In Four Strong Autism Winds I commented on the fact that families with autistic children from across Canada were migrating to Wild Rose country in search of oil rich Alberta's well funded autism programs. The Edmonton Journal has featured this trend today in Alberta a mecca for parents of autistic kids.
The Journal article provides an excellent treatment of the subject and, by the information presented, highlights the need for a National Autism Strategy in Canada. While the Alberta funding is outstanding the immigration of families seeking access to its programs from other parts of Canada is "gumming up the works" increasing waiting lists for all autism services.
Whether the winds of desperation sending autism families to Alberta will ever translate into a Rational National Autism Strategy to address Canada's growing autism crisis remains to be seen. Two solid concrete obstacles stand in the path of such a development - the Stephen Harper Conservatives and the Block Quebecois. Both of these "federal" parties are fundamentally opposed to federal government assistance on health matters and the needs of autistic children are no exception. Any hope for a Rational National Autism Strategy must rest with the Liberals and the NDP, alone or acting together.
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