Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Straight thoughts 132

April 5, 2005

Premier Dalton McGuinty is grappling with another broken promise. Before the elections he personally wrote to some of the families with autistic children saying that in his opinion it was unfair for the government to stop paying for their treatment at age six. He promised to end that practice.

Ontario Superior Court justice Frances Kiteley recently agreed with pre-election McGuinty. However, post-election McGuinty is now spending our money to challenge that court decision and, without even taking another breath, he is arguing that the government has no funds to further support these families.

McGuinty had several options, such as: To extend the treatment period for another couple of years, to the cost of about $8Million or to contribute 50% towards their treatment to age 10, for approximately the same amount. He could have said that because of low finances and unexpected "realities of government" he could only contribute a small percentage for a few more years.

All of the above would have been a moral response. A response from a man who is trying to safeguard his integrity.

He instead "went to court in order to break his promise". This is a response of a man who has no integrity left to defend.

Does he not even realize the damaging effect on him and his government of a decision affecting handicapped children and financially stressed families?

The response of the Catholic, compassionate McGuinty as we knew him before he engaged in the last election, is for him to stop financing the abortion industry in Ontario. He could help reduce the abortion rate in Canada and at the same time could finance the treatment for older children suffering with autism.

No comments: