On Tuesday, December 3, a delegation of development services activists will mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities by holding a rally and ‘Speak Out’ at the constituency office of the Minister of Community and Social Services, Ted McMeekin, MPP.
Program cutbacks and long waiting lists threaten quality of life for adults with developmental disabilities, say Developmental Services Workers (DSWs), the individuals they support and their family members.
Media are invited to hear the experiences of the families of adults with developmental disabilities at Tuesday’s ‘Speak Out’ organized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
Who: Developmental services workers, supported adults with developmental disabilities, their families, and disabilities rights activists
What: A ‘Speak Out’ against waiting lists, programs cuts and reductions in services for individuals with developmental disabilities
When: International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Tuesday, December 3 at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Constituency Office of Ted McMeekin, Minister of Community and Social Services and MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, 299 Dundas Street East, Waterdown, Ontario, L0R 2H0
Media are invited to the rally to hear directly from families affected by underfunding in the Developmental Services Sector:
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Jeannie: retired mother of 27-year-old Shaunna, who has physical and intellectual disabilities. Jeannie has been searching for three years for a suitable residential home for Shaunna.
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Wayne: older brother of Paul, 54, who has Down’s syndrome and has lived in a group home for many years. Wayne attributes Paul’s situation to his age – services were available for Paul when he needed them, before cutbacks and underfunding affected Ontario’s Developmental Services.
- Mark: his sister, Sharon is 52 years old. She was on a waiting list for two years before going to live in a residential home. Mark is concerned about layoffs and high staff turnover that create disruption for Sharon and her fellow residents.
For more information, please contact:
Mary Unan, Communications Representative, 905-739-3999, Ext. 240 or 416-579-9701 (Cell)