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Laurie in Question Period

Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. With modern medicine allowing individuals who before would have had only a few short years to live to now live extended and full lives, we are witnessing the coming of age of a generation of people who have moved from handicapped children’s services to AISH and PDD. For parents and caregivers of adults with disabilities there are many frustrating bureaucratic red tape requirements. My questions are to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports. Why do the parents or caregivers need to file only once federally but a four page document every year for AISH on behalf of their adult children?

Mrs. Jablonski: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for that question. I’d like to say that although somebody’s disability itself may not change, the circumstances of the person and where they’re living may change. That is one of the reasons why we ask for a form to be filled out once a year. I will have a look at the form and see if we can make it more concise, but I think we’re doing due diligence on behalf of taxpayers.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Related exactly to that, why are individuals with permanent, nonchanging disabilities, such as Down’s syndrome or paraplegia, required to file paperwork yearly with AISH to prove that nothing has changed?

Mrs. Jablonski: Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to state that I understand that maybe the disability doesn’t change. I certainly have a good understanding of that. However, circumstances may change with aging parents and differences in the community. The form that we require our AISH clients to fill out is a four page form. It has 13 questions where you check a box, and you sign the second page. The third page is a consent form for Revenue Canada, and the fourth page is a declaration with just a signature. I will review it to see if it is extensive. However, I think that this form is not too cumbersome.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Well, thank you very much. I think it’s more cumbersome than that.

My final question to the same minister: why is the information collected on individuals aged zero to 18 years by handicapped children’s services not shared with AISH once the people turn 18? Same people, same disability, no information shared.

Mrs. Jablonski: Mr. Speaker, I would concede that that is a concern that we have in the transition of the 18 year old into the adult program. Perhaps that is cumbersome, and perhaps we need to take a look at that. I would be willing to review that with my colleague in children’s services.