Brought to you by:

Catholic Community Foundation

CONTACT YOUR MPP ABOUT SPECIAL DIET

Fight for Special Diet: Contact your MPP

The Special Diet Allowance program is a long-standing part of Ontario's social assistance system. It pays the extra costs for special foods needed by people with various health conditions, such as diabetes or MS.

In the March 2010 budget the Ontario government announced that they will eliminate the special diet allowance in both Ontario Works and ODSP.  They are bringing in a new nutrition supplement under the Ministry of Health, that will only be provided for people with "severe" medical conditions.  They have not given any details about that program yet, but have made clear that not all people who now get special diet will be eligible for the new program.We are asking you to please contact your MPP to let them know that this decision will be detrimental to the health of many people on social assitance, and must be reversed. Attached are 4 versions of a template letter

If you receive special diet and live in the riding of a Liberal MPP, use: recipientwithliberalmpp.doc

If you receive special diet and live in the riding of an Opposition MPP, use recipientwithoppositionmpp.doc

If you are a community member and live in the riding of a Liberal MPP, use communitymemberwithliberalmpp.doc

If you are a community member with an opposition MPP use communitymemberwithoppositionmpp.doc

We encourage people to change or modify the letter as they see fit.  MPP's usually pay more attention to letters that are original, and not a form letter. To find out who your MPP is, go to this link:  http://fyed.elections.on.ca/fyed/en/form_page_en.jsp When you put in your postal code or address, it will tell you the name of your riding; then click on "information about your MPP". You will have to look for the name of your riding on the list of all MPP's to find yours.

For more information on the Human Rights Tribunal decision about Special Diet, see the Income Security Advocacy Coalition web site:  www.incomesecurity.org

Source: http://www.odspaction.ca/story/contact-your-mpp-about-special-diet