Just a quick blog to update you on the impact your letters are having.
We have received confirmation that FASD Awareness Day at Queen's Park is happening Wed. April 11 where all 115 MPP's are invited for a lunch and hear presentations from FASD individuals and organizations from the Education, Research, Health, Justice and Social Services sectors. It is also normal to have MPP's invite particular presenters to their offices for further discussion during this day. A big thank you to Steve Catney of Alliance Youth Services and Dr. James Reynolds of Kids Brain Health Network for providing all necessary funds to make this day happen.
We also received confirmation that Mark and Savanna from Hamilton and Mary Ann from Halton were able to get a face to face meeting with Education Minister Naidoo-Harris. However, it was supposed to happen today but got postponed likely due to yesterday's bombshell from the PC party.
We also got confirmation a local Ottawa FASD delegation also got a face to face meeting with House Leader Yasir Navqi to talk about Bill 191 and advocate for its scheduling.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa has also extended at least two invitations to FASD reps regarding 2018 Budget consultations which is happening next week.
MPP Kiwala is currently lobbying Education Minister Naidoo-Harris to appoint a FASD rep on the Ministry's Advisory Council for Special Education. She has received an application for this appointment. MASCE is the provincial council who speaks directly to the Education Minister three times a year. An appointment on this council guarantees a seat for a minimum three years and maximum six years for that person. However, if FASD becomes recognized as its own unique exceptionality, that seat becomes permanent. And it doesn't matter if the Minister changes or even the party. That FASD rep remains and continues to advise.
This was brought to my attention due to the fact Assistant Deputy Minister Martyn Beckett from the Ministry of Education is collecting contact information from FASD sources in case Bill 191 does pass. He would normally speak to the FASD rep from MASCE but he doesn't have anyone to speak to there.
And finally, the letter from the Catholic School Board of Eastern Ontario supporting Bill 191 should be sent next weekend to all provincial SEAC's, Catholic trustees, and every school in that school board.
There has now been 1187 downloads of the template letter. The message is getting out and we are now getting replies from MPP's all over the province. Keep up the good fight, we are definitely making progress!
Friday 26 January 2018
Saturday 20 January 2018
Impact of Cabinet Shuffle with new Education Minister Naidoo-Harris
I know there has been lots of discussion this week about the impact of having MPP Hunter and MPP Naidoo-Harris moved to new portfolios. If you haven't heard, Ms. Wynne shuffled her cabinet this past Wed., moving MPP Hunter from Education to Advanced Education and Skills Development and promoting MPP Naidoo-Harris to Education Minister.
Regardless, this is actually a great opportunity for us. Within the Ministry of Education, there are actually three MPP's. MPP Naidoo-Harris from Halton is now the head Minister and she is on record as being in support of FASD. “The Halton Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Collaborative provides important support for many Halton families facing challenges in their lives. This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will help them expand their vital services and take care of the unique needs of local children and families affected by FASD. I’m so pleased our FASD community is getting this help.” – Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP for Halton. Our friends in Halton are all over this and banging on doors as I speak.
Second, MPP Harris is still in the Ministry and MPP Granville Anderson is actually the parliamentary assistant in the ministry. The Deputy Minister Bruce Rodrigues, who all the letters actually go to, is still there. While I am trying to confirm, I have heard there is an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education who has been tasked by DM Rodrigues to start drafting policy in preparation of Bill 191 possibly passing. The other good part is Minister Hunter is now in charge of adult job skills and training including employment training and supports, apprenticeships, and colleges. We know how difficult it is for our adult children to maintain employment. Minister Hunter now has that portfolio.
We just passed 1000 downloads of the template letter and you may have seen from my last blog that the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is now sending a letter of support for Bill 191 and encouraging all school boards, SEACs, Catholic Trustees and local MPP's to also support the bill.
If you are up for another letter, I have changed the first paragraph of the template letter to have it addressed to Minister Naidoo-Harris. I have changed the access to it. To access it, please go to file/make a copy. Once you make a copy, copy and paste the first paragraph and put it on your Minister Hunter letter. You can also download the letter onto your computer from file/download as/docx. You should save a copy of your letter on your computer. We will likely be using it a few times over the next few months.
Due to the fact the bill has passed first reading with unanimous assent and conversations are happening in the Ministry of Education, our biggest obstacle now is getting it on the docket for second and third reading. The scheduling of the docket is determined ultimately by House Leader, the Honourable Yasir Navqi in consultation with Opposition House Leader Jim Wilson and Third Party House Leader Gilles Bisson.
We need to get louder now and make it clear we see this as an election issue. Please send it to the four following people:
inaidoo-harris.mpp.co@liberal.
ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org
jim.wilson@pc.ola.org
gbisson@ndp.on.ca
as well as your local MPP. This is really important as we now have voices coming from about 80% of the province now. If 80% of all our MPP's know we are serious, we will get this done.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GP6KCkCHg5SKb-UeatK9OV8pwklEuwFsD5UWmcY4tyI/edit
Regardless, this is actually a great opportunity for us. Within the Ministry of Education, there are actually three MPP's. MPP Naidoo-Harris from Halton is now the head Minister and she is on record as being in support of FASD. “The Halton Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Collaborative provides important support for many Halton families facing challenges in their lives. This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will help them expand their vital services and take care of the unique needs of local children and families affected by FASD. I’m so pleased our FASD community is getting this help.” – Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP for Halton. Our friends in Halton are all over this and banging on doors as I speak.
Second, MPP Harris is still in the Ministry and MPP Granville Anderson is actually the parliamentary assistant in the ministry. The Deputy Minister Bruce Rodrigues, who all the letters actually go to, is still there. While I am trying to confirm, I have heard there is an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education who has been tasked by DM Rodrigues to start drafting policy in preparation of Bill 191 possibly passing. The other good part is Minister Hunter is now in charge of adult job skills and training including employment training and supports, apprenticeships, and colleges. We know how difficult it is for our adult children to maintain employment. Minister Hunter now has that portfolio.
We just passed 1000 downloads of the template letter and you may have seen from my last blog that the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is now sending a letter of support for Bill 191 and encouraging all school boards, SEACs, Catholic Trustees and local MPP's to also support the bill.
If you are up for another letter, I have changed the first paragraph of the template letter to have it addressed to Minister Naidoo-Harris. I have changed the access to it. To access it, please go to file/make a copy. Once you make a copy, copy and paste the first paragraph and put it on your Minister Hunter letter. You can also download the letter onto your computer from file/download as/docx. You should save a copy of your letter on your computer. We will likely be using it a few times over the next few months.
Due to the fact the bill has passed first reading with unanimous assent and conversations are happening in the Ministry of Education, our biggest obstacle now is getting it on the docket for second and third reading. The scheduling of the docket is determined ultimately by House Leader, the Honourable Yasir Navqi in consultation with Opposition House Leader Jim Wilson and Third Party House Leader Gilles Bisson.
We need to get louder now and make it clear we see this as an election issue. Please send it to the four following people:
inaidoo-harris.mpp.co@liberal.
ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org
jim.wilson@pc.ola.org
gbisson@ndp.on.ca
as well as your local MPP. This is really important as we now have voices coming from about 80% of the province now. If 80% of all our MPP's know we are serious, we will get this done.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GP6KCkCHg5SKb-UeatK9OV8pwklEuwFsD5UWmcY4tyI/edit
Tuesday 16 January 2018
CDSBEO Board of Trustees passes motion supporting Bill 191
Tonight, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario passed unanimously the following motion brought by Trustee and SEAC Chair Sue Wilson.
We, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, move that a letter signed by the SEAC Chair Sue Wilson and the Board Chair Todd Lalonde be sent to Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris encouraging her to bring Bill 191 forward for a second and third reading as soon as possible which would amend the Education Act to require Ontario School Boards to promote awareness and understanding of FASD including best practices for students impacted by FASD and facilitate collaboration with local parents and FASD Support Groups in the undertaking of this promotion.
We also move that this letter be sent to all provincial Special Education Advisory Committees, the Ontario Catholic School Trustee Association and the Ministry's Advisory Council on Special Education.
Then as an amendment, it was moved the letter be sent to all MPP's whose ridings are contained within the CDSBEO catchment.
In the following discussion, CDSBEO Trustee chair and Ontario Catholic Trustee Association Regional Director Todd Lalonde http://www.ocsta.on.ca/ocsta-board-of-directors/ also stated that he will be meeting with the OCSTA Board of Directors this coming Friday and will begin a discussion involving it.
The letter will be written in the next two weeks by Superintendent of School Effectiveness for Special Education Dr. Donaleen Hawes and then brought forth to the CDSBEO SEAC meeting on Jan. 31 before being sent to the aforementioned organizations and people as well as all schools in the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
We, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, move that a letter signed by the SEAC Chair Sue Wilson and the Board Chair Todd Lalonde be sent to Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris encouraging her to bring Bill 191 forward for a second and third reading as soon as possible which would amend the Education Act to require Ontario School Boards to promote awareness and understanding of FASD including best practices for students impacted by FASD and facilitate collaboration with local parents and FASD Support Groups in the undertaking of this promotion.
We also move that this letter be sent to all provincial Special Education Advisory Committees, the Ontario Catholic School Trustee Association and the Ministry's Advisory Council on Special Education.
Then as an amendment, it was moved the letter be sent to all MPP's whose ridings are contained within the CDSBEO catchment.
In the following discussion, CDSBEO Trustee chair and Ontario Catholic Trustee Association Regional Director Todd Lalonde http://www.ocsta.on.ca/ocsta-board-of-directors/ also stated that he will be meeting with the OCSTA Board of Directors this coming Friday and will begin a discussion involving it.
The letter will be written in the next two weeks by Superintendent of School Effectiveness for Special Education Dr. Donaleen Hawes and then brought forth to the CDSBEO SEAC meeting on Jan. 31 before being sent to the aforementioned organizations and people as well as all schools in the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
In the following discussions, the letter will now be sent to Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris. I know there is currently discussion about what the latest cabinet shuffle means for Bill 191. Our new Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris is on record as being in support of the work the Halton FASD is currently doing. “The Halton Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Collaborative provides important support for many Halton families facing challenges in their lives. This Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will help them expand their vital services and take care of the unique needs of local children and families affected by FASD. I’m so pleased our FASD community is getting this help.” – Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP for Halton http://haltonfasd.ca/ When you consider that MPP Hunter, MPP Granville Anderson and now MPP Naidoo-Harris are still with the Ministry of Education, Bill 191 is not dead.
Saturday 6 January 2018
Template letter for Education Minister Hunter
As you are likely aware Bill 191 has currently been tabled and waiting for second and third reading. Bill 191 would amend the Education Act to have Ontario school boards develop a strategy on how to help students impacted by FASD.
It is important to understand why it has been tabled, though. MPP Kiwala, as a backbencher does not have any more opportunities to have this bill read. It requires a cabinet minister to do so. The most likely minister is Education Minister Hunter who has informally shown support for the bill. However, it is clear our current government is not currently willing to mandate FASD as a priority issue due to the fact all cabinet ministers removed themselves for the FASD motion vote so not to show support on behalf of the current government.
When the election writ is dropped in the next few months, all bills waiting readings will be gone and so Bill 191 will disappear.
We need to speak as one voice from all parts of the province this is not acceptable. Even if Bill 191 doesn't impact you directly, as long as this government refuses to mandate any legislature related to FASD, they will not look at any supports in any ministry. This Bill is our opportunity to state that the next government needs to make FASD a priority.
We know what kind of power a personal story has. We got 26 million dollars over 4 years due to the power of the stories you shared with MPP Granville Anderson. We need to share those stories again with Minister Hunter.
To this end, I would encourage you to use the following template and send a letter to the following MPP's. Please complete the letter and send it to
mhunter.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
amajetic@liberal.ola.org from MPP Kiwala's office
and your local MPP
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l5lKwVU1w590bVnO3KCKuJd7z3X84lqWyMRAehz9vP4/edit?usp=sharing
It is important to understand why it has been tabled, though. MPP Kiwala, as a backbencher does not have any more opportunities to have this bill read. It requires a cabinet minister to do so. The most likely minister is Education Minister Hunter who has informally shown support for the bill. However, it is clear our current government is not currently willing to mandate FASD as a priority issue due to the fact all cabinet ministers removed themselves for the FASD motion vote so not to show support on behalf of the current government.
When the election writ is dropped in the next few months, all bills waiting readings will be gone and so Bill 191 will disappear.
We need to speak as one voice from all parts of the province this is not acceptable. Even if Bill 191 doesn't impact you directly, as long as this government refuses to mandate any legislature related to FASD, they will not look at any supports in any ministry. This Bill is our opportunity to state that the next government needs to make FASD a priority.
We know what kind of power a personal story has. We got 26 million dollars over 4 years due to the power of the stories you shared with MPP Granville Anderson. We need to share those stories again with Minister Hunter.
To this end, I would encourage you to use the following template and send a letter to the following MPP's. Please complete the letter and send it to
mhunter.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
amajetic@liberal.ola.org from MPP Kiwala's office
and your local MPP
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l5lKwVU1w590bVnO3KCKuJd7z3X84lqWyMRAehz9vP4/edit?usp=sharing
Friday 5 January 2018
Sky presents to the Ottawa FASD Group
This past Wed. night, my daughter Sky presented publicly for the first time ever to the entire Ottawa FASD Group. They had helped sponsor her trip to the Royal Winter Fair and she shared with them her experience. She spoke for 45 minutes, answered questions independently, demonstrated her knowledge about showing a cow, and handled herself extremely well despite some surprises involving the presentation.
To see the presentation, please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVti5G0iO4, I do apologize for the quality of the video, we needed to dim the lights for Sky to do this presentation.
For the entire presentation including my piece afterwards where I speak about strategies for managing anxiety and executive functioning challenges and my experience at Queen's Park on Dec. 14, please go to https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BXF968VZw_jmiiohFWzpEasMOqrvQpazwaBghcXgJDk/edit?usp=sharing
To see the presentation, please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVti5G0iO4, I do apologize for the quality of the video, we needed to dim the lights for Sky to do this presentation.
For the entire presentation including my piece afterwards where I speak about strategies for managing anxiety and executive functioning challenges and my experience at Queen's Park on Dec. 14, please go to https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BXF968VZw_jmiiohFWzpEasMOqrvQpazwaBghcXgJDk/edit?usp=sharing
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