My message to #AutismProtest

I couldn’t be at the protest today, but they were kind enough to pass along this message from the crowd. Means a lot to me, given how much I wish I could have been there.

Hi folks,

Thank you for everything you’re doing today for the kids!

Wish I could be with you in person today, but my son needs me at home today. I am 100% with you in spirit.

I’d like to tell you all the ways the new OAP is going to hurt Ontario, but I can’t. I can’t, because the government, which claims to be so proud of this new program, won’t give us any details. Makes you wonder how proud they really are.

But even with what little scraps of information they’ve given us, we know this is going to hurt innocent kids.

It’s going to hurt them, because it doesn’t consider their needs.

It’s going to hurt them, because it doesn’t give them the funding they need for evidence-based therapy.

It’s going to hurt them, because it thinks their needs mostly end at age 5.

It’s going to hurt them, because the government has no plan to manage the transition.

It’s going to hurt them, because the government is pushing them into schools, without the resources they need.

It’s going to hurt them, because despite what they’re telling you, this is a funding cut.

We will get this policy changed. We have more at stake than they do, and the government has chosen to battle against a group of people who know how to sacrifice everything, know how to go without sleep, to help their kids. We will fight and we will win!