B.C. Liberals Caught Trying To Shift Blame For Cutting Autism Support, Says NDP
VICTORIA – Minister of Children and Family Development Mary Polak's latest explanation for cancelling a highly-respected autism support program has been dismissed by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the New Democrats said today.
“Parents of children with autism met with Minister Polak last week, and she tried to 
Maurine Karagianisshift blame for the harmful decision to cancel the EIBI program by claiming VIHA no longer wanted to run the program,” said Maurine Karagianis , the New Democrat critic for children and family development.
The Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention Program is an intensive therapeutic program that has been shown to help autistic children and reduce the long term costs to the medical, mental health, education and social services systems. The program in Victoria was run successfully out of the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children, but was cancelled this fall by the B.C. Liberal government.
“When the B.C. Liberals first cut the program, Minister Polak had the nerve to claim it wasn’t effective. When outraged parents came forward with stories about their children’s overwhelming success with EIBI, Minister Polak changed her mind and admitted it was a funding cut. Now, she sits down face to face with parents of autistic children and tries to claim that VIHA no longer wanted to run the program,” said Karagianis.
When parents wrote to Phyllis Straathof, VIHA manager of Child and Family Rehabilitation Services, she denied VIHA had a part in the decision to cancel the program.
“There is clearly some confusion in the messages you are receiving. VIHA would definitely have wanted to continue to run the EIBI program at the level of funding and quality that we have been doing for eight years. We have been given no choice in that,” Ms. Straathof’s response said.
“It’s outrageous that Minister Polak is giving these vulnerable parents the run-around. The fact she is now trying to shift the blame for this unpopular decision onto Health Minister Kevin Falcon is unfair to parents and to the hard-working front-line service providers trying to ensure the best interests of vulnerable children are protected,” said Karagianis.
Carole James and the New Democrats have been holding the B.C. Liberals accountable for breaking their word on the HST, and for backtracking on their election promises to protect health care, education, and other vital services.
