*May God's blessings, and The Squirrel's, go with you.

Please have a successful trip.

praying for a successful trip for you revmatt. Praying so so hard.

Praying for you and your family, Matt.

RevMatt, your love for your family shines! All the best in your efforts and godspeed!

Greetings!

Thinking of you RevMatt, and Daria.  Hope your experience at Queen's Park is positive.  Prayers are with you.

Hope, peace, joy, love ...

Good luck with the trip and prayers are with you.

RevMatt, good luck at Queen's Park, and prayers are with you!

Hope your trip goes well.

Matt, I wish you success... I will be thinkng of you and your family

Matt, thinking of you and Daria today and hoping things went well.

Check out our own RevMatt by clicking this link.

RevMatt, thinking of you tonight.

I'm here too- was following / sharing  & listening on facebook & radio...  

Rev Matt, sorry I did not see this earlier.  I hope both of you have returned to the comfort of your home and are resting.

Check out the CBC Coverage

Ontario denies funding to disabled baby despite need, reverend says

I didn't read all the posted comments but the ones I did were all supportive.  I think we all should post something in support of Rev Matt and Daria. 

Plus I think a letter to the Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur is in order. 

From the Minister's Website http://www.madeleinemeilleur.onmpp.ca/en/index.htm

Contact Information

Here's my radio interview from this morning.  The show is Ottawa Morning, and the host is Kathleen Petty, also host of The House.

http://www.mediafire.com/?wzjnwtmmiiv

Oh, and I mistakenly sent an email in the middle of recording it, so ignore the extraneous sound, please :)

Hey, even the Thunder Bay paper picked up the story

Rev. Matt I wish you and Daria success.

How on earth does the government justify the added expense of round the clock nursing if you had to send Daria away as opposed to family care? It seems your way is much more cost efficient, not to mention she remains with those who love her.

The following is, perhaps my tilting at windmills, but with hope that if enough people speak out the government will be moved to act.

Sent: June 6, 2009 7:58 AM
To: 'mmeilleur.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org'
Subject: Ontario Denies Funding to Disabled

Madeleine Meilleur
Community and Social Services

I write in response to the CBC news report Ontario denies funding to disabled baby despite need, reverend says June 4, 2009.

I respectfully submit that the current government of Ontario is losing sight of what should be the priorities of a governing body in a democratic nation. The responsibility of such a government should be to, first and foremost, protect the most vulnerable citizens under its care, custody and control.

As the research of the Community and Social Services ministry has consistently shown keeping people in their homes and out of institutions is the most cost effective method. A decision to prevent people from doing so defies logic and smacks of irresponsibility. It is yet another sign of being penny wise and pound foolish which appears to be the modus operandi of governing bodies regardless of their political colours.

The current Ontario administration has pledged 3.5 billion dollars to support General Motors. If the government of this province can justify those funds to prop of a corporation that willfully ignored economic indicators and sound business practices while denying financial support to the disabled and their families, I suggest that that government has become unfit to govern.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services mandate is to “promote vital and inclusive Ontario communities by delivering and funding services that help people achieve their potential, build resilience, and improve their quality of life”. Forcing this child, or any individual, into institutional care is a violation of that mandate regardless of the feeble justifications.

It is time that you, as the Minister responsible and accountable for this particular ministry, fulfilled your mandate.

In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.    

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Wow, thanks!

One of the great things about being at Conference right now is the number of people coming to me to ask if they can write a letter on my behalf.  It's beginning to feel like it maybe isn't that futile after all.

I am very happy to have any and all letters.  If you wish to send me a copy, or post it here like LB did, that would be great.  I have some friends working on a website to anchor our advocacy efforts, and I would love to have an archive of letters.

Interview on CBC radio with the Child and Youth Advocate about our case.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nmymu1vlzen