Recapping Community Living Ontario’s 2024 Day at the Legislature

Photo by Louis Thomas

On May 8th, Community Living Ontario (CLO) returned to Queen’s Park for our annual Day at the Legislature event. This event presented an opportunity for self-advocates, family members, agencies, and other supporters to increase our visibility and meet with policymakers in the spirit of connection and collaboration. 

We would like to sincerely thank the Honourable Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, for hosting us at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for a day full of engaging conversation and advocacy. We would also like to thank Community Living Toronto for collaborating with us to make this day possible. Lastly, we would like to thank everyone who showed up to support the event and contribute to strengthening the developmental services sector — from self-advocates, family members, agency leaders, and direct support workers, to MPPs and their staff. 

Here are some of the highlights from our Day at the Legislature: 

  • There was a strong contingent of MPPs representing all parties at our afternoon reception, including Minister Parsa (who was joined by many of his staff), Attorney General Doug Downey, Monique Taylor and Jamie West (Ontario NDP), John Fraser (Ontario Liberal Party), and Mike Schreiner and Aislinn Clancy (Green Party of Ontario). 
  • CLO and many of its member organizations were recognized and honoured by MPPs in the Legislature. 
  • Many CLO members and self-advocates had one-on-one meetings with their respective MPPs throughout the day. 
  • The Council of CLO met with Hon. Charmaine Williams (Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity), Logan Kanapathi (Parliamentary Assistant to Minister Parsa), and several of Minister Parsa’s senior staff to share information and call for change on the issues of poverty, employment, and abuse experienced by people labelled with intellectual disability.  
  • Our boisterous afternoon reception attracted nearly 200 attendees, and was the perfect way to cap off a busy day. We welcomed Minister Parsa’s stated commitment to continue to work with our sector to address challenges faced by people, families, and front-line agencies. 
  • Self-advocates were out in full force, including a rousing closing speech by Nicole Flynn, President of the Council of CLO. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us — and stay tuned for next steps as we continue to push for changes that will support a healthy and thriving developmental services sector.