Mr. Paul Miller: Grandparents raising their grandchildren receive $231 for the first grandchild and less for each subsequent grandchild, while unrelated foster parents receive $900 per month, per child. Over the past two years, since we raised this sorry situation, many grandparents have lived in fear of having their meagre temporary care assistance cut off because of this government’s flawed directives.
Thanks to one grandmother’s courageous two-year fight, the Social Benefits Tribunal issued its decision that she is entitled to the financial support, and that the government is wrong in its interpretation of the intent of temporary care assistance. The tribunal concluded that a large and liberal interpretation must be applied to the TCA eligibility decisions.
I am appalled by the minister’s callous response to my question yesterday. She said, “I encourage them to appeal after they have spoken to the administrator of the program in each of their municipalities.”
Why is this minister condemning these grandparenting families to further financial and emotional stress, and unnecessarily spending taxpayers’ dollars to fight this Liberal government’s inhumane treatment of these grandchildren? The tribunal’s decision is quite clear. Why would this minister want to inflict further pain on these grandparents, who have set aside their retirement plans to ensure that their grandchildren have had a good home with their blood relatives?
On behalf of grandparents raising their grandchildren, the unsung heroes of the child care system, I again implore the minister and the government to take immediate action to introduce regulatory changes to ensure that temporary care assistance is equally delivered across Ontario in accordance with the original intent and the law.
Thank you.
