I rise today to draw the attention of all members of this House to the plight that will be faced by the residents of Rideau Regional Centre and their families when that Smiths Falls facility is closed
I have received petitions from the families of RRC residents, and each petition is accompanied by the story of an individual for whom RRC has been home. One constituent wrote that their son will be moved out of RRC in September 2006. This man has lived at RRC for 45 years. Another letter from a widower and a veteran says that his son will be moved out of the centre which has been his home for 50 years.
Many of these elderly parents can’t physically care for their adult children themselves, and they are afraid that the move from RRC will hurt their children both physically and emotionally. These people are frightened about what will happen to their severely disabled adult children, and they have petitioned this Legislature to keep Rideau Regional Centre open.
I will be introducing petitions
containing 6,500 signatures. I trust that members of this House, and
particularly the Minister of Community and Social Services, will heed this cry
for help from the friends and family of some of Ontario’s most vulnerable
citizens.