Autism and Behaviour Analysis ONTABA Conference 2007
By: Taline Sagharian
November 28, 2007
The Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA) www.ontaba.org held their annual conference on November 15 and 16, 2007. The two-day conference provided an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn some of the most up-to-date and innovative methods of incorporating Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) techniques in various significant issues including autism.
During the Awards Ceremony segment, retired MPP Shelley Martel was presented with an honourary lifetime ONTABA membership award in recognition of her outstanding dedication and commitment to families and individuals with autism and in supporting ABA in Ontario . Ms. Martel said that she is thrilled to continue her involvement with the autism community and feels that there is great merit in developing an accreditation process for professionals working in the field of autism and ABA . “This is necessary to assure parents that high quality treatment services are being delivered to their children and that the money being invested in recruitment, training and retention, is being well-spent,” said Ms. Martel. “Models of regulation have been developed in other jurisdictions and we should examine those models to determine what would work in Ontario .” When asked why it would be paramount for the government to recognize and work with ONTABA in this development process, she said; “Since ONTABA has the expertise in behaviour analysis, it only makes sense for the Ontario government to work with ONTABA in developing any such criteria."
In his opening remarks, Dr. James Porter, now past president of ONTABA, announced the birth of the Canadian Association for Behaviour Analysis Inc. (CABA), for which he is the founder and will serve as its first president. The website will be uploaded in the next 48 hours http://www.cdnaba.org:80/ . “The primary focus will be on creating a national voice for behaviour analysis and behaviour analysts,” he said. “This includes helping to establish ethical, accountable behaviour analysis services with quality assurance in all provinces -- all regions -- from one end of Canada to the other through certification of behaviour analysts throughout Canada .”
Malcolm Stanley, executive member of the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) www.ontarioautismcoalition.com made a presentation on day two of the conference for which he received a standing ovation. The presentation pointed out that the ONTABA brand is based in the quality of ABA service and that there are dangers in the organization not being involved in ABA implementation strategies in Ontario . "Appropriation of the ABA concept by politicians and unqualified service providers weakens not only ONTABA but threatens the overall quality ABA service provided to all Ontario children (with autism)", said Mr. Stanley. “The OAC strongly urges ONTABA to aggressively 'police' the use of ABA-based word marks and concepts in the Ontario marketplace”, he said. The OAC is also pushing for ABA to be implemented under the guidance of ONTABA member professionals and offered a number of possible solutions such as the development of a professional college. "A key step in this process is the achievement of an agreement with the Provincial government to put in place a college for ABA professionals and ensure proper credentialing of ABA service providers," he said. "This strategic goal must be achieved by ONTABA before school programs are set up which ignore or disallow the presence of ONTABA and its members."
There was an abundant flow of energy throughout the two days. Indeed, it has been a remarkable year for autism in Ontario . There is no question that the newly formed relationship between autism advocates and ONTABA provides the critical backbone in the fight for the implementation of authentic ABA in our province. The first step in achieving this goal is for Ontario to embrace the existing international standards of board certification for those practicing ABA . However, qualifications specific to both autism and ABA expertise requires that the individuals overseeing the implementation of ABA for autism not only meet the international board certification standards, but that they also carry autism experience as outlined in the Autism SIG Guidelines for ABA Consumers http://www.behavior.org/autism/ABAAutismSIG_Gdlns_2007.pdf .
Showing posts with label Ontario Autism Coalition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ontario Autism Coalition. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
NDP's Hampton Speaks Up For Autistic Children, Promise Breaker McGuinty Blasted by Autism Parents
A group of approximately 25 autism parents protested at Dalton McGuinty's Ottawa South constituency office yesterday according to a report by the Ottawa Citizen. The protest was part of the Autism Day of Action organized by the Ontario Autism Coalition. Meanwhile Howard Hampton and the NDP left no room to doubt their commitment to autistic children and students.
A McGuinty spokesperson appeared and listed some of the actions taken by the McGuinty led Liberal government during the past term of office including elimination of the age cutoff with about 60 per cent of children in the IBI program now being six years of age or older. The number of children receiving IBI was stated to have gone from 531 in 2004 to 1,400 today, the McGuinty government more than tripled spending on autism services for children and youth from $44 million in 2003-04 to $140 million in 2007-08, and created a college program to train new therapists.
Those numbers are significant but they do not actually address the enormous challenge in Canada's most heavily populated province. The Citizen article tells the story of the Lander family of Kanata who spend $40,000 a year for behavioral, speech and occupational therapy for their autistic son. With waiting lists for diagnosis and receipt of services the wait for autism services has grown to four years. Four years! Unless a child is diagnosed at birth they would miss completely the important early development period for treatment between ages 2 and 5. The Ontario Autism Coalition wants waiting lists eliminated, proper training and accreditation of therapists, and specialized instructors to work with autistic children in schools.
Sam Yassine, an Ottawa member of the Ontario Autism Coalition executive committee points out recent Liberal spending commitments for autism have come at the end of the McGuinty government 's term.
"For the last four years he denied our children, "Now, before the election, he announces $10 million. We find this very cynical. It's another promise to be broken."
Andrew Kavchak, who has maintained a vigil for years at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa seeking a national autism strategy, including Medicare coverage of ABA treatment for autism, is blunt in expressing his feelings about the Promise Breaker:
"We don't want Dalton McGuinty re-elected, he doesn't deserve our trust."
Despite the focus on the Promise Breaker and his betrayal of autistic children and their families there was good news from NDP Leader Howard Hampton yesterday:
Hampton Offers New Resources For Children With Autism
Howard Hampton, and the NDP, are absolutely right. Provision of therapy to autistic children is practical and doable IF it is a real priority of government to get it done. In the past that has not always been the case. The Ontario Autism Coalition, and parents of autistic children, are making sure that persons with autism occupy a more deserving spot in the hierarchies of government priorities in Ontario. Mr. Hampton and the NDP have indicated clearly and unambiguously where autism needs would be placed in an NDP government list of priorities.
The Ontario Autism Coalition and the Ontario NDP both deserve credit for advancing the best interests of autistic children in Ontario.
A McGuinty spokesperson appeared and listed some of the actions taken by the McGuinty led Liberal government during the past term of office including elimination of the age cutoff with about 60 per cent of children in the IBI program now being six years of age or older. The number of children receiving IBI was stated to have gone from 531 in 2004 to 1,400 today, the McGuinty government more than tripled spending on autism services for children and youth from $44 million in 2003-04 to $140 million in 2007-08, and created a college program to train new therapists.
Those numbers are significant but they do not actually address the enormous challenge in Canada's most heavily populated province. The Citizen article tells the story of the Lander family of Kanata who spend $40,000 a year for behavioral, speech and occupational therapy for their autistic son. With waiting lists for diagnosis and receipt of services the wait for autism services has grown to four years. Four years! Unless a child is diagnosed at birth they would miss completely the important early development period for treatment between ages 2 and 5. The Ontario Autism Coalition wants waiting lists eliminated, proper training and accreditation of therapists, and specialized instructors to work with autistic children in schools.
Sam Yassine, an Ottawa member of the Ontario Autism Coalition executive committee points out recent Liberal spending commitments for autism have come at the end of the McGuinty government 's term.
"For the last four years he denied our children, "Now, before the election, he announces $10 million. We find this very cynical. It's another promise to be broken."
Andrew Kavchak, who has maintained a vigil for years at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa seeking a national autism strategy, including Medicare coverage of ABA treatment for autism, is blunt in expressing his feelings about the Promise Breaker:
"We don't want Dalton McGuinty re-elected, he doesn't deserve our trust."
Despite the focus on the Promise Breaker and his betrayal of autistic children and their families there was good news from NDP Leader Howard Hampton yesterday:
Hampton Offers New Resources For Children With Autism
Bradford
Ontario NDP Leader Howard Hampton joined NDP York-Simcoe Candidate Nancy Morrison and other families at a local playground to announce the NDP’s plan to support families with autism.
The NDP will put children and families first by providing publicly funded Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) services in classrooms for all children with autism, and clear the waiting list for autism services.
“Every child who needs IBI autism therapy should have access to it. That’s the only fair thing to do. It’s a practical, doable and sensible thing we can do that will make an immediate difference to the day-to-day lives of today’s families.” said Hampton.
During the last election, McGuinty wrote a letter to Morrison promising to provide autism services to Ontario children who need it. McGuinty broke his promise. As of March 31, 2007, 1,100 children were languishing on waiting lists for autism services. That's an increase of 1,200 per cent from when the McGuinty Liberals took office.
McGuinty even wasted $2.4 million of public money fighting parents in the courts for the right to break his promise.
“Dalton McGuinty wasted $2.4 million dragging families through the courts instead of addressing the pressing need for autism services for today’s working families. That much money could have funded special treatment for 50 children with autism for a year,” said Hampton.
“McGuinty’s priority was to give himself a $40,000 raise and slush fund money to his friends. New Democrats will stand up for a fair deal for today’s working families.”
The Ontario Autism Coalition and the Ontario NDP both deserve credit for advancing the best interests of autistic children in Ontario.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Autism Debate Heats Up Ontario Election
Autism issues are heating up the Ontario election campaign, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Ontario Autism Coalition, which has been very well organized and effective in getting autism issues in front of political participants. Today the NDP and Liberals squared off over the issues of age cut off and school provision of ABA/IBI services for autistic children.
The Canadian Press is reporting a commitment by NDP leader Howard Hampton to provide publicly funded Intensive Behavioral Intervention in classrooms for all autistic children. The NDP has committed to providing IBI therapy for an autistic child from the day they qualify and an end to waiting lists. Children and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers retorts however that there simply aren't enough trained autism support workers to provide one on one treatment to every child who needs it.
In New Brunswick we have faced the same issues over the past several years. The UNB-CEL Autism Intervention Training program grew out of the need to train Autism Support Workers and Clinical Supervisors in the pre-school and school years. That training has been taking place over the past several years with training of another 100 Teacher Aides (Autism Support Workers) and Resource Teachers (Clinical Supervisors) scheduled to start in October. Premier Shawn Graham and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock have committed to train another 300 TA's and teachers over the next 3 years. In proportion to Ontario's population that would be roughly the equivalent of a commitment to train a further 4,000 Autism Support Workers and Clinical Supervisors to work in Ontario schools. We are very confident that New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock will keep their promise to New Brunswick's autistic school children.
The McGuinty government should quit making excuses for why they can't address the needs of Ontario's autistic children, stop breaking promises, stop fighting parents in court and buckle down and get to work helping autistic children. Maybe Ontario parents will decide to Get Orange and vote for the NDP.
As the Ontario Autism Coalition has said so succinctly - No More Excuses!
The Canadian Press is reporting a commitment by NDP leader Howard Hampton to provide publicly funded Intensive Behavioral Intervention in classrooms for all autistic children. The NDP has committed to providing IBI therapy for an autistic child from the day they qualify and an end to waiting lists. Children and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers retorts however that there simply aren't enough trained autism support workers to provide one on one treatment to every child who needs it.
In New Brunswick we have faced the same issues over the past several years. The UNB-CEL Autism Intervention Training program grew out of the need to train Autism Support Workers and Clinical Supervisors in the pre-school and school years. That training has been taking place over the past several years with training of another 100 Teacher Aides (Autism Support Workers) and Resource Teachers (Clinical Supervisors) scheduled to start in October. Premier Shawn Graham and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock have committed to train another 300 TA's and teachers over the next 3 years. In proportion to Ontario's population that would be roughly the equivalent of a commitment to train a further 4,000 Autism Support Workers and Clinical Supervisors to work in Ontario schools. We are very confident that New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham and Education Minister Kelly Lamrock will keep their promise to New Brunswick's autistic school children.
The McGuinty government should quit making excuses for why they can't address the needs of Ontario's autistic children, stop breaking promises, stop fighting parents in court and buckle down and get to work helping autistic children. Maybe Ontario parents will decide to Get Orange and vote for the NDP.
As the Ontario Autism Coalition has said so succinctly - No More Excuses!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Ontario Autism Coalition Ask Letter
The Ontario Autism Coalition is determined to get the political parties on the record in the Ontario Election 2007 with clear, specific answers to important autism questions. Ontario autism families were burned the last time out by the Promise Breaker, Ontario Liberal Leader and current Premier, Dalton McGuinty. The OAC will not be fooled in this election and is working hard at forging a political-social-moral contract with each party with respect to autism issues in Ontario. The precedent set by the OAC could be helpful in other elections across Canada, including the federal election expected, by some, to take place in the next year. Ontario Autism Coalition Member Update September 05, 2007
Please distribute to all lists.
Formal Presentation of OAC "Ask" to All Political Parties in Ontario The Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) is a grassroots organization with over 600 active members throughout the Province of Ontario. Our members are connected to thousands of families and supporters affected by autism. The OAC is determined to ensure the delivery of services and supports to families and individuals with Autism in the Province of Ontario. As political parties in the Province of Ontario prepare for a Provincial election this fall, the OAC seeks commitment from all Provincial parties and has therefore sent the following letter to the leaders of each party (Liberal, PC, NDP, Green Party) and has asked for their response in writing by September 14, 2007. The OAC will then communicate their responses with the entire autism community and the media.
From: Laura Kirby-McIntosh
Sent: Tuesday, September 4, 2007 10:08:52 PM
Subject: Ontario Autism Coalition: REQUEST FOR POLICY INFORMATION
Dear Candidate(s):
As we near the official start of the provincial election campaign, I am writing to you on behalf of the Ontario Autism Coalition (the "OAC") to ask for information on your party's autism policy.
The OAC is a grassroots advocacy group made up of concerned parents, relatives and friends of children with autism. The group formed in 2005 and has since grown into an Ontario-wide organization with over 600 members. We receive no government funding, and we are not a charity. We are focused on direct political action to bring about positive changes for our children. Between 2005 and 2007, the OAC organized over 20 rallies to draw public attention to the need for publicly funded programs that effectively meet the needs of individuals in the Autism community. The OAC has also met with numerous government policy advisors, senior provincial Cabinet Ministers and M.P.P.’s from each of Ontario’s three major political parties.
The OAC is committed to placing autism issues front and centre in the upcoming provincial election campaign. We will be hosting events, issuing press releases and organizing parents throughout the upcoming weeks to ensure that all candidates—as well as our fellow citizens—are aware of our concerns.
The OAC is asking for a written response from you and your party to the following three points:
1) We want the next provincial government to allow Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) instructor therapists currently working within the Autism Intervention Program (AIP) entry into the school system so that scientifically valid, supervised Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) can be implemented. Children receiving intensive ABA through the AIP and students attending school should receive the same quality of ABA services.
2) We want the next provincial government to eliminate the wait list in the AIP and fully fund services for all children with Autism—from the mild to severe end of the Autism Spectrum.
3) We want the next provincial government to develop a formal credentialing system and a proper training and recruitment system for the implementation of ABA to ensure accountability and capacity within the system.
We are sending this request not only to you, but to all parties—Liberal, Progressive Conservative, New Democrat and Green. We would appreciate receiving an official response from you no later than Friday, September 14, 2007. Your leaders and/or local candidates are also welcome to respond by attending our Autism Day of Action the following day. On Saturday, September 15th, we’ll be holding events in several different cities—you can get more details by visiting our website at http://www.ontarioautismcoalition.com.
While we are happy to receive any feedback you may wish to share, we encourage you to respond specifically to the three points we’ve mentioned above. We will post your responses on our website and share them with our members and with the public over the course of the campaign. If you have any documents, links or video messages you would like us to place on our website, we would be happy to receive them as well.
If you have any questions or if you are interested in meeting in person, please feel free to contact me. Enjoy the campaign!
Sincerely,
Laura Kirby-McIntosh
Co-founder, Ontario Autism Coalition
Phone: 905-761-5226
E-mail: mailto:tosh555@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Ontario Autism Coalition Event Notice
Ontario Autism CoalitionEvent Notice
August 22, 2007
The Ontario Autism Coalition is pleased to invite you to the following events as part of our ongoing campaign to raise awareness of Autism Issues.
**************************************
Actions Speak Louder than Announcements
Who: Michael Bryant, Attorney General for Ontario
What: Mr. Bryant’s community BBQ
When: Sunday, August 26, 2007 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Wells Hill Park (near the St. Clair West subway station on the south side of St. Clair, one block east of Bathurst)
Why: The Attorney General for the Ontario Liberal Government, Michael Bryant, has spent, and continues to spend millions of taxpayer dollars fighting families of children with autism in the courts while children with autism sit on lengthy waitlists for service. Not only do families of children with autism go into financial hardship paying for services, families are now burdened with additional unnecessary court costs.
The Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) will be making an appearance at Mr. Bryant’s community BBQ to bring the autism crisis to the attention of Mr. Bryant and his government. The OAC will be joined by members of Toronto Action for Social Change (TASC), a non-violent social justice action group whose members have long sought significant changes in social policies that punish the most vulnerable members of Ontario's society. The OAC invites parents, family members and interested individuals to join them in this worthwhile event.
This event is a preview of what Liberal MPP's can expect as part of an Ontario-wide Day of Action for Autism on Saturday, September 15, 2007.
Contact Laura Kirby-McIntosh, Executive Member of the OAC if you would like additional information on either event.
e-mail: mailto:tosh555@hotmail.com
(cell) 416-315-7939
(home) 905-761-5226
Please feel free to bring your own home made signs, banners, and pictures of your loved ones with autism. This is a child-friendly event, however be advised that the park is close to a busy intersection.
**************************************
Autism Day of Action
The Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) is declaring Saturday, September 15th 2007 as a Day of Action for Autism and is inviting you to join us at one of the several elected MPP riding offices in Ottawa, North Toronto, Toronto, Windsor, Essex, and Sarnia where events will be taking place throughout the day to bring awareness to the autism crisis in Ontario.
The OAC is asking for a commitment from all political parties on the following:
1) Allow IBI instructor therapists currently working within the Autism Intervention Program entry into the school system so that scientifically valid, supervised ABA can be implemented. Children receiving intensive ABA through the Autism Intervention Program and students attending school should receive the same quality of ABA services.
2) Eliminate the waitlist in the Autism Intervention Program and fully fund services for all children with Autism - from the mild to severe end of the Autism Spectrum.
3) Develop a formal credentialing system and a proper training and recruitment system for the implementation of ABA to ensure accountability and capacity within the system.
Let's believe that together we can make the necessary change for appropriate publicly funded autism programs and services in Ontario. Please join us at one of the following locations:
Ottawa: Premier Dalton McGuinty's office
1795 Kilborn Ave
Ottawa ON K1H 6N1
Tel :613-736-9573
Fax :613-736-7374
mailto: mailto:dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.or
North Toronto: Greg Sorbara's office (Minister of Finance)
Unit AU8- 140 Woodbridge Ave
Woodbridge ON L4L 4K9
Tel :905-851-0440
Fax :905-851-0210
mailto: mailto:gsorbara.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Toronto: Kathleen Wynee's office (Minister of Education)
146 Laird Dr, Suite 101
Toronto ON M4G 3V7
Tel :416-425-6777
Fax :416-425-0350
mailto: mailto:kwynne.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Windsor: Sandra Pupatello's office (Min. of Economic Development and Trade)
1483 Ouellette Ave
Windsor ON N8X 1K1
Tel : 519-977-7191
Fax :519-977-7029
mailto: mailto:spupatello.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Essex: Bruce Crozier (Deputy Speaker)
78 Talbot St N
Essex ON N8M 1A2
Tel :519-776-6420
Fax :519-776-5763
mailto: mailto:bcrozier.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Sarnia: Caroline DiCocco (Minister of Culture)
4th Floor - 201 Front St. North
Sarnia ON N7T 7T9
Tel :519-337-0051
Fax :519-337-3246
mailto: mailto:cdicocco.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Please visit our website, http://www.ontarioautism.com, if you would like to contact an OAC Executive Member for more information.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Ontario Autism Coalition Prepares for Ontario Election 2007
http://www.ontarioautism.com/
http://www.soaringhorse.com/
August 13, 2007
The Ontario Autism Coalition (\'OAC\') is a grassroots organization with over 600 active members throughout the Province of Ontario. Our members are connected to thousands of families and supporters affected by autism. The OAC is determined to ensure the delivery of services and supports to families and individuals with Autism in the Province of Ontario. As political parties in the Province of Ontario prepare for a Provincial election in October 2007, the OAC seeks commitment from all Provincial parties to the following platform planks, which will improve the quality of life for over 10,000 pre-school and school age children and their families:
1) Allow IBI instructor therapists currently working within the AIP entry into the school system so that scientifically valid, supervised ABA can be implemented. Children receiving intensive ABA through the AIP and students attending school should receive the same quality of ABA services.
2) Eliminate the waitlist in the AIP and fully fund services for all children with Autism—from the mild to severe end of the Autism Spectrum.
3) Develop a formal credentialing system and a proper training and recruitment system for the implementation of ABA to ensure accountability and capacity within the system.
\"Under the current Liberal government, funding for Autism programs has gone unspent, waitlists have ballooned, school-age children were denied scientifically valid ABA models and Autism-related court cases have dragged on at taxpayer expense,\" says Susan Fentie, one of the OAC co-founders. \"Parents of pre-school children with Autism continue to go broke paying for treatment out of their own pocket while their children sit indefinitely on the waitlist. Parents of school-aged children encounter institutional road blocks as they try to secure an appropriate education for their children, and services for teens and adults on the Autism spectrum are either non-existent or inconsistent in terms of quality,\" she added.
\"Today we seek commitment from all political parties to the OAC platform to address Autism issues. The OAC will be pressing all of the Provincial political Parties for their commitment to these planks now, and monitoring the performance of the parties after the election to ensure they live up to their commitments, as the current Liberal Government and all of its predecessors have consistently failed to do.\"
The OAC will be issuing further statements, hosting press conferences and organizing events during the election campaign to draw attention to these important issues. To find out more, media may contact any members of our leadership team for interviews or comments at the numbers listed below.
-30-
For further information:
GTA
Laura & Bruce McIntosh
416-315-7939
905-761-5226
tosh555@hotmail.com
Toronto
Malcolm Stanley
416 275-3562
amstanley@rogers.com
York Region
Sharon Gabison
647 892-4418
shar.gabison@utoronto.ca
Windsor
Mary Beth Rocheleau
519 734-6387
grocheleau6@hotmail.com
Western Ontario
Susan & Dan Fentie
519-869-4198
autism@coolgoose.com
Ottawa
Sam Yassine
613-841-3886
Sam_yassine@rogers.com
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Autism Advocacy - Parents Tossed by Autism Ontario
The message from the Supreme Court of Canada in the Auton and Deskin-Wynberg cases was clear - the courts, and the Canadian Constitution, are of little assistance to families seeking to help ensure their autistic children get treatment or a real education. It is absolutely necessary that autism advocates Get Political. In Ontario Dan and Susan Fentie have been doing exactly that. And for their efforts they have been tossed by their local chapter of Autism Ontario. The Fenties indicate that the local autism charity fears losing its charitable tax exempt status.
I have no personal knowledge of the Fenties' situation in Sarnia, Ontario but here in New Brunswick the Autism Society of New Brunswick has been cautioned in the past that it could lose its tax exempt status if it was too political. The ASNB has been more political than most Autism Societies in Canada. And the ASNB received a warning, not directly from government or a government agency, but from a former executive officer of the Autism Society of Canada, that it risked losing tax exempt status because of its advocacy efforts.
Why do autism societies and organizations exist if it is not to advocate on behalf of persons with autism and their famlies? If autism organizations are more concerned about their tax charitable status than advocating forcefully for autistic persons then they have no reason to exist. Our priorities should always lie with our autistic loved ones and we should be prepared to fight on their behalf.
A local couple who helped put autism on the political agenda in Ontario has been forced to resign from the local Autism Ontario chapter, The Observer has learned.
Dan and Susan Fentie resigned last week after the local agency's board asked Susan Fentie to step down for criticizing the Liberal government.
In a July 19 story in The Observer, Fentie said the government should be ashamed for spending $2.4 million fighting a lengthy court battle with parents seeking treatment for autistic children.
Susan Fentie said she was disappointed but refused to criticize the board.
They're good people put in a very bad position, she said.
Dan Fentie, who resigned along with his wife from the five-seat board, said it's under pressure from both head office in Toronto and the government to conform.
He said the charity fears losing its tax exempt status and future funding if members speak out against government policy. The local chapter already missed out on money awarded to six other Autism Ontario chapters for offices and local co-ordinators, he said.
We were told (by Autism Ontario) the reason we weren't picked was because we wouldn't carry their message. What message? We thought this was about fighting for families.
Susan Fentie said the local board was increasingly uncomfortable with the couple's outspoken advocating style. The relationship was further strained when she announced her intention to seek the local Progressive Conservative nomination in the October provincial election. Fentie lost the nomination but remains a party member and actively works with party leader John Tory.
Tricia Edgar, a spokesperson for Child and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers, denied the government sought the Fenties' removal. Chambers is on a first-name basis with the couple, she said.
We've had folks at our announcements that had been suing the government, Edgar said. The Minister has met with them . . . There is absolutely no such pressure from the government.
The Fenties also helped found a group called the Ontario Autism Coalition, which has lobbied the government and staged rallies to increase services and spending on autism.
Ian Naylor, board president of Autism Ontario Sarnia-Lambton, denied the provincial government or head office had anything to do with the request for Susan Fentie's resignation.
The chapter has to remain neutral when it comes to the government, Naylor said. Susan and Dan belong to the Autism Coalition, and they have a great function, but we as a board felt the two (groups) could not be together.
http://www.theobserver.ca/
I have no personal knowledge of the Fenties' situation in Sarnia, Ontario but here in New Brunswick the Autism Society of New Brunswick has been cautioned in the past that it could lose its tax exempt status if it was too political. The ASNB has been more political than most Autism Societies in Canada. And the ASNB received a warning, not directly from government or a government agency, but from a former executive officer of the Autism Society of Canada, that it risked losing tax exempt status because of its advocacy efforts.
Why do autism societies and organizations exist if it is not to advocate on behalf of persons with autism and their famlies? If autism organizations are more concerned about their tax charitable status than advocating forcefully for autistic persons then they have no reason to exist. Our priorities should always lie with our autistic loved ones and we should be prepared to fight on their behalf.
A local couple who helped put autism on the political agenda in Ontario has been forced to resign from the local Autism Ontario chapter, The Observer has learned.
Dan and Susan Fentie resigned last week after the local agency's board asked Susan Fentie to step down for criticizing the Liberal government.
In a July 19 story in The Observer, Fentie said the government should be ashamed for spending $2.4 million fighting a lengthy court battle with parents seeking treatment for autistic children.
Susan Fentie said she was disappointed but refused to criticize the board.
They're good people put in a very bad position, she said.
Dan Fentie, who resigned along with his wife from the five-seat board, said it's under pressure from both head office in Toronto and the government to conform.
He said the charity fears losing its tax exempt status and future funding if members speak out against government policy. The local chapter already missed out on money awarded to six other Autism Ontario chapters for offices and local co-ordinators, he said.
We were told (by Autism Ontario) the reason we weren't picked was because we wouldn't carry their message. What message? We thought this was about fighting for families.
Susan Fentie said the local board was increasingly uncomfortable with the couple's outspoken advocating style. The relationship was further strained when she announced her intention to seek the local Progressive Conservative nomination in the October provincial election. Fentie lost the nomination but remains a party member and actively works with party leader John Tory.
Tricia Edgar, a spokesperson for Child and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers, denied the government sought the Fenties' removal. Chambers is on a first-name basis with the couple, she said.
We've had folks at our announcements that had been suing the government, Edgar said. The Minister has met with them . . . There is absolutely no such pressure from the government.
The Fenties also helped found a group called the Ontario Autism Coalition, which has lobbied the government and staged rallies to increase services and spending on autism.
Ian Naylor, board president of Autism Ontario Sarnia-Lambton, denied the provincial government or head office had anything to do with the request for Susan Fentie's resignation.
The chapter has to remain neutral when it comes to the government, Naylor said. Susan and Dan belong to the Autism Coalition, and they have a great function, but we as a board felt the two (groups) could not be together.
http://www.theobserver.ca/
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