SooToday received the following statement from Lisa M. Vezeau-Allen, in regards to the challenges faced by families with neurodiverse members:
The United Nations General Assembly designated April 2 in 2007 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), to emphasize the necessary and needed advocacy work for fundamental rights and freedoms for our neurodiverse individuals.
As a parent of a young neurodivergent adult and the founder of social enterprises that employ multiple folks with various barriers, I know and live firsthand the challenges and roadblocks many families and individuals face.
I was the NDP candidate in my community of Sault Ste. Marie in this most recent provincial election and at an open debate focused on steelworkers and the local economy a mother attended - not to discuss the pending tariffs, but how the province and our country is failing her child. She needed that forum to clearly and bravely share with a room full of strangers her family's consistent struggles and long wait for services and therapies.
The Ontario Disability Support Plan (max $1368 month) and the incoming Canada Disability Benefit rolling out in July of this year (max $200 month) will give adult individuals a total income of $18,816.00 annually, this is a failure in our social network support systems. Persons with disabilities should not be condemned to a life of systemic and long term poverty.
The Ontario poverty line based on the Market Basket Measure (MBM) is $27,631 annually. Even adding on the shelter allowance of $582 monthly for a single individual - the governmental benefits keep those individuals at the poverty threshold.
From parents and caregivers needing services to adults facing limited support and prospects, we will still acknowledge and celebrate on April 2, but this is not enough.
All levels of government need to step up and understand the impact of a lack of accountability and investment has done to negatively affect individuals' potential; as per the United Nations WAAD statement all autistic individuals will have equal participation in society.
In light of this reality where people are being forced into legislative poverty by a government that continues to neglect them, I remain steadfast and committed to showing up to the fight.
Lisa M. Vezeau-Allen,
Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.