Canada's REAL National Autism Strategy - Shawn Murphy's Bill C-304

There is currently a group receiving money from the Harper government, purportedly to develop a "National Autism Strategy". It is an election year handout from a government which has consistently opposed a meaningful role for the federal government in ensuring that autistic children and adults in Canada receive the treatment and services they need to live meaningful, healthy lives.  

Parents in Canada have fought for many years with varying levels of success for government coverage of evidence based ABA treatment for autism disorders.  In 2006 former Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy articulated a REAL National Autism Strategy when he introduced Bill C-304 which was defeated by a Harper Conservative-Bloc Quebecois coalition vote.   

L: Former Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy 

C: NB Senator Jim Munson 

R: Late Fredericton MP Andy Scott

3 Strong Advocates for a National Autism Strategy

Federal politiicans and subservient autism charities should stop pretending and stop yakking about a National Autism Strategy if they do not intend to adopt the REAL National Autism Strategy proposed in 2006 in Shawn Murhpy's Bill C-304:

C-304

First Session, Thirty-ninth Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-304

_____________________________________________

FIRST READING, MAY 17, 2006

_____________________________________________

MR. MURPHY (Charlottetown)

1st Session, 39th Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF 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.

Canada Needs A REAL National Autism Strategy: Medicare for Autism NOW!

A Medicare for Autism Now! Rally was organized by FEAT-BC 

and held in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 26, 2007.

Shawn Murphy,  Jim Munson,  Andy Scott

Former PEI MP Shawn Murhpy, New Brunswick Senator Jim Munson and the late Andy Scott a former Fredericton NB MP all advocated actively for a REAL National Autism Strategy with Shawn Murphy presenting an unsuccessful provvate member's Bill C-304,  to include autism treatment in medicare coverage and then Fredericton MP Andy Scott working with Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer to intoduce a National Autism Strategy bill which was passed and put the issue on the national agenda although no serious efforts have been made since then. Senator Munson chaired the Senate review of autism services in Canada and issued the Pay Now or Pay Later Report.

Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer co-sponsored a national autism bill with  NB MP Andy Scott.

Fredericton MP Andy Scott with Jean Lewis of FEAT-BC and Medicare for Autism NOW!.

 Jean was and IS a determined advocate for Medicare coverage of Autism treatment.

The photos above were all taken at the Medicare for Autism Now! rally at Halifax, May 26, 2007 organized by Jean Lewis and her fellow advocates from British Columbia.  Medicare for Autism Now! has remained active since then and remains one of the few legitimate national autism organizations in Canada.  Under the current government charities seeking to maintain their charitable status dare not address the need for a real National Autism Strategy for fear of losing their charity status. 

The fact is that the current government has accomplished nothing of substance in addressing national autism issues. In 2015 Canadians must still rely for information about the prevalence of autism disorders  on US figures.  There is no discussion of taking steps to ensure that children in each Canadian province.  There is very little discussion of media reports of families moving across Canada and to the US seeking autism treatment for their autistic children.

Autism Canada, the newly formed entity rising from the merger of the Autism Canada Foundation and Autism Society Canada, and Autism Speaks will not advocate for Medicare coverage of autism disorders.  They will not risk their charitable status and funding for their organizations. With a federal election looming it is time for serious national autism advocates to speak up and advocate for autism treatment coverage under Medicare. 

Stephen Harper and Mike Lake, a well known Conservative MP who appears to be a good guy and a great father of an autistic son have done nothing to help autistic children across Canada not one damn thing.  They both say, correctly, that health care is within provincial constitutional jurisdiction and they are right.  What they both ignore is the concept of co-operative federalism a concept which once existed in Canada and can be restored with a new government in place.

Medicare itself came into existence in this country via federal provincial cooperation and it can be amended to include autism treatment coverage by the same mode.  We need medicare for autism and we need it NOW!.

Manitoba Autism Crisis Demonstrates Need For A REAL Canadian National Autism Strategy

Canada, despite a private members motion championed by the late Fredericton MP Andy Scott and Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer which called for one, does not have a REAL National Autism Strategy.  The failure to enact a REAL National Autism Strategy means that in some provinces very few autistic children receive intensive early ABA intervention.

The  private member's bill, Bill C-304, introduced by former PEI MP Shawn Murphy, set out below was crushed by the Harper Conservatives and Quebecois MPs.   Had Bill C-304 passed 9 years ago many,  many more autistic Canadian children would have received early ABA intervention and made the substantial cognitive, linguistic and behavioral gains reported decades ago by Dr. Ivaar Lovaas and confirmed by studies and reviews since.

 Manitoba's Wait List Autism Crisis

One example of the checkerboard pattern of ABA service for autistic children in Canada is Manitoba as reported in the CBC article Autistic children's families frustrated by therapy wait-list:

"Some Manitoba families with autistic children say they might get turned away from a highly sought-after therapy program because they have been on a waiting list for so long, their children may end up being too old to qualify. Families that want access to applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy for their children must wait roughly 1½ years on a list. The program is available only to children under the age of five. With the waiting list so long, some children may end up being too old to qualify for ABA, meaning they would be turned away this September.

"I just can't imagine where kids are going to wind up without having ABA," said Guy Mercier, president of Manitoba Families for Effective Autism Treatment. "Without ABA in my son's life, he wouldn't be where he is."

The ABA program gives children three years of intensive therapy, teaching them social skills and life skills before they enter kindergarten. It also provides support for five years while they are in school.

Samantha Bawtinheimer said she placed her 2½-year-old son, Noah, on the waiting list for ABA soon after he was diagnosed with autism last September.

Bawtinheimer said she is frustrated by how long it will take for Noah to get into the program. "You're supposed to be there to protect them. You're supposed to be there to help him. I can only do so much," she said. "I've done my research. I can't do it all. I still have to work, I have to provide for him. I can't do it all. I need their help."

The Manitoba situation proves the need for a real national autism strategy. 

History of the Struggle for A REAL National Autism Strategy

The struggle for a REAL National Autism Strategy is summarized following from a commentary on this site on March 29, 2014:

In The Courts Autons (BC) and Wynberg/Deskin (ONT)

Canadian parents fought initially , and ultimately unsuccessfully, through the courts in BC (Auton) and Ontario (Wynberg/Deskin) for autism treatment coverage under medicare and autism services before commencing their more overtly political efforts, including the Medicare for Autism NOW! campaign.

History of the Struggle for a REAL National Autism Strategy in the Maritimes

Andy Scott Fredericton NB MP,  Peter Stoffer NS MP, Shawn Murphy PEI MP,  Senator Jim Munson NB

Here in the Maritime provinces we took a political approach to developing a national autism strategy with the NB efforts in  which I was personally involved beginning  in 2001, primarily by many discussions with our Fredericton MP, the late Andy Scott.  In 2003  Andy Scott, made a public commitment in 2003 to work toward a National Autism Strategy at a tribute to his 10 years of service as an MP at the Boyce Famers' Market, an event I attended and reported on to the members of the Family Autism Centre for Education (FACE):

"October 19 2003

Hello everyone:

Some good news for those interested in autism issues emerged last night  at the Boyce Farmers' Market in Fredericton New Brunswick as Frederictonian's gathered to pay tribute to MP Andy Scott's  10 years of service as an MP on behalf of Frederictonians and as an advocate for human rights, services for the disabled, and cultural harmony. Andy announced that he would be meeting with Paul Martin in the hopes of pursuing a national Autism strategy. Although health care is primarily within provincial juridiction some health issues, such as breast cancer, HIV, etc. have been approached on a national level because of the magnitude of the issues involved.  While we have all heard political promises in the past,  Andy Scott has a proven track record of commitment to, and follow through on, disabilities and human rights issues.  Great news.

Harold Doherty

Family Autism Centre for Education (FACE)"

Andy's comments at the Boyce Farmers' Market were also featured in a 2003 Telegraph Journal article by Tali Folkins:

"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 did answer the call on behalf of autistic Canadians and  actively pushed for a National Autism Strategy which he ultimately realized with the passage of Motion M-172.  However, the motion was essentially a commitment in principle with few obligations being undertaken by our federal government but it did help put autism on our national agenda and it was Andy Scott being Andy ... getting done what could get done ... with a view to moving forward further in future.  One of the specific items that the federal government did commit to in the motion was a national surveillance program, a program that would tell us how many Canadians now suffer from autism disorders.  It is a commitment that has still not been honored 8 years later. 

Andy Scott himself did continue the fight   as demonstrated in his June 5, 2007 statement in the House of Commons:

"Autism 

[Table of Contents]

Hon. Andy Scott (Fredericton, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that we have seen little action by the government toward implementing a national autism strategy.

It has been more than a year since I introduced Motion No. 172. My private member's motion called for evidence based standards, innovative funding arrangements for diagnosis, treatment and research, and a national surveillance program.

The motion was adopted in good faith and supported by the government. However, it was very disappointing to see no reference to a national autism strategy in the recent budget or any discussion this spring.

Recently, I joined my colleagues from Charlottetown and Sackville—Eastern Shore and Senator Munson at a rally in Halifax that reinforced that there are families with autistic children across Canada who need the government's help.

The Conservatives should move off their default position of jurisdictional excuses, show creativity and compassion and start helping these Canadians."

Jean Lewis, FEAT-BC, Medicare for Autism Now!

NB MP Andy Scott, FEAT-BC, Medicare for Autism NOW!'s Jean Lewis

National Autism Rally, Halifax, May 26 2007

Andy Scott's reference to his colleagues from Charlottetown and Sackville-Eastern Shore were  references to PEI's Shawn Murphy and Nova Scotia's Peter Stoffer both of whom, along with Andy Scott and Senator Jim Munson, also worked tirelessly toward achieving a National Autism Strategy.  The rally of which he spoke was a Halifax rally organized by Jean Lewis and FEAT-BC who had been raising autism awareness, lobbying politically and fighting for national autism coverage in the Courts for several years and continued to do so with its "Medicare for Autism NOW!" efforts.  I attended the FEAT autism really in Halifax and had the privilege of meeting Jean Lewis, several of the BC advocates and tireless Nova Scotia autism advocate Jim Young.  Under the BC leadership there have been subsequent national meetings in Oakville and Toronto.

NS MP Shawn Murphy, Senator Jim Munson, NB MP Andy Scott 

National Autism Rally, Halifax, May 26 2007

Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer,  National Autism Rally, 

Halifax, May 26 2007

In 2006 Shawn Murphy went on to introduce his own private member's bill, Bill C-304,  in the House of Commons which, if passed, would have put Canada well on the way to establishing a REAL National Autism Strategy:

C-304

First Session, Thirty-ninth Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-304

_____________________________________________

FIRST READING, MAY 17, 2006

_____________________________________________

MR. MURPHY (Charlottetown)

1st Session, 39th Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF 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.

Bill C-304 was defeated soundly by a coalition of Harper Conservatives and separatist Blog Quebecois votes in the House of Commons. During debates in the House of Commons Harper conservative MP Mike Lake from Alberta, the autism face of the Harper government, a father of an autistic son, fought against the Murphy bill and helped vote it down to defeat.  

The hard truth is that there will never be a real National Autism Strategy as long as the Harper government rules in Ottawa.  Nor will a REAL NAS emerge from national autism charities that were never part of the struggle for a national autism strategy to begin with and who do not acknowledge the efforts made by parents across Canada who fought hard and long for a National Autism Strategy. National charities dare not speak contrary to federal government policy for fear of risking their charitable status. 

A real National Autism Strategy, even a real, current estimate of the number of Canadians who suffer from autism disorders will not come into existence until the Harper government is retired from office and will only come into existence with parent driven initiatives for whom helping their autistic sons and daughters is their most important objective.   Until then we will have to accept US figures for autism prevalence.  Accordingly, let it be known:

1 in 68 Canadians has an autism spectrum disorder. (Many of whom still do not receive effective ABA early intervention)

Dear Canada Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance: Important Autism News for Your Members

 

 The fight for a REAL National Autism Strategy including Medicare coverage of ABA 

for autism began more than 15 years ago in courts in BC and in  the offices of 

Fredericton MP Andy Scott, joined by Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer, former 

PEI MP Shawn Murphy,  and  Ontario MP Glenn Thibeault and has  continued 

under the leadership of the Medicare for Autism NOW! organizaton.

Members of CASDA, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders 

Alliance, might be interested in the strong federal NDP  statement

of commitment to a REAL National Autism Strategy and Medicare 

 coverage of ABA  for Autism.

July 19, 2014

CASDA Leadership Committee

Cynthia Carroll, Executive Director, Autism Nova Scotia

Laurie Mawlam, Executive Director, Autism Canada Founndation

Richard Burelle, Executive Director, Autism Society Canada

Dave Mikkelsen, Executive Director, Society for the Treatment of Autism

Debbie Irish, Executive Director, Geneva Centre for Autism

Suzanne Jacobson. President, Quick Start

Jill Farber, Executive Director, Autism Speaks Canada

Dear Executive Directors and CASDA Board Members:

I  am a father of a severely autistic 18 year old son with intellectual disability and epileptic seizures.  Although I am not currently a president, member or  executive director of any organization or board I have been actively involved as an advocate provincially in NB for 15 years where we have, in response to focused parental advocacy, one of the earliest  established credible provincial early autism intervention programs and autism trained Education Aides and Resource teachers in our schools.

We also worked during those 15 years with the late Andy Scott, then our Fredericton area MP, towards a National Autism Strategy that resulted in the private members' motion to that effect sponsored by Andy and Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer.

I wish to bring to your attention a reply I received recently from the office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, Thomas Mulcair.  The reply is set out in full on my blog Facing Autism in New Brunswick in a July 11, 2014 commentary NDP Continues Strong Leadership for A Real National Autism Strategy.

To save your time though I reprint the reply directly.  It confirms the federal NDP commitment to a real National Autism Strategy including ABA coverage under Medicare:

Dear Mr. Doherty,

Thank you for writing. We appreciate hearing of your advocacy work on behalf of your son and all individuals living with autism spectrum disorders.

Please be assured that New Democrats are determined to help put the needs of Autistic children on the political map. The NDP supports the continuing efforts to create a National Autism Strategy, therefore ensuring that individuals would receive the highest level of care, regardless of which region of Canada they live in.

As you mentioned, NDP MP Glenn Thibeault is helping to provide leadership on this matter along with working to have the Canada Health Act amended to include Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) as medically recognized treatments for individuals living with autism spectrum disorders. (http://glennthibeault.ndp.ca/post/thibeault-re-introduces-autism-legislation) 

Going forward you can count on our team of New Democrat MPs to continue to speak out on this matter. It’s time for leadership that will move Canada forward.

Again, thank you for taking the time to be in touch.

All the best,

Office of Thomas Mulcair, MP (Outremont)

Leader of the Official Opposition

New Democratic Party of Canada

This is, in my humble opinion, very significant news for autism parents and advocates.  The fight for a Real National Autism  Strategy has been a long one, starting at least 15 years ago in NB. It will undoubtedly take much more time but the statement by the current Leader of the Official Opposition is an important step in that struggle.

It would be appreciated if you and your members could advocate directly to your respective MPs and would be MPs and request all parties to make the same commitment made by the New Democratic Party of Canada. If that is too much for your organization to contemplate I ask you all to highlight this important development on all your information sites and members news releases.

Respectfully,

Harold L Doherty,  Fredericton, NB

cc. media, interested parties

Dear Mr Mulcair and Mr. Trudeau: If You Become Prime Minister Will Your Government Introduce A Real National Autism Strategy to Help all Autistic Canadians?

Mr. Thomas J. Mulcair
Leader of the Official Opposition New Democratic Party of Canada

Mr. Justin Trudeau
Leader of the Liberal Partty of Canada

Re:  Autism in Canada

I am the father of an 18 year old young man with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder and I have been advocating for the introduction and development of autism services in New Brunswick and Canada for more than 15 years since his autism disorder diagnosis at age 2.  As a resident of Fredericton New Brunswick I was one of a group of parent autism advocates who had the privilege of working with our former Liberal Member of Parliament, the late Andy Scott, towards development of a real National Autism Strategy.  Andy, as he was invariably referred to by Frederictonians, was a man of principle, but also a shrewd  pragmatist who. after years of hard work, was successful in seeing his private members' motion M-172 passed in the House of Commons as referenced in this 2009 News Release by the Autism Society Canada.   Andy discussed the substance of that motion with me during a speaking event at Leo Hayes High School at which he addressed local parent autism advocates.  Andy knew that M-172 was not the end of the process of establishing a real National Autism Strategy only the beginning.  

Mr. Scott's private members motion M-172 was co-sponsored by NDP MP from Nova Scotia Peter Stoffer.  I had the opportunity to speak previously with Mr. Stoffer when I received a call from him to talk about autism issues.  I was surprised since I had not tried to reach him and I enjoy no particular fame or status but it became clear to me that Mr Stoffer was an MP who was working hard on autism issues and was seeking out all possible sources of information.  I was impressed.  

Andy Scott and Peter Stoffer were not alone in their autism advocacy in your respective parties. Among other determined leaders Ontario NDP MP Glenn Thibeault,  former PEI Liberal MP Shawn Murphy and NB Liberal Senator Jim Munson have all been dedicated advocates on behalf of autistic Canadians.

In New Brunswick we were fortunate to have two Premiers, Conservative Bernard Lord and Liberal Shawn Graham, who took huge steps, in conjunction with parent autism advocates,  in provision of early intervention services and autism trained education assistants and resource teachers. It is my understanding that most provinces, with the possible exception of Saskatchewan, have made some progress in early intervention but a patchwork quilt of early services remain. 

No province, and certainly  not New Brunswick, has taken any serious steps in provision of youth and adult autism residential care and treatment.

The current majority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has taken no meaningful steps toward development of a real National Autism Strategy.

Honourable sirs, will your party if it forms the next government of Canada take steps to implement a meaningful national autism strategy, advancing the considerable work of Andy Scott, Peter Stoffer, Glenn Thibeault, Shawn Murphy and Jim Munson? 

Can autistic Canadians look forward to real progress, a real National Autism Strategy, under the governments of Prime Minister Thomas Mulcair or Prime Minister Justin Trudeau?

Respectfully,

Harold L Doherty
Fredericton NB

Federal Autism Legislation, BillC-360, a “Step in the Right Direction”

Autism Society Canada hopes the introduction of Federal Autism legislation will pave the way for a National Autism Strategy in Canada

Ottawa - April 15th, 2009 – for immediate release - Autism Society Canada (ASC) applauds the introduction into the House of Commons of Bill C-360, An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (Autism Spectrum Disorder). In introducing the Bill, Sudbury M.P. Glenn Thibeault said: “Yesterday was World Autism Awareness Day. I still wear my awareness pin proudly. We as parliamentarians need to work together to provide individuals with ASD and their families with the right supports.”

Support for improving and augmenting services for persons with Autism is widespread. In separate letters acknowledging World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd 2009, the Leaders of Canada’s federal Parties recognized the growing need to assist those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The summary of the Act states that: “The purpose of this enactment is to ensure that the cost of Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) for autistic persons is covered by the health care insurance plan of every province.”

ASC encourages all within the Autism community to ask their Member of Parliament to support Bill C-360 which gives universal access to this scientifically validated and effective treatment. ASC also urges that work continue in order to provide other needed treatments and services in the best interests of all individuals with autism.

Christine Dade, President of Autism Society Canada, remarked: “Providing Applied Behavioural Analysis and Intensive Behavioural Intervention in a timely and effective way for all those who need it is definitely a step in the right direction. It isn’t everything that is needed, however, and ASC strongly urges Canadians and their leaders to work towards a National Autism Strategy as well.”

A National Autism Strategy, as called for in former Fredericton M.P. Andy Scott’s Private Members Motion M-172 (passed in the House of Commons over two years ago), includes:

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 ofimplementing a national surveillance program for autism spectrum disorder;

d.) the provision of additional federal funding for health research into autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Society Canada looks forward to working with all stakeholders and the Government of Canada to develop a National Autism Strategy. Much more needs to be done to address the glaring gaps in services and supports across the lifespan of the individual with autism. The inherent Rights of all Canadians living with an ASD should be enhanced, protected and enforced by appropriate legislation in each province and territory.