs treatment. The visit to Woodlands was recommended by Susan and Dan Fentie, of Sarnia who are parents personally familiar with the challenges of autism. Links of further interest START STatewide Autism Resources & Training click here |
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