MPP’s returned to Queen’s Park for the first time this year

MPP’s returned to Queen’s Park for the first time this year at a time where aggression towards the Ford government is rising after the province announced changes to several initiatives from OSAP to autism funding.

On the lawns of the legislature, hundreds of students demonstrated against changes to OSAP, including the elimination of free tuition in the form of grants for low-income families. And in the gallery, students shouted over Andrea Horwath’s question to Premier Ford regarding the changes leading to their removal.

Another big topic was the new autism funding structure introduced by Lisa Macleod, she spoke with reporters on why she feels the new format helps the thousands of children waiting in line for treatment.

“I inherited a bankrupt or nearly bankrupt autism program that required $100-million emergency funding just to service 25%. I couldn’t in good conscious look at a list of 23 000 children and allow them to sit there for years quite literally and that was quite problematic for me, we believe in our plan.”

Soon after, the Canadian Press revealed that only families making less than a combined $55 000 will receive the full allowance of $20 000 per year for children under six and $5 000 per year for those aged six and over.

“I think that she should absolutely resign, she’s not a champion for children with autism, she sits around that cabinet table and makes those kinds of decisions and behaves in that callous disregard for families with children with autism.” Andrea Horwath.

Also at Queen’s Park, former trade and economic minister Jim Wilson, who resigned over allegations of misconduct and addiction issues was back to serve his constituency. House leader Todd Smith says that there’s been a third-party investigation into the allegations.