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City MLA questions anti-HST support Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
Local Liberal MLA Richard Lee met with fellow committee members on Wednesday in Victoria to decide the fate of the anti-HST petition. The 10-member select standing committee on legislative initiatives has 90 days to pick between two options: Have MLAs vote on a bill that would cancel the HST or send the issue back to the public for a provincewide initiative, similar to a referendum. When asked if the Liberals were leaning “How about the t o w a r d s initiaother 81 per cent an tive vote, (who didn’t sign Lee said a decithe anti-HST sion hasn’t petition)?” been made yet but RICHARD LEE an initiaBurnaby MLA tive vote wouldn’t be a bad idea. Lee said about 19 per cent of British Columbians signed the anti-HST petition. “How about the other 81 per cent?” Lee asked. “There is some merit on the public (initiative) vote as a way to see how many people have some problem with the HST.” Lee mentioned his Liberal counterparts on the committee have received e-mails from British Columbians supporting both of the two options. The committee is made up of six Liberals – Terry Lake, Eric Foster, Lee Page 5
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Jason Lang/burnaby now
Waiting game: Parents Marc Adams and Wendy Seet are frustrated with the long wait list to get help for their three-year-old daughter, Kate, who has Down syndrome. The couple is organizing a gathering for other parents, whose children have special needs, to urge the government to provide more support.
Parents protest lack of support
Long wait lists mean their daughter may never get help Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
A Burnaby family is organizing a gathering for parents frustrated with long wait lists to get support for their children with special needs. Marc Adams and Wendy Seet are trying to get help for their three-year-old daughter, Kate, through the provincial government’s Supported Child Development Program. Because their daughter has Down syndrome
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and has extra needs, she qualifies to have an extra support worker at her daycare through the program. But because of long wait lists and not enough funding, Kate will be out of daycare by the time her number comes up. “She’s going to pretty much be in school by the time it happens. She’ll be out of daycare. There’s not much point in having a program if it’s not really available to most people who apply for it,” said Adams. In June, the program’s wait list for Burnaby alone had 74 children, and Kate was at 62. Her parents expect to wait about two years before her number comes up. And demand is rising: In 2003, the
Burnaby program was helping 128 children. By March 2009, that figure grew to 275. Kate attends Burnaby’s Variety Hotelier House Children’s Centre, and her parents want to raise her in a fully inclusive community. Adams is worried that without extra help, Kate’s safety is at risk, as well her chance to develop alongside other kids in an inclusive environment. “It’s not just specifically for us,” Adams said, adding government funding hasn’t kept up with program demand. The Supported Child Development Program is free for families and helps kids, Parents Page 8
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