The Honorable Dalton McGuinty                            February 3, 2005. The Premier of Ontario Legislative Building Queens Park Toronto, Ontario M7A1A1 Dear Sir; I am writing about my husband's brother, Bill Chisholm, who is a resident of the Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia. He is 59 years of age and has been there more than 50 years. He is severely retarded due to Phenylketonuria (PKU). Every baby born in Ontario now has a blood test at birth for that condition, because the treatment must commence in the first few months of life. Bill's parents, both now deceased, never knew for years what happened to their beautiful baby - their 3rd son. Now, Bill can see and walk and that essentially is about it.. He cannot speak, only grunt and bellow. He does not respond to his name or recognize us as his family. He wears diapers.      Approximately 30 years ago, he was moved to a group home, but he was not suitable and had to be returned to Huronia. His parents often took him for outings, but as he became stronger and they, older, he became unmanageable.   Now, you the Ontario Government want to close Huronia Centre and move these long term residents into 'the community', which you say will be better for them. Everyone knows they will not be better off in the community. Their community is right where they are now, being looked after by care-givers who know them and are trained to look after their unique disabilities. Bill is in a secured cottage with men  like him, whatever their specific problem. He can walk around.  He is taken to a dining room and assisted to eat. He has no teeth. He can be taken to town with small groups , or for a walk or picnic on the grounds. If he is put into a nursing home facility, he does not have the judgement not to wander into other people's rooms, or off the unit. Are you going to restrain him in a Geri chair? If he is frustrated and bellows, are you going to sedate him with drugs? And, who will take him outside? I venture to say he will never be taken out of doors.   We have been told that The Honourable Sandra Pupatello, the Government Minister of the department taking the action of the closing, has never toured the Huronia Centre. So, as far as we are concerned, she cannot understand the consequences of this action! How can the Government upset so many people's lives and not know what they are doing? If she takes a tour, she will have her eyes opened wide.   We, the families, friends, guardians,etc. have been told that we knew about this planned closing for 10 years. Well, things change. Our medical system is under heavy strain. Many of the Residents have medical problems, in varying degrees. Many communities do not have enough Doctors. Emergency rooms are bursting, and people admitted are waiting for days ,in some cases, on stretchers in the hallway, for a hospital bed. E.R.'s will not want these Residents. Bill had Emergency surgery for a bleeding stomach ulcer 4 or 5 yrs ago. He needed to be restrained so that tubes and Intravenous lines stayed in place, and he required a sitter in his room at the hospital. The Soldier's Memorial Hospital and The Town of Orillia are accustomed  to having these Residents from the Centre amongst them.    Another aspect is the treatment of The Residents. Government is supposed to be "for" the People. How can you be so cruel as to pluck each and every one of these Residents out of their home and take them away from everyone and every thing that may be familiar to them? These are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Surely the Charter of Rights comes into play here.  If you have a new system for the future to care for people like these Residents, I cannot dispute that because I'm not knowledgeable about it, but please, do not implement it on the backs of these Residents. That is simply, not fair.  We ask you not to close this Centre. We understand there is enough acreage for a Satellite University Campus as well as Huronia Regional Centre.      Sincerely,                Marilyn Chisholm. Copies: The Honourable, Sandra Pupatello- spupatello.mpp@liberal.ola.org            Deborah Matthews - dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org.           The Honourable George Smitherman - gsmitherman.mpp@liberal.ola.org                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Jim Wilson, MPP - jim_wilson@pc.ola.org.           Garfield Dunlop, MPP - garfield dunlop@onla.ola.org.           Michael Prue, mprue-qp@ndp.on.ca           Lyz Sayer - lsayer@sayer.ca.           Pat Cooke - patcooke@sympatico.ca           Sandra MacPherson - Sandra.macpherson@sympatico.ca