Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to continue. I want to make the connection here with the boy I was talking about who helped me learn so much. It just so happens that a friend of mine has a PhD and has worked with young people with autism spectrum disorder, including some diagnosed with Asperger's.
The boy I mentioned was enrolled in school. Typically, he would have been put into a group of students with behavioural disorders who need help, but it was recommended he not be. In fact, he was put in a class for gifted students that we called “window on the world”. The kids worked with laptops. He was exposed to all kinds of interactions, which was really hard for him socially. A few years later, I heard that he was in CEGEP, which is like the first couple of years of university in Quebec, completing his information technology diploma.
A few years ago, this child might have been sent to a school for children with severe behavioural disorders because we had little knowledge of the condition. Today, he has a diploma and is a functioning member of society because he was lucky enough to cross paths with people who could help and support him.
It is unbelievable that the government, the party in power, is not supporting such a motion. We are talking about less than $4 million a year for five years. I work on the banking and infrastructure file and when I see that the Liberals are able to find billions of dollars to help their friends and when I see the millions of dollars spent by some ministers on refurnishing their offices, I just think this is scandalous. We are talking about less than $4 million a year for five years according to an independent, non-partisan report that calls for support for families across Canada, without discrimination.
I am proud of my colleague for holding his ground and persevering. He was determined to get his motion on the order paper and to highlight this problem.
Again, we hope that the Liberals will end up having a change of heart.