For Immediate Release
May 3, 2006

Sterling criticizes paper, calls on Minister to meet RRCA

Queen’s Park, Toronto – Today in the Ontario Legislature Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling told Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur why her consultation paper on the future of services for the developmentally disabled fails the residents of Rideau Regional Centre and its sister facilities.  Mr. Sterling ended his statement by again calling on the Minister to meet with the Rideau Regional Centre Association which represents the families of residents.

“This paper does not address the day-to-day needs of Ontario ’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Mr. Sterling.  “Much of the paper is based on the assumption that the severely developmentally disabled individuals living in these facilities have someone who is willing and able to advocate on their behalf and arrange for any services they will require to live outside of the centres.” 

“The Minister says this is a consultation paper and says she wants to hear from stakeholders, but she has yet to respond to the RRCA’s request for a meeting,” said Mr. Sterling.  “These families and their developmentally disabled loved ones are the stakeholders.  The Minister told the Legislature on Monday that she would be visiting Rideau Regional Centre on Friday, she’ll be in Smiths Falls , but she has not agreed to meet with the families.”   

RRC houses approximately 400 severely developmentally disabled adults, many of whom have lived there for forty years or more.  Former Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello announced on September 9, 2004 that this facility and two others would close permanently in 2009.  Despite heart-wrenching letters and petitions from family members of the residents and questions from Mr. Sterling and other opposition members, the McGuinty government refuses to reconsider this decision.

The consultation paper, entitled “Opportunities and Action” is available on the Ministry of Community and Social Services Web site at www.mcss.gov.on.ca.  Comments will be received until June 30, 2006.

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For more information, please call Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling at: (416) 314-7900