Letter to Ministers

Letter to Ministers

The Honourable Elizabeth Witmer,

Minster of Health,

Queen’s Park,

Toronto, Ontario.

The Honourable John Baird,

Minster of Community and Social Services,

Queen’s Park,

Toronto, Ontario.

April 10, 2000

Dear Ministers Witmer and Baird,

The Kingston Health Coalition, a coalition of community and labour groups in Kingston and district, recently considered the situation of Robert and Kathleen Sceviour. They have contacted your ministries on a couple occasions for help.

We feel that the Sceviour’s raise a serious problem in service provision that needs to be addressed. They have made the decision to try and keep Kathleen at home and Mr. Sceviour is using his time to provide the bulk of the care. In this circumstance Kathleen’s quality of life is enhanced, a family stays together, and the system is saving money; yet these advantages are threatened by the Governments refusal to provide extra assistance that is available to families with disabled children.

It is not reasonable that Kathleen not be able to obtain dentures, that Robert and Kathleen must rely on food banks, and that there are no resources to cover the costs of going to appointments and rehabilitation. It is a shame that in our province a family that has ben hit by tragedy should be left in such circumstances.

We urge you take a second look at the situation of the Sceviour’s and find the resources needed to help them. We also urge you to examine the whole question of in home support for people who are severely disabled adults with families that want them at home. This is a humane and reasonable goal, one that should be central to our provision of health care and social support.