For Immediate Release
February 15, 2006

Sterling questions Minister about response to court direction

Calls for assistance for families who go to court to protect RRC residents

Queen’s Park, Toronto – Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling asked Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello how exactly she has changed her Ministry’s transfer policy in light of the decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

On January 26, 2006, the court declared that while the Minister has the authority to close Rideau Regional Centre and Huronia Regional Centre, residents cannot be moved unless they or their families consent to the facility to which they will be moved. 

“While the Minister has continually claimed that families have been involved in the decision-making process, that is not what I have heard from families,” said Mr. Sterling.  “I wanted to hear from her what she has done to comply with the court ruling but, as is often the case, Minister Pupatello would not answer that question.”

The court also established that if the Ministry and the family could not agree on accommodations for the resident, the court would arbitrate, giving families the opportunity to appeal Ministry decisions to an independent third party. 

“Since taking their case to the courts could impose a great financial burden on a family, I also asked that the Minister reimburse families who feel they must take their case to court in order to ensure their loved ones get all the care and supports they require,” said Sterling.  “The Minister has all the resources of her Ministry so it is only fair that the families have access to legal council and expert assessments without undue financial hardship.”  

In response Minister Pupatello restated her contention that no residents have been moved without family consent and ignored the issue of reimbursing families for legal and assessment costs.

Rideau Regional Centre, Huronia Regional Centre and Southwestern Regional Centre house approximately 1,000 of Ontario’s most severely developmentally disabled adults, most of whom have lived in these facilities for more than 30 years.  In September 2004, Minister Pupatello announced that the McGuinty Government would be closing the facilities by 2009.

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