Liberals want probe into minister’s ‘four long years’ warning to group

A Liberal legislator says he’s asking Ontario’s integrity commissioner to look into the social services minister’s warning a group of behaviour analysts of consequences if they didn’t support her new autism program.

Lisa MacLeod has apologized after the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis said she and her staff told its members it would be “four long years” for the organization if they didn’t provide a positive quote to help promote the program.

A new autism program announced this month by MacLeod is being slammed by advocates and parents, who are planning a protest at the legislature.

The program gives families up to $140,000 to pay for treatment, with annual caps of $20,000 a year until a child turns six, and $5,000

a year after that to age 18.

But families say intensive therapy can cost up to $80,000 a year, and they’re calling for the plan to take into account individual needs for varying levels of intensity in treatment, and not just be based on age.

Michael Coteau was the Liberal minister in charge of the file when that government unveiled a revamped program in response to protests in 2016 from families, and he says MacLeod should not use her position of influence to push stakeholders to support a plan they are against.