Frank Klees, MPP continues to advocate for autism funding. December 13, 2005

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): Forgive me for being cynical about the education minister's grand announcement today that threatens students under the age of 18 with being stripped of their driver's licence and imposes fines of up to $1,000 on students and parents for truancy or dropping out of school. This is the same education minister developing this hare-brained idea and, no doubt, he'll find the money to fund a system of enforcing stripping of driver's licences and fines. This is the same education minister who cannot find the resources or the time to provide the necessary supports to autistic children in this province who need to learn, who deserve to have the support network in place, and whose parents want them to have that opportunity. This is the same minister who comes forward to this House with this idea that is so counter-productive, will never work, will never be enforceable, is absolutely impractical, and he has turned his back on autistic children, refuses to meet their needs and, in fact, is challenging a court order that orders him to supply education services to these children. It's a shameful day in this Legislature.