The 21st Century is upon us and a huge question to be asked of our Ontario Government is why they are still treating today's unprotected Disabled Ontarians with 20th Century methods and 18th Century idealisms. Is it time to re-run Dickens'"A Christmas Carol" to all of our elected representatives in Toronto?

Ontario Disability Support Plan recipients are not asking for the moon, just a decent life. We don't want to rely on Food Banks that are overtaxed trying to close the gap between utter poverty and sustenance during hard times. We do not want to rely on the generosity of strangers and acquaintances for daily chores. We want to be able to walk down the street with some semblance of dignity. We want to be able to attend a community event, select our own food, see that our children can attend school without being singled out by not being able to participate in school events. Have decent clothing, a safe place to live, being able to afford to live in a safe and healthy area of Ontario, be able to stay near our support systems, be able to sleep at night without worrying about how to eat tomorrow. Are these wants more than what any Ontarian would want. Are we to be punished for becoming ill and not having a proverbial nest egg stored away to keep us.

Today in Ontario the family unit is so fractured that the concept of taking in family that cannot care for themselves has been lost. Today's Family Units cannot afford to add extra mouths to care for on a long term basis if the disabled person even has family. We have become so dependant on our government to provide that other methods have fallen by the wayside.

Now that there is a background on why the Ontario Disability Support Plan exists and we have Ontarians who must rely on the services provide by the Ontario Disability Support Plan we must take the next step down that road of life and ensure that they do not get lost in the mad dash for riches. Al right you are ready to challenge me on that point, the government is not out for riches you say. But think of it, they want money to be available to support their special interests, projects that their big supporters and influential constituents are favouring, vote getting actions and party building efforts. Is that not a dash for riches, maybe not all monetary but riches still the same. So how do they keep the money available for themselves? Taxes, hidden and open, and when they cannot tax any higher they begin hacking away at Socially Mature funding. Oh they keep social spending, they make sure that those who are in a real position to keep them in power are well taken care of and cut the programs that really provide for the needy. What are the first items to always be cut? Health Care, Education and support for the most needy.

In making these cuts the government not only reduces the funds directly available to provide relief they cut the funding needed to provide that support. They also provide room for mass manipulation of the system and poor socially mature performance by the social servants charged with providing that support. But how can anything change if it is kept under wraps? By keeping things under control and withholding as much information as possible the government has managed to keep the attention away from this poor service. Other efforts are slowly making progress in improving the poor situations that exist within the Ontario Disability Support Plan but more work is needed. It is time that Ontario was made aware of what is happening to those other Ontarians who depend on Social Services for survival. It is time that Ontario was made aware that ODSP recipient's are not being taken care of the way that most Ontario taxpayers believe the recipients are. But how can this be done.

Last year I began this web site. There were two main goals for this site, to provide an alternative place for ODSP recipients to get information and to begin bringing ODSP recipients together in a common cause. In the spring of 2005 a small group of recipients were having a discussion online and the concept of forming a new group that would work on raising the awareness of Ontarians to how we are being treated by the Ontario Disability Support Plan and the government. Well now we are on the verge of launching the ODSP Recipient's Alliance Group. The General Design is completed, initial emails have been circulated to the early members of the Fireside groups and we are in the process of gathering those who will make up the initial Board. Please take a few minutes to read the General Design of the group and then complete a short questionnaire. Your participation in helping to promote the ODSP Recipient's Alliance Group will help further the work of this new group.

ODSP Recipient's Advocacy Group General Design

Blessings
Malcolm Dilts