Provincial Election 2022

Autism Ontario's Provincial Election Survey

Earlier this spring, we asked you, our valued community members, to share your thoughts in our Provincial Election Survey to share your priorities and concerns, and the issues that matter most to you as an autistic adult or caregiver of an autistic adult in Ontario in the leadup to the provincial election on June 2.

Thank you for your helping us focus our work in the leadup to the provincial election. Your voice is important to us, and we are grateful that you shared your thoughts with us. Here are the highlights from the survey responses:

Resources

For Ontario’s autistic people, the outcome of the provincial election has never been more important. Yet, the reality is that many provincial party leadership platforms lack detail when it comes to addressing the critical gaps in supports and services for autistic adults. We hope that you find the following resources helpful in advocating for supports and services for autistic adults as we approach June 2.

Positive Advocacy Webinar:
Helping Your Voice and the Voice of your Loved Ones Be Heard

The work of being a positive advocate when facing intersecting, socially constructed, and systemic barriers to living a fulfilling life can feel heavy and isolating. It is important to find creative ways to collectively advocate and share your message with people in elected positions and positions of power that impact accessibility and opportunities for autistic adults, people with developmental disabilities, and their parents and siblings.

In this discussion, our panelists will share their own journeys and perspectives of navigating systemic barriers while engaging in positive advocacy with elected officials and within systems to affect positive change. 

About the speakers

Sherron Grant Sherron Grant, M.Ed. is an educator, advocate for persons with special needs and the co-founder of Sawubona Africentric Circle of Support (formerly The Black Parents of Children and Adults with a Disability Support Group). Sherron is a caregiver and supports families, volunteers and advocates for persons living with various disabilities, to be recognized for their valuable contributions to society and emphasizes the benefit we all experience when eliminating barriers for others. Sherron is the 2020 recipient of the Community Living Toronto Jim Turner Award for Outstanding Voluntarism.	Charlene Davidson  Charlene Davidson is a sibling of a person who has a developmental disability. She was born and raised in Ontario and now lives in Ottawa with her husband and two children. Her brother also lives in Ottawa in independent living with supports. Charlene acts as an advocate for her brother and is a participant in Siblings Canada, a group that unites and strengthens siblings by building networks of peer support and sharing experiences with each other, families, social service agencies, organizations and beyond. Charlene holds degrees from the University of Toronto, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. Charlene is also a member of the Law Society of Ontario and was called to the Bar in 2008.	Courtney Weaver Courtney Weaver is an individual (also self-advocate) who is very much engaged in the field of autism and accessibility. After obtaining a Masters in Critical Disability Studies at York University in 2017, she has consistently done a variety of work roles in the aforementioned field. A few of her current ones include office assistant to MP Mike Lake, Housing Through an Autism Lens (HAL) Solutions Lab self-advocate advisor and project coordinator for the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance’s (CASDA) Work from Home project.

A Mother's Election Wish List

by Rita Miceli, Parent and Guest Writer for Autism Matters

"My son is now 26 years old. When he turned 18, services available to him dropped off significantly. It was a frightening time for us."

Read about Rita and her son Giaci, and her call to action for the provincial election.