Lisa MacLeod, Ontario's Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, speaks during an announcement in Toronto, on Feb. 6, 2019.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Ontario’s social services minister says she’s sorry if she made anyone feel threatened.
The apology comes after behaviour analysts said Lisa MacLeod warned them of consequences if they didn’t support the province’s new autism program.
MacLeod is resisting calls for her resignation, and her apology came late Thursday after Premier Doug Ford was peppered with questions about the remark.
Ford said he hasn’t spoken with MacLeod about the allegations made by the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis, but that he won’t be asking her to resign.
MacLeod writes on Twitter that she apologizes if her comments made anyone feel threatened or uncomfortable.
The Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis says MacLeod and her staff requested a quote of support a few days before the new program was announced.
They say they were told that failure to do so would result in “four long years” for the organization.
The association, parents and advocates say the revamped autism program will leave many children without the level of therapy they need.
Ford praised MacLeod’s work as minister and said revamping the autism support program is the most difficult file in government.