Ministry of Citizenship
6th Floor
400 University Ave.
Toronto, ON M7A 2R9
Tel.: (416) 325-6200
Fax: (416) 325-6195

March 21, 2001

Mr. David Lepofsky
Chair, ODA Committee
1929 Bayview Ave.
Toronto, ON M4G 3E8

Dear Mr. Lepofsky:

Thank you for your letter of February 21, 2001 congratulating me on
my appointment as Minister of Citizenship with responsibility for
Seniors.

It is an honour to serve in this new capacity and on a personal
level most pleased to be again serving in a social policy
portfolio where there are opportunities to learn the needs of
people, especially vulnerable citizens in Ontario. It has been my
privilege to work closely with special needs constituents over my
26 years in public service and have learned greatly from their
challenges, as well as their personal advice and counsel.

You express concern about the timeliness of the ODA Reforms and I
would agree with you that we simply must bring in legislation this
year and have it completed. That is my personal goal as Minister
and I will be structuring my time to achieve that end.

As I have been reviewing much of the work to date on both drafts of
legislation, it is important that the information gained from all
stakeholders be examined carefully. I look forward to hearing your
recommendations as well as those of other stakeholders as we move
forward.

Let me assure you that we are committed to seeking shared solutions
across society and between all levels of government.

My schedule has been cleared to undertake a rigorous schedule of
meetings with stakeholders over the next five weeks. In addition,
specific meetings with my fellow Ministers on how each of us can
work together to effect the necessary changes to ensure the
completion of the new legislation. These meetings are a priority
as we prepare for the opening of parliament on April 19th and a
provincial budget within weeks thereafter.

It is my hope that we can meet personally in the next few weeks to
discuss how working together we can make a real difference in the
lives of Ontarians with disabilities.

Regards,

Cam Jackson
Minister of Citizenship