(Queen’s Park) – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop today criticized Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello for paying an emergency visit to Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) in Orillia this morning for no other reason than to avoid political embarrassment.

“It is well known that John Tory will tour HRC tomorrow morning, so Pupatello had to make sure she got there first,” said Dunlop. “It is shameful that her last-minute visit was prompted by politics, rather than a genuine interest in meeting with HRC residents and their families.

“It can’t be sheer coincidence that the Minister came to HRC on this particular morning, when she’s had eight months to visit since she first announced the closure,” added Dunlop. “John Tory met HRC residents and their families when they came to Queen’s Park just eight days ago, and he’ll be at HRC tomorrow.”

On September 9, 2004, Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello announced without a clear plan the closure by March 31, 2009 of all three remaining government-operated facilities in Ontario for people with developmental disabilities. Many of the residents’ families have already been notified that their loved ones will be moved out of the facilities, some as early as the second quarter of this year.

Most of HRC’s 350 residents are seniors with very complex needs that cannot be met in a regular group home setting. Some are both developmentally disabled and mentally ill, while others have severe behavioural problems.

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)