Canada Should Fulfill Its International Commitment to the WHO and Develop a Real National Autism Strategy

Canada is on record as being a member state of the World Health Organization an organization which has just recently passed a resolution on Autism Spectrum Disorders by its member states  which, among other things, requests the Director General to work with member states to  strengthen national capacities to address autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders, as part of a well-balanced approach, which strengthens systems.   All member states including Canada (and the United States) supported the resolution.  In doing so Canada has made an international commitment, to the World Health Organization,  to develop a real national capacity to address autism and other developmental disorders.   

Under the Canadian Constitution international relations are within the constitutional jurisdiction of the Government of Canada which, under the Stephen Harper - Mike Lake government has expressly refused to develop, let alone strengthen Canada's national capacity to address autism on the grounds that health care is within provincial not federal jurisdiction.  This argument is of course bogus, nothing stopped the federal government from cooperating with the provinces to develop a National Health Care (medicare) system in the first place. Regardless of history it is Ottawa that must implement international commitments and the Canadian government, despite the efforts of a strong parent led autism advocacy movement in British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick and PEI and political leadership of the late Andy Scott,  Peter Stoffer, Shawn Murphy, Glenn Thibeault and Senarot Jim Munson, has yet to begin to develop our national capacity to address autism and other developmental disorders.  

Canada is listed on the UN web site as member state of the WHO:

"Countries

All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. Other countries may be admitted as members when their application has been approved by a simple majority vote of the World Health Assembly. Territories which are not responsible for the conduct of their international relations may be admitted as Associate Members upon application made on their behalf by the Member or other authority responsible for their international relations. Members of WHO are grouped according to regional distribution (194 Member States).

C

• Cabo Verde
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Canada"

 As reported on the  Autism Speaks website on May 23, 2014:

"Today the World Health Assembly adopted a formal resolution making autism a global health priority. The assembly is the governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO). As such, the resolution brings a formal commitment by member states of the United Nations."

The resolution adopted by ALL WHO member states including Canada is titled Comprehensive and coordinated efforts for the management of autism spectrum disorders. In paragraph 2 of the resolution Canada, and other WHO member states through the World Health Assembly:

2.   REQUESTS the Director General:

(1) to collaborate with Member States and partner agencies in order to provide support and to strengthen national capacities to address autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders, as part of a well-balanced approach, which strengthens systems, to addressing mental health and disability, and in line with existing, related action plans and initiatives;

The member states, including Canada, are also specifically requested:

(4) to increase the capacity of health and social care systems, as appropriate, to provide services for individuals and families with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders;

(7) to strengthen different levels of infrastructure for comprehensive management of autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders, as appropriate, including care, education, support, intervention, services and rehabilitation;

The current federal government of Stephen Harper and Mike Lake has doggedly refused to develop a National Autism Strategy or commitment of any kind to increase and strengthen systems and infrastructure necessary to provide services and support for individual and families with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders.  The federal vs provincial jurisdiction argument did not prevent Canada from developing a national medicare system through cooperative means.  

The international commitments made by Canada through its membership in the World Health Organizations now provides a further rationale for developing a Real National Autism Strategy one that increases the capacity and strengthens the infrastructure necessary for Canada to provide the necessary health, social care other support required by autistic Canadians and their families to live full, decent lives.