Senator Jim Munson Says Ottawa Has Done Little to Address Canada's Autism Crisis

Laverne Stewart of Fredericton's Daily Gleaner reports (September 24, 2013) that National autism advocate Senator  Jim Munson, shown left in his Parliament of Canada photo,  is frustrated, that after years of working to secure a national autism disorder spectrum strategy, Munson said the federal government has done little to address Canada's national autism crisis:

"In a phone interview with The Daily Gleaner, he said the federal government has started to look at what approach each province is taking to address autism.

“They’re different all across the county,” he said.

Munson said people across Canada need to keep pushing the federal and provincial governments for a better approach to addressing the needs of autistic individuals and their families.

“Autism has no borders. It doesn’t. Not in this country or any other country in the world. We live in this world where we say it is a provincial responsibility. It is not. It’s Canada’s responsibility … It is scandalous. We’re in crisis.”"

Senator Munson, is widely respect for his work on behalf of autism disorders  and he has done much over the past 10 years to keep autism on the national agenda, a major challenge since most of that time has seen the Harper government act in opposition to any effective National Autism Strategy.  Even with an Edmonton MP, Mike Lake,  who is clearly a  dedicated father to his own son with an autism disorder the government of  Harper and Lake have taken absolutely NO action to help autistic Canadians in need of effective early intervention, effective learning intervention for school or modern residential care , with autism trained staff, for the many adult Canadians with severe autism disorders who will require such care.

Senator Munson is very diplomatic.   With respect,  I do not agree that Ottawa has done little to address Canada's autism crisis.  The Harper government has in fact worsened that crisis with it's official opposition to a National Autism Strategy, an opposition so ferocious that even Edmonton MP and dedicated Autism Dad Mike Lake voted against Shawn Murphy's private member's motion that would have ensured access to effective, evidence based intervention for autistic children under our national health care plan.   The Harper government's opposition to an effective national autism strategy is so intense that it even cancelled a scheduled national autism strategy conference scheduled for Ottawa several years ago at which community autism representatives were expected to attend.  The event was rescheduled and the "community" autism representatives were hand picked to exclude any prominent autism advocates for a National Autism Strategy.  

Senator Munson has had the interests of autistic children and adults at heart for many years. Unfortunately for autistic children and adults, like my son, the Senator's  frustration is doomed to continue as long as Stephen Harper rules in Ottawa. 

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October is Autism Awareness Month in Canada, Canadian Government Still Doing Nothing Eh Mike Lake?

October is Autism Awareness Month in Canada.  You would never know it based on the contribution made by Canada's federal government which has taken a strict, division of constitutional jurisdiction, approach to autism disorders in Canada.  In other words it has said that addressing Canada's growing National Autism Crisis is not a concern of the federal government. 


Harper Conservative MP Mike Lake, who I have met in person and spoken with by phone, and who seems like a genuinely nice guy, speaks lovingly of his autistic son in Parliament with a few words recognizing  World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd and that's pretty well it.  On Wednesday, February 21, 2007 Mr. Lake himself voted against Bill C-304, the private member's motion brought by Charlottetown Liberal MP Shawn Murphy,  an Act that would have amended the Canada Health Act and provided for the development of a national strategy for the treatment of autism.  

If non Canadians want an idea of how little is done by our federal government to help Canadians and their families suffering from autism disorders they need only refer to the October 2011 statement of former federal Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq:

Autism Awareness Month

October, 2011

Autistic disorders are heart-breaking conditions because they can cause developmental disabilities in very young children that may affect them for the rest of their lives. These disorders are typically diagnosed in children before they reach their fifth birthday. 

Autistic disorders have a broad range of symptoms. They can be mild to severe and tend to result in problems with social interaction, communication and behaviour. In Canada, it is estimated that Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect as many as 1 in every 150 children, as well as the lives of their families, friends and caregivers.

Important advances have been made in the way we care for and educate Canadians living with ASDs. Yet more research is needed to learn what causes these disorders and to help develop better treatments and interventions so that those afflicted with ASDs can live more normal lives.

As Minister of Health, I am pleased that the Government of Canada, in cooperation with our colleagues in the provinces and territories, is setting up a national surveillance system to establish reliable data to:  

• determine how common ASDs are and how rates differ across Canada;
• describe the population of Canadians living with ASDs; and
• understand changes in the number of children being diagnosed over time.

This information will help in developing programs to serve the needs of Canadians living with ASDs and their families and caregivers. In addition, the Government has invested approximately $40 million on autism-related research since 2000.

In closing, I want to congratulate the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance and Autism Speaks Canada for their dedicated work in this area.

Leona Aglukkaq

Minister of Health

Government of Canada

Prevalence data, clearly based on existing US information of that time,  is about the extent of the federal government's contribution to autism awareness in Canada. Interestingly neither former Minister Aglukkaq, nor autism dad Mike Lake, mention the parents who advocated with determination in provinces across Canada for early evidence based intervention for autistic children.  Nor do they mention federal political figures who have in the past made great efforts to bring a real National Autism Strategy to Canada including Fredericton New Brunswick's recently deceased Andy Scott, Peter Stoffer of Nova Scotia, Shawn Murphy of PEI, and Senator Jim Munson.

Canada has a national health care plan which does provide basic health care for Canadians.  It is not perfect. Anyone can legitimately cite personal grievances with the system but it is a system that does not exist in the neighboring US.  For that national health care plan developed a half century ago this Canadian father is very thankful.  It would not exist if the  Harper government's constitutional excuses had prevailed during that era. It does  not exist today for the purpose of addressing the  autism specific needs of Canadians suffering from autism spectrum disorders.

During Autism Awareness Month the Harper government, and presumably Mike Lake, will make a statement or two about autism and earn some political brownie points.  If past practice holds firm they will announce no significant federal government efforts to help address Canada's National Autism Crisis.  

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Jaden Lake's Autism on the Hill Rally - Well Done Jaden!

Edmonton MP Mike Lake, whom I have met (at IMFAR 2012 in Toronto) and communicated with a few times about autism in Canada, have different perspectives on the proper role for Canada's national government in addressing Canada's autism crisis.  The government of Stephen Harper, of which Mike Lake is a member,  is not a strong supporter of Canada's national medicare system generally and has done nothing to advance in a meaningful way the National Autism Strategy advocated for by former and present opposition MP's Andy Scott,  Peter Stoffer, Shawn Murphy and Glenn Thibeault and by Senator Jim Munson.   I know though that Mike Lake is a dedicated father and a strong advocate for his 17 year old autistic son Jaden, who appears to have many similarities to my own son with autism of the same age.  I enjoy seeing Jaden in television and video appearances and was pleased to read the Ottawa Citizen article about the Autism on the Hill Rally and the pictures featuring Jaden Lake.

Thank you for advocating for autism awareness and services Jaden! Well Done!

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A Real Canadian Autism Hero - Stefan Marinoiu

Stefan Marinoiu is not a federal or provincial political figure, or an entertainment celebrity of any kind talking endlessly about raising autism awareness without taking any action to help the 1 in 88 Canadians who suffer from autism disorders.  Stefan is a real Canadian autism hero.  He has made courageous efforts to have our federal government address Canada's autism crisis. 

Stefan has raised autism awareness without the benefit of political or media connections. He has not done so in order to obtain free travel to Banff or the UN or to augment a political career, he has done it to help his son, Simon,  and  others with autism disorders.  He has done it by twice putting his life at risk with a mid winter walk :autism" trek from Toronto to Ottawa and with a  hunger strike.  I was very pleased to meet Stefan and his wonderful family in Toronto.  Stefan did not confine his efforts to simply raising the awareness as happens with so many much less challenging efforts. Stefan actually advocated for  our federal government to get involved in a meaningful serious way to address Canada's autism crisis.   

Unfortunately the Stephen Harper-Mike Lake government does not want to acknowledge or deal with Canada's autism crisis and there will be no federal progress in Canada as long as the Harper version of the Conservative government holds majority control. Not a single member of our Harper Conservative government, not even those with family members affected by autism, have bothered to push for meaningful federal efforts to address Canada's autism crisis. I doubt though that Stefan will give up.  I will try to follow Stefan's example and continue efforts to advocate for meaningful efforts by our federal government to address Canada's autism crisis.  

Those of us who believe that our federal government should offer meaningful assistance to the 1 in 88 Canadians with an autism disorder have to look past the Harper era and look to NDP and/or Liberal governments to address Canada's national autism crisis.  We can't  give up in the face of Harper's indifference, we must keep fighting and refuse to give up.

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Harper Majority Means No Real National Autism Strategy 4 At Least 4 More Years

Photograph by: Blair Gable, Reuters

Canadians are waiting to see what Stephen Harper does with the very solid majority that Canadians voted to give him on Monday.  One thing they will not have to wait for during the Harper majority years is a Real National Autism Strategy.  I am not a fan of Stephen Harper and I do not trust him on important issues like health care.  What I do not question is his opposition to any serious role for the federal government in ensuring that autistic children and adults across Canada receive effective evidence based treatment for autism,  a real education or decent, autism specific residential care. 

Citing Constitutional grounds Harper's team led by Mike Lake, father of an autistic son,  have consistently refused to get involved in any meaningful effort to help autistic Canadians.  The recent declaration by prominent British Columbia Harper cabinet minister James Moore that autism is not a disability calls into question Mike Lake's autism awareness efforts within his own party but leaves no room for doubt.  There will be no help for autistic Canadians, no Medicare for Autism, no Real National Autism Strategy during a Harper administration.  Any efforts to bring about a Real National Autism Strategy must look to the future until after the Harper majority has run its course.

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Harper Government's Autism Awareness Regression

I have attached an email and  blog comment I posted on May 9, 2007 addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper in which I expressed the hope that he would open his heart (I assumed he had one) and his mind (I didn't know it was locked solid) and help autistic children wherever they reside in Canada. 

Since this comment in 2007 the numbers of children estimated to have an autism spectrum disorder have increased, by CDC estimates, from 1 in 150 to 1 in 110.  

As recently as this election campaign James Moore of BC, a cabinet minister in the Harper cabinet, has expressed the views that autism is not a disability and that persons with autism are simply an interest group.  

Notwithstanding the presence  in the federal Conservative party of Mike Lake,  a dedicated father of an autistic 15 year old son,  the Harper government  understanding of autism disorders has regressed since my 2007 letter.

May 9, 2007

Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to you as the father of a severely autistic 11 year old boy living in Fredericton, New Brunswick and as an autism advocate for the past 8 years here in New Brunswick. Recently I was disappointed, bitterly disappointed, by two actions by your very tightly controlled government – the rejection of MP Shawn Murphy’s motion to amend the Canada Health Act to ensure autistic children, wherever they reside in Canada, would receive government funded treatment for their autism. Canada as a nation has long ago rejected the notion that accidents of geography should determine whether Canadians receive life sustaining or life enhancing medical treatment.

The arguments about constitutional jurisdiction advanced in justification are specious and you sir, with all due respect, know that. Canada has long operated on the basis of a model of cooperative federalism which has developed many legislative tools to ensure that narrow constitutional boundaries do not impair the quality of life in this great country. I will mention no specific examples because there are far too many for this to be a serious issue of contention.

Autism is a serious neurological disorder borne by 1 in 150 Canadians by currently accepted estimates. It also impacts on the lives of parents, siblings, grandparents and other caregivers. There is no known cure but there is a widely acknowledged, evidence based treatment available, Applied Behavioural Analysis, or ABA, which is supported by literally hundreds of studies, including recent studies, which document the effectiveness of ABA in improving the IQ, the linguistic skills and comprehension, the ability to function in the real world, of children with autism. In my son’s case, even with the limited ABA therapy which was available in New Brunswick at the time because of a shortage of trained personnel, he has made tremendous gains. From a child who could only scream and tantrum he became a child who can communicate using words, who is reading, albeit at a level below his chronological age, and who in fact almost daily pulls out books on his own initiative to real aloud for his own enjoyment. This is the ABA which parents seek across Canada, the USA and the world for their autistic children.

There are those who oppose ABA based on personal preferences, outdated and ill founded misconceptions about what ABA involves and quite simply on the basis of paranoid, conspiratorial beliefs that somehow they as human beings, as functioning adults, will be deprived of their personalities if someone else’s autistic children are taught fundamental living skills by use of ABA. They make stretched and tortured arguments about ABA turning children into robots. This is nonsense as they happy joyful pictures of my son which I will provide a link for in this letter can rebut with finality. They also make disingenuous attacks on the studies which have documented ABA based gains for autistic children ignoring the fact that literally hundreds of such studies exist all showing substantial gains. Critics also focus on costs of providing ABA ignoring the studies that have shown the huge financial savings to government in reduction of service provision over the lives of autistic persons who have benefited from ABA.

I do not actually expect you to personally read this email Prime Minister. I hope though that a conscientious staffer or, through the marvel that is the internet, a family member or friend, will see fit to read this and implore you to take action on behalf of Canadians with autism. You can make a difference in the lives of 1 in 150 Canadians Prime Minister. You can make a difference in the lives of their loved ones and care givers and you can save Canadian governments enormous sums by reducing the level of services required as a result of early intensive ABA intervention.

Please open your mind Prime Minister, open your heart, and do the right thing.

Respectfully,

Harold L Doherty
Fredericton New Brunswick

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A REAL Canadian National Autism Strategy Under A Harper Government?

As I have twice indicated on this blog I was pleased to be invited to attend the Autism Speaks Canada national autism strategy discussion in Banff, Alberta.  Although unable to attend in person I did participate via teleconference and offered my two cents worth on some of the important issues which should be addressed in any national health care strategy.  I participated, however, knowing full well that under a Stephen Harper government no REAL National Autism Strategy would be permitted.  Stephen Harper has been an opponent  of Canada's public health care system long before becoming Prime Minister of Canada.  His views are the views of the current version of the federal Conservative Party and no exception will made to ensure a strong federal government effort to address Canada's Autism Crisis.

This week has seen questionable action taken by the Harper government to have a National Health Act review conducted ..... not by the elected House of Commons where the last such review was conducted and where the Harper Party is in a  minority .... but in the unelected Senate where the Harper Conservatives hold a majority. The move, as detailed by the National Union of Public and General Employees, is  part of an ongoing campaign to diminish and possibly destroy any federal government role in funding of health care in Canada.  Organizations which call for a stronger federal government role in health care have already been told they will not be permitted to appear at the Senate review:

"NUPGE President James Clancy criticized the Harper government for sending a review of the 2004 Health Accord to the unelected Senate rather than allowing elected Members of Parliament to conduct public hearings.


Ottawa (11 Mar. 2011) - The National Union of Pubilc and General Employees (NUPGE) is criticizing the Harper governments decision to have the unelected Senate conduct the second mandatory review of the 2004 Health Accord (for more on Health Accord and federal transfers click here).


The previous review was conducted in 2008 by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health. This moves the review outside of the elected House of Commons, where the Harper government is in a minority, to an unelected Senate committee where the Conservatives are now in a majority.


"What does this government want to hide from the public in this action," asks NUPGE President James Clancy. "Why won't the prime minister allow elected Members of Parliament to review his record on health care?"


Clancy pointed out that the move sends a bad signal about the future of public health care and Canada's democracy.


"This is one more example of the prime minister's anti-democratic nature. He sees the House of commons as a nuisance to be shoved aside. He'll do anything to bypass the democratic process," said Clancy.


The unelected Senators clearly hope to get the review done as quickly as possible. Hearings have already started in the Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Social Affairs.


A number of organizations that are calling for the federal government to play a stronger role in health care have been told they will not be allowed to appear and give testimony.


"The message for Canadians is clear: The Harper government not only holds Parliament in contempt, it also seems to view Canadians who strongly support public health care with contempt as well,” said Michael McBane, National Coordinator of the Canadian Health Coalition.


In the build-up for negotiations for the renewal of the Health Accord in 2014, some members of the Harper government have started to hint about making cuts to health care transfers. One prominent caucus member, Maxime Bernier, has publicly called for a termination of all federal health care transfers."

The opposition by the governing federal Conservatives to a federal role in health care bodes ill for a real, successful National Autism Strategy. Such a strategy requires non-partisan political support in order to succeed.  An example of non-partisan support for autism strategy exists here in New Brunswick.  Our province  has been recognized as a leader in the provision of autism services as set out in the following letter from the web site of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment's David Celiberti:.

ASAT Responds to Canadian CBC's "N.B. Can Be a Leader in Autism Services


Saturday, October 23, 2010


I read with great interest your recent article about the state of services in New Brunswick (“N.B. Can Be a Leader in Autism Services," September 14, 2010). I do beg to differ about the title of the piece. New Brunswick is already a leader. To have amassed 800 trained agents of change in six years is nothing short of incredible and inspiring, particularly given the diversity of your province with respect to geography and language. Other Canadian provinces can look to New Brunswick for an exemplary model of how things could and should be for children with autism and their families.


There is a misconception that services in the United States are superior to that of our neighbors to the north. I can assure you that children with autism in rural areas and in economically depressed areas of the U.S. do not always access state of the art, science-based treatment such as those based on applied behavior analysis. In many cases throughout the US, children with autism receive poor quality behavior analytic services that may be lessened if providers were able to access more intensive training and networking opportunities similar to what is being offered in your province. Part of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT)'s mission is to help close that gap through information dissemination, and we are keenly interested in the efforts of leaders like yourself developing, implementing, and evaluating systems.


And like other true leaders, you have looked critically at your accomplishments with an eye toward making every year of service delivery better than the previous year. We applaud your recognition that treatment parameters such as intensity need to be tailored to each child to maximize gains. When resources are scarce, this individualization can be an arduous task, but nonetheless critically important. Equally important is the need to communicate to government officials, tax payers and other stakeholders that immense financial savings are attached to doing right by our children when they are young.


It is unfortunate that funding for parent training is not more abundant. Optimal outcomes for children with autism are predicated on the support of educated, informed and skillful parents. Promoting carryover, ensuring consistency, and enhancing skill development across all environments are crucial roles for parents, but parents require support and training to assume these crucial roles. Your stated concerns and insights about the dearth of services for adults are much appreciated, and reflect the challenges that we have here in the U.S as well.


Families of children with autism in New Brunswick are blessed. Keep fighting the good fight.


David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA-D, President
Association for Science in Autism Treatment

Although much work remains to be done here in New Brunswick much has been accomplished. There are many reasons why this small relatively poor province has achieved some good results.  A strong parent advocacy movement has been critically important along with  the involvement of well informed, conscientious professionals.  At the end of the day though programs have been put in place by government and therein is one of the important elements in New Brunswick's autism success to date.  Our provincial autism strategy has been a non-partisan effort with both governing parties contributing significantly.

New Brunswick's dominant political parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives, have both been actively involved in improving autism services.  Many of our autism services began during the Conservative government of Premier Bernard Lord. They were improved upon during the Liberal government of Premier Shawn Graham.  Autism in New Brunswick was taken seriously by both of our governing parties over the last 10 years.

Federally however only the NDP and the Liberal party have shown an inclination to move toward a REAL National Autism Strategy.  The sovereignist Bloc Quebecois will not accept any federal role in setting national health care priorities. They are joined by the  Conservatives, currently our governing party, who are fundamentally opposed to our national medicare system.  I wish it were not so but the ideological opposition of the Harper Conservatives towards our national health care system  leaves absolutely no room  for a REAL National Autism Strategy.

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It's Not Just Children with Autism - Stephen Harper Just Doesn't Care

Autism parent advocates have advocated for many years for a national autism strategy.  NDP and Liberal MP's and Senators including Peter Stoffer, Shawn Murphy, Andy Scott and  Jim Munson joined them in their efforts but no meaningful strategy has resulted in Parliament.  

Under Stephen Harper autism has been rejected as a concern by our federal government. A national autism symposium was cancelled and rescheduled after it became clear that serious autism advocates were slated to attend. The Harper government rescheduled  a sham national autism symposium to make sure that "local" representatives were put forth who would be  docile and not rock the boat by calling for federal funding across Canada of evidence based autism interventions.  

Medicare for Autism was not, and will not, happen under a Harper government.  Sure Mike Lake, a Conservative MP and father of a child with autism, will be happy to appear as a token autism parent/Conservative MP  at autism events to harvest PR for the Conservative Party but neither he, nor  Prime Minister Harper, will permit any serious discussion of a meaningful national autism strategy involving federal support of funding for evidence based autism intervention for all autistic Canadian children. Effective evidence based intervention for autistic Canadian children is just not up there with census forms in the Harper list of priorities

It comes as no surprise, given Harper's lack of concern about addressing Canada's national autism crisis,  that the same "not my problem", attitude of our PM is manifested in other non-action as seen in the following horror story from the Calgary Herald. A Canadian child visiting his stepfather in Oregon, who resided there for health reasons during the winter, was detained by state health authorities for riding a bike without a helmet.  He was in fact detained by the state for 2 years and placed in a succession of foster homes while his mother fought for his return to their home in Calgary.  Eventually he was returned and a lawsuit brought by the State of Oregon against his mother for child care expenses dropped after a group of lawyers stepped in to help.  The Canadian government under Stephen Harper remained on the sidelines as described in the Calgary Herald:

"No, the state of Oregon didn't prove -- it didn't even claim -- that Noah was neglected or abused by either his mother or stepfather, who unfortunately doesn't have the status of legal guardian to Noah.

But that didn't convince them to cave in to common sense for several months. In the end, it was most likely embarrassment that prompted their about-face, dropping the lawsuit citing an estimated $7,500 in costs for caring for Noah -- the story made headlines around the world, eventually catching the attention of TV news network CNN.

On Tuesday, both Kirkman and her lawyer, Daniel Mol, express thanks for others who have helped them in their cause, most notably lawyer Tony Merchant and The National Council for the Protection of Canadians Abroad -- who earlier stepped in to fill the void of a silent Harper government and filed an application under The Hague Convention in U.S. federal court, asking for the boy's return under international law.

But after the momentary joy over their victory, the most salient emotion they show is righteous anger.

"I never expected to be sued for the cost of them essentially kidnapping my son," says Kirkman outside court."

Harper and his autism dad spokesperson Mike Lake have said that because health care is within primary provincial constitutional jurisdiction it can take no action to implement a serious national autism strategy. That position ignores decades of cooperative efforts between federal and provincial governments to address important issues using all available Canadian resource regardless of strict constitutional categories.  What is interesting in the Kirkman  case is that the protection of Canadians in foreign countries, especially Canadian children, is a matter squarely within federal constitutional jurisdiction but Prime Minister Stephen Harper did nothing to protect a Canadian child abroad. 

Autism should be a non partisan issue.  Here in NB both Conservative Premier Bernard Lord and Liberal Premier Shawn Graham took steps to make NB a leader  in autism service delivery.  Federally though it is crystal clear that no serious national autism strategy will be developed as long as Stephen Harper is Prime Minister.

Let's face facts.  Our Prime Minister just doesn't care.  Period.

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National Autism Strategy Fredericton Flashback October 18, 2003

The struggle for a REAL National Autism Strategy has been waged for many years across Canada.

In Fredericton, New Brunswick representatives of a group called FACE, the Family Autism Centre for Education, met shortly after being formed, with Fredericton area MP Andy Scott to begin discussions about autism and ask for his assistance in seeking a national approach to dealing with Canada's autism crisis. I had the honor of being one of those early representatives meeting with "Andy" as he has been known here in Fredericton.

On October 18, 2003, at a high profile event at the Fredericton Farmer's Market which included guest speaker and former Premier Frank McKenna, amongst others, Andy Scott dedicated himself to pushing then Prime Minister Martin to implement a federal autism program as set out in this excerpt from a Tali Folkins article in the NB Telegraph-Journal, October 20, 2003:

"Fredericton MP Andy Scott said Saturday he has been lobbying prime- minister-to-be Paul Martin for a federal program to help young children with autism. "I desperately want a national autism strategy - and let me just assure you that Paul Martin knows it," Mr. Scott told supporters at a party celebrating his 10th anniversary as an MP in Fredericton Saturday evening.


Early work by therapists with young autistic children, Mr. Scott said, can make a big difference in their capacity to lead fulfilling lives as adults - and can save money in the long run. But the costs of starting such early intervention programs are high and should be borne directly by Ottawa rather than each individual province, he said. "We have responses and therapies and so on that I genuinely believe can work," he said. "You're going to save millions of dollars over the lifetime of an autistic adult. If you can get in at the front end, you can make enormous progress.


"But it's very expensive, and there's not a lot of stuff being added to Medicare, generally - that's why we have catastrophic drug problems and other things," he said. "In the province of New Brunswick, P.E.I., or even Quebec or Ontario it's very, very expensive. The feds are going to have to step up to the plate." "

Andy was ultimately successful, with NDP MP Peter Stoffer, in getting a motion passed, during the current reign of Prime Minister Harper, which acknowledges the need for a national autism strategy but it does not begin to address the funding issues needed to ensure access to effective evidence based interventions such as ABA for autistic children regardless of where they live in Canada. Nor is anything in place to address the needs of Canada's rapidly growing autistic adult population, including the need for multi-level residential care facilities for the more severely affected by autism disorders.

The fight for a National Autism Strategy in Canada has been ongoing for several years. Here in New Brunswick it long pre-dates Andy Scott's 2003 announcement. At present we have a mediocre web site, a sham National Autism Symposium with parent activists excluded and national health bureaucrats that dole out research funding to researchers who do little or nothing to help advance our knowledge of environmental causes of autism or possible treatments. And there is not even mention of the need to flow funds to ensure that autistic persons across Canada who need decent residential care receive it regardless of which province they live in.

It has been, and will continue to be, a long struggle but we must not quit. We must keep fighting. We have to keep fighting for a REAL National Autism Strategy for autistic Canadians.

autism

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Stimulus Money Mr Harper? Spend Some On Autism

Prime Minister Harper and Opposition Leader Ignatieff are rumbling over stimulus spending to recharge our economy.

Mr Harper wants a blank cheque from the opposition to spend without specifying what he would spend the money on. He threatens (again, yawn) to call an election if he does not get his way (of course Mr. Harper threatened to call an election for the past 2-3 years whenever the opposition disagreed with his spending plans but ran crying like a school yard bully to the Governor General to shut down Parliament when they stood up to him and called his bluff last December). Mr I quite reasonably asks for some specifics before agreeing to sign Mr Harper's blank cheque but appears to offer few specifics himself. Well here is a suggestion from AutismRealityNB.

Take a good chunk of that money and spend it on a conference of Canada's health ministers to draft a REAL national autism strategy to address Canada's autism crisis. Canadian children and adults with autism face a patchwork quilt of available autism treatment and services across Canada. With 1 in 15o Canadians (using CDC estimates from the US instead of the politicized information available in Canada) being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders it is time that Mr Harper, his health minister of the day and his party's token autism dad Edmonton MP Mike Lake started addressing Canada's autism crisis. The minister's should focus on one objective - establishing a mechanism for transferring federal tax dollars to the provinces specifically to provide evidence based treatment for autism and to provide decent residential care for autistic adults.

Canadian autistic children and adults do not need the same small clique of "autism researchers" conducting the same studies that do nothing to help autistic children or adults. ( Guess: Will Dr. Laurent Mottron and Michelle Dawson publish yet another study proving how smart high functioning "autistics' really are in 2009?). Canadian autism researchers have done nothing to actually help autistic children and adults particularly those at the lower functioning end of the autism spectrum.

Put the money into services that will actually HELP autistic children and adults. Put the money into making ABA available to autistic children wherever their parents live in Canada because studies, and credible (in other words, American) agencies, have found that ABA intervention helps autistic children make serious gains in all domains. Put the money into badly needed services for autistic adults like decent, humane residential care facilities where people matter more than profit.

Stop the silly posturing and help autistic Canadians. Whether Mr Harper believes it or not autistic Canadians are, despite their autism, still Canadians.

Spend some stimulus money helping Canadians with autism disorders Mr. Harper.

That is my stimulus suggestion for our out of touch federal leadership.

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An Open Autism Challenge To MP Mike Lake, Canada's Official Autism Dad

Mike Lake
Conservative Member of Parliament
Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont

March 3, 2009

Mike Lake
Conservative Member of Parliament
Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont

Dear Mr. Lake

I am the father of a 13 year old boy diagnosed with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delays. I have in all candor been disappointed, very disappointed, with the positions you have taken in support of your party's refusal as Canada's governing party to take serious steps to address Canada's national autism crisis. I have read your statements in particular on treatment and funding of autism treatment for autism in Canada. I know that you do not need to be convinced of the benefits of ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) for the treatment of autism disorders. There have been several serious, credible reviews of the hundreds of studies which have examined the evidence basis in support of the effectiveness in treating autism. Apart from the ideological positions of a very small minority of professionals and autism advocates there has for some time been an overwhelming consensus endorsing ABA as an autism intervention. Yet you, as an autism father, and Member of Parliament, a member of the governing party in Canada, have taken no steps to ensure that funding mechanisms are put in place in conjunction with the federal and provincial governments to ensure provision of ABA for autistic children regardless of where their parents happen to live in Canada. I challenge you, as a fellow autism dad, one that has actually fought with some success to ensure the provision of autism services, to take steps while your party forms the government to ensure that all Canadian children with autism in need of ABA services are able to obtain them regardless of what province their parents live in.

As an autism advocate I have advocated with other parents for many years to obtain ABA interventions here in New Brunswick yet my name, although put forth, was twice rejected as a participant in the national autism symposium, along with many other serious parent autism advocates for ABA services for autistic children in Canada. You participated as a keynote speaker at that staged symposium. Although the symposium was obviously designed to cast doubt on the consensus of professional and parent support for ABA as an autism intervention the effort was undermined by the release just days prior to that event of the American Academy of Pediatrics Report, November 1, 2007, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders which reviewed the professional literature and concluded much as the US Surgeon General, the New York State Department of Health, the MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force and the Association for Science in Autism Treatment that:

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4

American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Your party has used you, as an autism father, to help quiet the voices of those who were seeking to amend the Canada Health Act to ensure that all autistic children would be able to receive ABA intervention in Canada. You faithfully quoted the party line that this could not be done for legal and constitutional reasons. Fine. Leave that argument aside.

You also voted on December 5, 2006, along with your party, in support of Andy Scott's private members' motion M-172, seconded by Peter Stoffer which called for the development of a National Autism Strategy on the following terms:

“(a) the development, in cooperation with provincial/territorial governments, of evidence based standards for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder; (b) the development, in cooperation with provincial governments, of innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder; (c) consulting with provincial/territorial governments and other stakeholders on the requirements of implementing a national surveillance program for autism spectrum disorder; and (d) the provision of additional federal funding for health research into autism spectrum disorder.”

Your name was clearly recorded on the yea side right between MP's Kramp and Lapierre:

YEAS -- POUR
...

Khan
Komarnicki
Kramp (Prince Edward—Hastings)
Lake
Lapierre
Lauzon

While some money has been spent on research, with unknown objectives, no steps have been taken in 2 1/2 years to to develop, in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments, innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder. In other words no steps have been taken to actually help autistic children and adults now living in Canada. Perhaps in 30 years the additional research dollars offered to Canadian researchers might play some role in offering some help to autistic persons not yet born. But here and now, in Canada nothing has been done by your government to help living autistic Canadians.

I know that you, as a Conservative MP from an Edmonton, Alberta riding have little to worry about politically. You could spend your time advocating for the protection of Bigfoot and other mythological creatures and still win landslide re-election for years to come. But I challenge you as an autism father who has actually advocated with some success for autism services for my son and other autistic children in New Brunswick, as one autism dad to another, to actually do something on behalf of Canada's autistic children and adults. You are a member of the governing Conservative Party. You have allowed your status as an autism parent to be used to support your government's refusal to act to include autism treatment in the Canada Health Act.

I ask simply that you use your standing in the party on autism issues to ensure that Prime Minister Harper and Health Minister Aglukkaq call a meeting of provincial health ministers to discuss funding of autism treatment and services for autistic children and adults living in Canada. This much you have already promised. This much you can do.

I challenge you as one "autism dad" to another, as one that has gotten some things done here in New Brunswick, to use your position in the governing party to actually do something for autistic Canadian children and adults.

Respectfully,


Harold L Doherty
Fredericton NB

cc. Facing Autism in New Brunswick

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Stephen Harper Fails to Honor National Autism Strategy Commitment

On Friday long time autism champion and Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy questioned federal Conservative Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq, below left, on the Harper government's failure to honor its commitment to convene a meeting of the provincial health ministers with the objective of developing a national strategy on the treatment and support of Canadians with autism.

Instead of directly answering the question Health Minister Aglukkaq dissembled and did not acknowledge either the commitment to convene a meeting of Canada's health ministers to develop a national autism strategy or the Harper government's failure to honor that commitment.

It is time that politicians like Stephen Harper and Leona Aglukkaq started earning the designation "Honourable" that comes with their positions and start honoring their commitment to autistic Canadians and their families to convene a meeting of provincial health ministers and develop a real national autism strategy to provide for treatment and support for autistic Canadian children and adults.

Please Prime Minister Harper, and Health Minister Aglukkaq, honor your commitment to autistic Canadians and their families.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Health

40th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION

EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 020

Friday, February 27, 2009

Health

Hon. Shawn Murphy (Charlottetown, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, on December 5, 2006, every member of the House, including the Prime Minister, supported Motion No. 172. The motion directed the minister of health to convene a meeting of the provincial health ministers with the objective of developing a national strategy on the treatment and support of Canadians with autism. Unfortunately, the previous minister of health and the present Minister of Health have totally ignored this motion.

My question is for the present Minister of Health. This is a very important question and Canadians are looking for an answer. How long does the government intend to ignore Canadian families dealing with autism?

Hon. Leona Aglukkaq (Minister of Health, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that autism is an important health and social issue that represents challenges to many Canadian families. I can assure the House that the government is showing leadership by focusing attention on building the autism evidence base that future actions by our partners will be well informed.

We are delivering results. In 2007 we announced the funding for a chair of autism research and innovation at Simon Fraser University and, over the last seven years, more than $27 million have been spent on related research by CIHR.

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Woe Canada: Can Do American Politicians Address Autism Crisis While Harper & Ignatieff Do & Say Nothing

In the 11 years since my son, Conor, was diagnosed with autism the rates of autism diagnoses have skyrocketed in numbers that can not be explained entirely by the definition changes for pervasive developmental disorders (autism spectrum disorders) in the DSM. In the United States several American political leaders are taking steps to address the autism crisis while in Canada, the Harper government passes a budget which spends big bucks everywhere but offers nothing, zilch, for autism. And his de facto governing partner Michael Ignatieff also remains silent on autism issues; demanding nothing for autism as part of his party's continued propping up of the Harper party.

President Obama's commitment to addressing autism issues is well known:

Autism

President Obama and Vice President Biden are committed to supporting Americans with Autism Spectrum Disorders (“ASD”), their families, and their communities. There are a few key elements to their support, which are as follows:

• First, President Obama and Vice President Biden support increased funding for autism research, treatment, screenings, public awareness, and support services. There must be research of the treatments for, and the causes of, ASD.
• Second, President Obama and Vice President Biden support improving life-long services for people with ASD for treatments, interventions and services for both children and adults with ASD.
• Third, President Obama and Vice President Biden support funding the Combating Autism Act and working with Congress, parents and ASD experts to determine how to further improve federal and state programs for ASD.
• Fourth, President Obama and Vice President Biden support universal screening of all infants and re-screening for all two-year-olds, the age at which some conditions, including ASD, begin to appear. These screenings will be safe and secure, and available for every American that wants them. Screening is essential so that disabilities can be identified early enough for those children and families to get the supports and services they need.

Recently governors Doyle of Wisconsin and Corzine of New Jersey have spoken forcefully in support of initiatives to help autistic people and their families:

Governor Doyle in the Wisconsin State of the State Address:

First, we can make sure kids with autism get the treatment they need. Private insurers should cover autism; the treatment has been proven effective, and families deserve the right to see their children improve.

Governor Cozine's efforts on behalf of autistic people in New Jersey were described in a February 3, 2009 editorial on NorthJersey.com:

SINCE New Jersey has the highest incidence of autism in the nation, it's only fitting that our state should be a leader in supporting families facing this devastating diagnosis. The earlier the disorder can be identified and the more services that are available, the more positive the outcome. That is why Governor Corzine has made autism a high priority and has started a series of initiatives that are at various stages of progress. His efforts will inevitably be affected by the economic crisis and the state's financial woes. But as The Record's Elise Young reported this week, some success is already evident. An expanded and invigorated Governor's Council for the Medical Research and Treatment of Autism has been set up, along with an Adults with Autism Task Force and a training program for police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians on how to respond to those with autism. Perhaps the most promising and potentially effective initiative is the "early intervention" plan, which will result in evaluation guidelines for doctors and other health professionals who treat infants and toddlers. Guidelines have already been drafted and may be ready by spring.

Meanwhile back in Canada there is no mention in budget documents or discussions by Prime Minister Harper or Opposition Leader Ignatieff of autism or any commitment of funds to address Canada's autism crisis.

Too bad about that autism stuff eh?

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An Open Autism Letter To Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff

Dear Mr. Rae and Mr. Ignatieff

I am the father of a 12 year old boy diagnosed with autistic disorder and assessed with profound developmental delays living in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I know you both are busy challenging for the leadership of the Liberal Party. I hope you both have time though to consider the importance of health and education issues to Canada's future and, if one of you becomes Liberal leader and Prime Minister, do not simply use the Constitution as a shield to avoid development of national policies in these two areas vital to the lives of Canadians as Stephen Harper has done.

In particular I ask that each of you, should you ultimately become Prime Minister, introduce a real National Autism Strategy for Canada. Not the existing "slap in the face" strategy of the Harper government but a real National Autism Strategy that helps all regions of the country deliver evidence based effective autism interventions during the pre-school and school years and permits adult autistic persons to live in decent residential accommodations and participate to the fullest extent of their abilities in Canadian society.

The beginning of such a strategy was outlined in Bill C-304, the private member's bill introduced by Charlottetown MP, and steadfast autism advocate, Shawn Murphy. That bill included amendment of the Canada Health Act to provide financing for autism treatment wherever autistic children reside in Canada:


BILL C-304

An Act to provide for the development of a
national strategy for the treatment of
autism and to amend the Canada Health
Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate and House of Commons
of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the National
Strategy for the Treatment of Autism Act.


NATIONAL CONFERENCE

2. The Minister of Health shall, before
December 31, 2006, convene a conference of
all provincial and territorial ministers responsible
for health for the purpose of working
together to develop a national strategy for the
treatment of autism. The Minister shall, before
December 31, 2007, table a report in both
Houses of Parliament specifying a plan of action
developed in collaboration with the provincial
and territorial ministers for the purpose of
implementing that strategy.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CANADA
HEALTH ACT

3. Section 2 of the Canada Health Act is
renumbered as subsection 2(1) and is
amended by adding the following:

(2) For the purposes of this Act, services
that are medically necessary or required under
this Act include Applied Behavioural Analysis
(ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(IBI) for persons suffering from Autism Spectrum
Disorder.

Mr. Ignatieff, you voted in support of Bill C-304. I hope, should you accede to the Prime Minister's office that you will act on that expression of support for a badly needed national autism strategy.

Mr. Rae, you were not a sitting member of the Commons at that time but, having twice had the privilege of meeting you and discussing autism issues with you I know you have taken the time to inform yourself about, and shown interest in, the challenges facing autistic Canadians and their families. I hope that should you become Liberal leader and perhaps Prime Minister that you
would introduce as a government bill Shawn Murphy's private member's bill C-304.

I realize that you both have great issues on your minds. I hope you both have room in your hearts, and considerable intellects, for autistic Canadians.

Respectfully,


Harold L Doherty
Fredericton New Brunswick

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Time To Resume The Struggle, Canada Still Needs A Real National Autism Strategy

The general election in Canada has come and gone. And Canada's National Autism Crisis remains.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper had no qualms about spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an unnecessary election. But still he can not even spend five cents on actually helping autistic children and adults in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has done nothing to help autistic children receive evidence based treatment in Canada. Nothing of substance will be done to help autistic children in Canada while Stephen Harper is Prime Minister.

There were many people who fought hard to raise the profile of autism and Canada's autism crisis during this election. I am not offering any names because I do not want to offend anyone by accidental omission. From BC to Nova Scotia the fight was waged for a real National Autism Strategy. The ultimate objective was not achieved .... this time. But the fight will continue for a real National Autism Strategy.

We know that autistic children across Canada deserve the opportunity for a better life. They deserve to receive Applied Behavioral Analysis and any other evidence based treatment that might be developed in future. They need treatment now. They do not need sham National Autism Symposiums which exclude parent advocates and provide watered down versions of what more credible American agencies like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the New York State Department of Health, the MADSEC Autism Task Force and the Office of the US Surgeon General have been telling us for many years.

We have to continue the fight for a National Autism Strategy. We have to reboot, recalibrate, recharge and resume the struggle and we have to start right now!

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Canada's Autism Wastelands - Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia

On September 02, 2007 I described Saskatchewan as Canada's Autism Wasteland. In fact Canada has at least three autism wastelands although Saskatchewan still ranks as the worst province in Canada for provision, or more accurately, non-provision, of autism services.

1. Saskatchewan

As stated in Canada's Autism Wasteland To Take First Step Forward on September 02 2007, Saskatchewan, at that time, was the only province in Canada without a program for provision of autism services. 14 months later nothing has changed according to Theresa Savaria, the executive director of Regina's Autism Resource Centre. In Man running to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder , Leader Post, October `17, 2008, Savaria states:

"Parents can go on the Internet and see that everyone is recommending intensive intervention, but Saskatchewan is the only province that doesn't have that"


2. Ontario

Ontario is notorious for its lengthy waiting lists for provision of autism services. As reported on April 29, 2008 in the Toronto Star:

The wait list of autistic children who are eligible to receive intensive behavioural intervention therapy, or IBI, reached 1,148 on March 31, up from 985 last year.

More than 1,400 children were receiving IBI services as of March 31, according to newly released government figures.

But the long waits have forced many parents to drain their savings and go into debt to pay for the therapy the province has promised to provide, said NDP critic Andrea Horwath.

3. Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia does provide some autism treatment services but not for everyone. In Nova Scotia a lottery system is used to determine which autistic children receive autism treatment. Nova Scotia lost two medical professionals, a husband and wife, who moved to Manitoba to seek ABA treatment for their autistic child.

In Helping kids with autism shouldn't be a lottery Bobby-Lynn Hall reported that:

In Nova Scotia, there are children receiving Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention, a treatment proven to improve vocabulary and social skills and reduce behaviour issues in most children with ASD, but it's based on a lottery system.

We all talk about how great it would be to win the lottery and what we'd spend the money on. But what if your child's future was dependent on winning a lottery and what if you didn't win? Would you be thinking maybe if you had picked a different number, or maybe if you had bought your ticket last week instead of this week, that maybe things would have been different and maybe your child would be the one receiving the treatments that could help him experience things that otherwise may not have been possible?

I agree with Ms Hall. To me Nova Scotia's lottery system is an immoral attempt to avoid the responsibility for providing autism treatment to all those who need it without accepting responsibility for excluding those unfortunate enough to draw the lottery number. It is both immoral and cowardly.

Canada's Autism Wastelands are evidence of the need for a National Autism Strategy in Canada, a real National Autism Strategy, not the phony PR efforts of the Harper government and its alleged Health Minister Tony Clement.

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Senator Obama Not Governor Palin Has Plan For Autism

In commenting on autism issues in the context of American politics I can only do so as an outsider, a Canadian with no vote, but keenly aware that American events can have a dramatic impact on Canada. I have followed American presidential elections closely since my grade 3 teacher put pictures of President John F. Kennedy on our classroom bulletin board and I remember hearing the horrific news of his assassination one year later. I am heavily biased toward the Democrats, and admire many of them - Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Al Gore and Barack Obama. I still can not believe that Al Gore did not win in 2000.

With that declaration of bias again out in front though I am curious about Governor Palin's announcement yesterday that autism is an issue near and dear to her heart. Governor Palin has a nephew with autism. And that certainly identifies a personal connection to autism for the Governor but notwithstanding that personal connection what does she actually have in mind for autism programs? What plan, if any, does she have for autism? The answer, apparently, is none. The Governor spoke with KRNV News4's Shelby Sheehan:

"There are a lot of wasteful expenditures in the federal (government)," Palin said. "Let's get rid of those and put them into strengthening NIH (National Institutes of Health) and these other areas where we can help our kids with autism."

....

"Here's the difference between John McCain and our ticket and Barack Obama and Joe Biden," she said. "We don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk. And that's why in not just that first speech, but in every speech I give, I talk about being an advocate and a friend in the White House for our families who have members who have these special needs."

The WKNV online reports that Governor Palin did not indicate what expenditures would be cut and what autism programs would be funded in a McCain-Palin administration. Stating over and over that you are an advocate for autistic persons appears to be a clear example of talking the talk but does not demonstrate that Governor Palin is prepared to walk the walk as she claims. As the report indicates Governor Palin has no actual plan for how to help autistic persons and their families.

WKNV reports that Senator Obama has specified what action he would take when, sorry IF, he becomes President (my bias again) :) The Obama plan can be found in full at Obama 08 BARACK OBAMA: SUPPORTING AMERICANS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDERS. The elements of the Obama plan include:

1. Appoint Federal ASD Coordinator to Oversee All Federal ASD Efforts.
2. Fully Fund the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research Initiatives.
3. Support Special Needs Education for Children with ASD.
4. Support Universal Screening.
5. Work Together.

Senator Obama, not Governor Palin, appears ready to walk the walk to help autistic persons and their families. Here in Canada it is not clear if Stephen Harper has even uttered the word "autism". The sweater PM has made it clear that a Harper government will do nothing to address Canada's autism crisis. Hopefully, if Senator Obama's historic presidency does come to be, he will have some positive influence on our Canadian Prime Minister with respect to autism issues.

On autism issues Canada is still looking for The Change We Need.

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Vote Autism Tomorrow

Tomorrow is decision day in Canada. Vote Autism Tomorrow.

If you have not already voted and you want to cast your vote to support the development of a real National Autism Strategy in Canada please consider voting for the Liberal or NDP parties; whichever is strongest in your riding. The MPs of these two parties voted almost unanimously in support of Shawn Murphy's motion to amend the Canada Health Act to require coverage of ABA treatment for autism. The Conservative and Bloc defeated the motion.

Of the three major federal parties the Stephen Harper Conservatives have made it clear that they will take no serious steps to address Canada's autism crisis. To the contrary the so called National Autism Symposium was a cynical sham, with participants from the autism community selected by the Conservatives and the NIH to exclude serious autism advocates. The slanted symposium summary did note even tell Canadians that the weight of scientific study to date supports the use of ABA as an effective intervention for helping autistic children make substantial persisting gains in communication, social, behavioral and intellectual domains.

Not one single Conservative candidate has indicated support for autism coverage in Medicare. Some such as Deborah Meredith of Vancouver Quadra and Keith Ashfield of Fredericton have told concerned autism parents that they will not discuss autism until AFTER the election. Their dismissal of the existence and interests of the 1 in 150 Canadians, and their familes, affected by an autism spectrum disorder, originates in the first place with Stephen Harper, who wanted to say yes to joining George Bush in invading Iraq but will not join Canadian parents in their struggle to help their autistic children.

The only way to develop a real National Autism Strategy in Canada, to secure federal financing of effective, evidence based, ABA treatment for autistic Canadians is to reduce the number of Harper Conservatives elected by electing more Liberal and NDP MPs.

If the Liberals are stronger in your riding vote autism by voting Liberal.

If the NDP are stronger in your riding vote autism by voting NDP.

Vote autism tomorrow AND encourage your relatives and friends to do the same.

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This Autism Dad Will Not Be Voting Conservative or Green

I will not be voting Conservative in this election. Nor will I be voting Green.

As the father of a son with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delays, I am heavily influenced by party autism platforms and histories. The Conservative Party of Stephen Harper has made clear on many occasions that, while it governs, there will be no meaningful attempt by the federal government to assist autistic children and adults or their families. That position has also been made crystal clear by the responses of Conservative candidates to questions from the Medicare for Autism Now Society.

Some Green Party candidates have been positive, and some negative, in response to the MFANS question: "If you are elected to the House of Commons on Oct. 14th, will you publicly commit to supporting legislation which will amend the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment?"

The Green Party has responded to an email from Autism Canada about creating a new federal autism bureaucracy by stating that it does not have a specific position on autism at this time. The Green Party answer, perhaps because of Autism Canada's focus on bureaucracy building, reflects the possibility of future Green Party support for an autism bureaucracy but shows no awareness of the need to provide targeted federal funding to ensure that all autistic children in Canada receive evidence based, effective ABA treatment:

On behalf of Elizabeth May, I would like to thank you for your email and for sharing with us your concerns.

While the Green Party of Canada does not have a specific policy on autism at this time, we are strongly in favour of the Department of Health furthering its mandate to include mental health, as well as developmental health, such as autism. Similarly, we would be committed to expanding the mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada to include studies on developmental and mental health.

I asked Elizabeth May and the Green Party the following question on September 22, 2008:

Shawn Murphy, the Liberal MP for Charlottetown introduced a private members motion Bill C-304 which called for a National Autism Strategy that included an amendment to the Canada Health Act to require provincial funding of ABA treatment for autism. The motion was defeated on a second reading vote by the combined opposition of the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois parties. The Liberal and NDP party members almost all voted in favour of the motion.

Ms May will the Green Party of Canada follow up on the Shawn Muphy autism motion by also seeking amendment of the Canada Health Act to require ABA treatment for autism?

I received no reply to my question. Autistic children in Canada do not need another federal bureaucracy to study autism and"better inform Canadians as promoted by Autism Canada. The Green Party of Canada, with no specific autism platform at present, has shown interest in Autism Canada style bureaucracy building but no interest in actually taking real action to help autistic children in Canada receive effective treatment wherever they live.

The Green Party, like the Conservative Party, will not be receiving this autism dad's vote in this election.

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