Posted By SHAWN JEFFORDS

Posted 2 hours ago

Local autism activists will take their plight to Sarnia-Lambton MPP Caroline Di Cocco’s front door this weekend.

Local parents upset with the McGuinty government’s treatment of
autistic children will march in front of Di Cocco’s London Road
campaign office at 11 a.m., one of seven demonstrations across the
province. They will be joined by at least two of her rivals in this
fall’s provincial vote, Conservative Bob Bailey and NDP candidate Barb
Millitt.

"What we’ve always been asking of (McGuinty) is do what you said
you’d do," said Ontario Autism Coalition co-founder Susan Fentie of
Bright’s Grove.

Fentie said before Dalton McGuinty was elected in 2003 he promised
the parents of autistic children that he would cut wait lists for
treatment for the brain disorder. Fentie said the wait lists remain
long and the government has been slow to act on dealing with the issue
of treatment in schools.

The Liberal campaign platform for this election includes provisions
to cut the wait for Intensive Behavoural Intervention (IBI) and have it
instituted in schools to help treat children.

"He’s promised this before," said Dan Fentie, also a co-founder of
the coalition. "We had it in writing. We’re not going to be fooled
again."

The protesters will be accompanied by eight "McGuintios", life-size
models of Premier Dalton McGuinty adorned with a broom-handle nose. The
coalition has raised the ire of the government with the caricatures
which liken the premier to the wooden puppet Pinocchio. "It would cost
every taxpayer $7.50 a year to cut the wait lists and put IBI in the
schools," Susan Fentie said. "It’s important they know the facts."

The group will also be accompanied by a TVOntario film crew who are
working on a documentary about the effects of autism on families. Local
parents are welcome to offer their experiences, said Fentie.

"Autism can take a terrible toll on families," she said. "It’s been hard on mine."