Jean Lewis, Canada's Foremost Autism Advocate, Provides Firsthand History of Canadian Autism Advocacy From an Experienced, Personal Perspective

I strongly encourage anyone with an autistic child or interest in autism services in Canada to watch this video by Jean Lewis, Canada's foremost autism advocate, who has lived and led much of the autism advocacy in Canada over the last decade. 

Jean is extremely well informed, articulate and authentic. She has lived the reality of severe autism and related disorders with her child and she, and her husband Michael, have fought with intelligence and determination to bring services to autistic children and adults in BC and across Canada.

 

FEAT BC Autism Rally Update Friday, November 13

Parents of autistic children and their supporters will rally outside Premier Gordon Campbell’s constituency office this Friday, November the 13th at noon to protest the provincial government’s attempt to begin to dismantle individualized treatment funding and to mark the 5th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s Auton decision.

FEAT of BC (Families for Early Autism Treatment of BC) is a not-for-profit volunteer organization of parents and professionals working towards universal access to effective, science-based treatment for all Canadians diagnosed with autism.

Louise Witt, board member and spokesperson for FEAT of BC states that “The recent tragic deaths of two Canadian children with autism, killed at the hands of their own parents, are a wake up call. The status quo is putting the health of children and their very lives in jeopardy. At present, no mandate exists to deliver healthcare to children with autism or to enshrine their right to this medically necessary treatment.”

“It’s been five years since the Auton decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada and kids with autism are still being denied their treatment” says Bev Sharpe, one of the founding members of FEAT of BC. “How many more children have to die? It’s long past time for the government to do the morally right and economically sensible thing, which is to provide treatment to these vulnerable children.”

For more information, contact Louise Witt at 778-999-0971 or www.featbc.org

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FEAT BC Autism Rally At Premier Campbell's Office Friday November 13 at 12 Noon

FEAT Rally

Friday, November 13^th, 2009

12:00 Noon

Premier Gordon Campbell’s Constituency Office

3615 West 4^th Ave

Vancouver, BC

Why should you attend?

• The recent tragic deaths of two Canadian children with autism, killed at the hands of their own parents, is a wake up call! The status quo is putting the health of children and their very lives in jeopardy.

• September’s announcement by the Ministry of Children and Family Development has shown that our government is not concerned about the rights and needs of some of its most vulnerable citizens.

• No legislation or mandate exists to deliver health care to children with autism or to protect and enshrine their right to their medically necessary treatment. What little individualized funding being provided now is in jeopardy of being taken away.

• Autism is an epidemic! According to the Center for Disease Control, it now affects one in every 100 children in North America.

• It is time for our provincial government to recognize its responsibility to act and to demonstrate leadership for the rest of Canada!

Who should attend?

-parents, grandparents, friends, consultants, therapists, anyone who is concerned about this injustice to our children. We urge you all to attend this rally!

Featured Speakers will include:

Jean Lewis – Vancouver parent, board member, Medicare for Autism Now!

Bev Sharpe – Vancouver parent, board member, Families for Early Autism Treatment

Louise Witt – Surrey parent, spokesperson, Families for Early Autism Treatment

(To RSVP or for more information email abarocks@gmail.com )

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Autism Reality in Nova Scotia: Jim Young Delivers Autism Truth, Straight Up, With No Joy of Autism Sweetener

I met Jim Young a couple of years ago, May 26, 2007 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, at the FEAT-BC Goes Coastal kick off of the national autism strategy campaign. Jim and I had a chance to talk briefly. He got straight to the point in discussing autism and the state of autism advocacy in Nova Scotia. In a guest column in the Halifax Chronicle Herald Jim once again delivers hard hitting autism reality without any sugar coated joy of autism nonsense.

Jim offers the perspective of a father of an autistic child who fights hard to make life as good as he can for his child. He has done his homework on a number of contentious autism issues and he has been an active autism advocate. In this article Jim addresses many of the contentious autism issues that hinder the ability of parents to help their autistic children. He offers his views on autism cures and treatment favoring an evidence based professional treatment that stands out above all others at this time - Applied Behavior Analysis - ABA.

Jim expresses his admiration for high functioning autistic persons who do well in the world but pulls no punches about the leaders of the Neurodiversity ideological movement and the threat they pose to the health of our autistic children:

The neurodiversity proponents do not represent the realities faced by the majority of families. My view is that they represent a real threat to the health of our children. Not only do they imply that it is fine to have autism but they urge us to "celebrate" our children’s disorder. Nonsense. Should we "celebrate" juvenile diabetes, leukemia, pediatric aids, fetal alcohol syndrome?

I can testify that there is very little about autism to celebrate. I love both of my children and could not love my daughter, who is deeply affected, any more if she woke up tomorrow without autism. But I will continue to advocate and provide treatment opportunities for her forever, despite what these people say.

Autism is a serious health issue requiring aggressive treatment. It is not a learning disorder, lifestyle choice or expression of individuality. The risks of claiming that it is, for the rest of us, are that it provides government just the excuse they need to withhold funding – the community is divided and the disorder is not an alarming epidemic. These people need to shut up. They do not represent the children with autism that I see. They represent themselves, which is fine, but no one else.

Jim Young also takes the Nova Scotia government to task for its immoral, shabby treatment of autistic children. (Nova Scotia actually has a lottery system to determine which children receive autism treatment). Jim Young is a dad who has actually been fighting to help his autistic daughter and other autistic children in Nova Scotia. He has been fighting an uphill battle but he soldiers on.

I encourage anyone interested in autism, particularly parents of children newly diagnosed with an autism disorder to read Jim's column in the Chronicle Herald. It offers a healthy dose of autism reality, straight up, with no joy of autism, neurodiversity nonsense, to divert you from helping your autistic child.

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Community Activist and Autism Community Friend David Marley for West Vancouver-Capilano MLA!

Community activist, and staunch friend of Canada's autism community, David Marley, is running as an Independent candidate for West Vancouver-Capilano MLA in the BC election May 12, 2009. He will be a guest today on CKNW's Bill Good Show immediately following the 9 am (local time) news.

David is a dedicated community activist who backs up his principles with outstanding organizational ability and formidable advocacy skills. I know nothing of the West Vancouver-Capilano riding or the other candidates but I know they are in for a real scrap with Marley running, a candidate with a strong commitment to community causes.

I met David at the FEAT BC visit to Halifax (above left) in May, 2007 and again in Toronto and Oakville (above right) for the Medicare for Autism Now campaign. David's organizational savvy and advocacy skills have helped autism advocates keep autism alive as a federal issue despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper's determination to exclude it from federal attention.

I hope the good people of of West Vancouver-Capilano don't mind this New Brunswicker offering my two cents worth. I would have "endorsed" David Marley as a candidate solely because of the assistance he has given to autism advocates in Canada. Having participated actively with David in the Ontario leg of the Medicare for Autism Now campaign I have seen first hand the outstanding skills, effort and commitment he brings to the causes and the people he supports.

I give David the highest marks I can give to a politician by saying he is a real scrapper. If the people of West Vancouver-Capilano want a scrapper in their corner I recommend they vote for David Marley.

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Open Mic For Autism

"Open Mic for Autism" is a compilation album that benefits the FEAT Foundation in BC (Families for Early Autism Treatment) and it is scheduled for released on Christmas, 2008. The purpose of the album is to promote awareness for the condition of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and to provide resources out there for parents who may have children with autism. 50% of the sales proceeds will go towards FEAT, and the remaining funds will go towards a benefit concert where all ticket sales will go towards helping children with autism. The concert will extend itself into an ongoing open mic event that will allow individuals with disabilities to share their art and personal experiences with the rest of the world.

The above image is from the Open Mic for Autism web site and the above information is from Open Mic for Autism The Blog. Check both for more information and updates about this effort to promote real autism awareness, assist in autism advocacy and .... provide some direct help to children with autism. If you are a social networker you might want to visit the Open Mike for Autism Facebook group.

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Medicare for Autism Now Rally March 2 - Burnaby

"Medicare for Autism Now!" Rally

Sunday, March 2^nd, 2008

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Shadbolt Centre for the Arts

6450 Deer Lake Avenue

Burnaby

Why should you attend?

Despite a decade of lobbying, collaborating and litigating – autism treatment is still excluded from our universal health care system. Canadian families are still bankrupting themselves in order to provide treatment for their autistic children.

The current and limited funding provided through the provincial government’s social services ministries could evaporate tomorrow with the stroke of a bureaucrat’s pen. No legislation exists within these ministries to protect or enshrine our children’s medically necessary treatment.

In 30 years of "advocacy", the only two initiatives which have achieved ANY success for our children and families has been litigation, and more recently, focused political action. Both were brought by the members of FEAT of BC – a 100% volunteer organization.

Autism is an epidemic of staggering proportions, it now afflicts one in every 150 children in North America, one in every 94 boys. It is time for the Federal Government to act! We need to let those who govern and those who wish to govern that they are going to be held accountable at the ballot box in the next federal election.

Who should attend?

You - and every fair-minded Canadian you know!

Children with autism suffer from political indifference. It will take the sustained energy and dedication of EVERY CANADIAN who desires a just society to correct this injustice. For our children’s sakes, and the sake of future generations, we urge you to attend this rally. Please bring friends, family, anyone and everyone you know who is appalled by the gross injustice done to our children every day by the governments of Canada and its provinces.

Featured speakers will include:

Dr. Sabrina Freeman – Executive Director, FEAT of BC and parent

Jean Lewis – Director, FEAT of BC and parent

David Chan – Director, Autism Society of BC, FEAT of BC and parent

Dubravka Skrijelj – FEAT of BC member and parent

Dr. Glen Davies – Clinical Director - ABLE Developmental Clinic

Beverley Sharpe – FEAT of BC member and parent

Louise Witt – Director, Autism Society of BC, FEAT of BC and parent

David Marley – FEAT of BC member and Political Strategist

Please RSVP to www. featbc.org and forward this notice to anyone you think will be interested.

FEAT of BC: " To see justice is done"

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