Some five weeks after a B次元官网网址渄isrespectfulB次元官网网址� incident in the B.C. Legislature, B.C. Autism Advocacy is still waiting for an apology from Nicholas Simons, minister of social development and poverty reduction, and premier John Horgan.
The organizationB次元官网网址檚 Elena Lawson said that, in the March 28 incident, Simons (MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast) reacted to comments by Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford B次元官网网址� who was speaking on behalf on children and youth in B.C. with autism B次元官网网址� with a dismissive, mock-crying gesture.
In a letter to Horgan on March 23, B.C. Autism Advocacy said SimonsB次元官网网址� actions were B次元官网网址渃ompletely unacceptable, and disregard the stress and uncertainty families feel with the autism funding changes.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭o use a B次元官网网址榗rying hand gestureB次元官网网址� is disrespectful and we do not condone this behaviour,B次元官网网址� continued the letter, which was copied to Simons, Halford, who is opposition critic for education, children, family development and childcare, and Karin Kirkpatrick, leader of the opposition.
But, as of Thursday, B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檝e not received and comment from (Simons) or the premier,B次元官网网址� Lawson said.
B次元官网网址淭his shows disrespect on so many levels,B次元官网网址� she added.
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In a letter to Peace Arch B次元官网网址, published on April 7, Surrey reader Louise Witt, parent of a teenager with autism and an intellectual disability, wrote that she was B次元官网网址渕ore than offended by this immature, hurtful display,B次元官网网址� and wondered how SimonsB次元官网网址� Powell River-Sunshine Coast constituents felt about it.
B次元官网网址淩ather than keep a successful program that has been operating for 20 years, the NDP government is taking away individualized funding for children and replacing it with a B次元官网网址榦ne-size-fits-allB次元官网网址� program that is is doomed to fail all disability groups,B次元官网网址� she wrote.
Halford told Peace Arch B次元官网网址 that, prior to the incident, he had been B次元官网网址渟peaking directly to the NDPB次元官网网址檚 decisionB次元官网网址� to move away from the individualized funding approach.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something IB次元官网网址檓 quite passionate about,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to affect a lot of people in this community. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to have a massive impact.B次元官网网址�
Simons, he said, B次元官网网址渟aw a good opportunity to heckle me while I was speaking.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 did push back B次元官网网址� I asked him if he had something to say, and if he did, would he stand up and say it. It just goes to show the lack of empathy and understanding the NDP has for this issue.B次元官网网址�
Halford said it was also question from him B次元官网网址� on what the government proposed to do about the shortage of family doctors in the province B次元官网网址� that precipitated Premier John HorganB次元官网网址檚 infamous B次元官网网址榝-bombB次元官网网址� during question period on April 25.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sorry if IB次元官网网址檓 asking questions that are inconvenient for the government,B次元官网网址� Halford said.
B次元官网网址淏ut thatB次元官网网址檚 my job. They have to be accountable to people in my riding. They can swear at me, they can mock me, but they will not stop me.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day we deserve better and our constituents deserve better,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檓 going to fight for.B次元官网网址�
Halford acknowledged that Simons appeared to mutter something to the effect that that he B次元官网网址渨ithdrew his commentB次元官网网址� after the incident on March 28.
But Lawson noted that it hardly added up to the formal apology that B.C. Autism Advocacy is requesting.
Lawson also noted the speed with which Horgan apologized for his outburst at Halford.
B次元官网网址淏ut heB次元官网网址檚 not holding his cabinet ministers to the same standard,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he fact that itB次元官网网址檚 been five weeks without comment, shows how much they really care about autism.B次元官网网址�
PAN has reached out to SimonsB次元官网网址� office for comment.
alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
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