Tom Mulcair, Leader of Canada's Official Opposition NDP & Glenn Thibeaullt, Sudbury NDP MP
Further to my question to NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau about their parties' support for a real National Autism Strategy I have received the following reply from NDP Leader Mulcair:
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
Wow, that's amazing that Mulcair has taken such a clear and strong position on including Autism treatment in public health care. What a brave position. He has won my full support.
ReplyDeleteA) It's health care and Provincial so not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteB) Strategic voting is going to happen especially via the Unions. That is obvious from the Ont election and the Ont Fed by-election... both in June.
NDP = back to 3rd place.
But then again, if Bay Street controls Ont by the end of the summer and the Unions are all on strike before the next Fed election in 2015... He may have a chance.
Bonne chance... Wynne will just up taxes and pay them off. Either way, I expect Trudeau will either win or it will be a minority Federally. Depends on Quebec.
Thank you for your usual comments about "Provincial jurisdiction" FW2. I assume you still have and use your Medicare card. The plan for which you carry that important cared came into existence by means of Federal-Provincial COOPERATION which is fine under the Canadian Constitution.
ReplyDeleteHere is how Medicare came into existence in Canada:
1. The History of Medicare
1947 – The Saskatchewan Government, led by leader Tommy Douglas, introduces the first provincial hospital insurance program In Canada.
1957 – Paul Martin Sr. introduces a national hospital insurance program. Doctors, insurance companies and big business fight against it.
1960 – The Canadian Medical Association opposes all publicly funded health care.
1962 – Saskatchewan’s CCF government introduces the first public health care program. Doctors walk out but the strike collapses after 3 weeks.
1965 – A Royal Commission appointed by Diefenbaker government and headed by Justice Emmett Hall calls for a universal and comprehensive national health insurance program.
1966 – Pearson minority government creates a national Medicare program with Ottawa paying 50% of provincial health costs. Prior to this point, doctors charged whatever they wanted and bankruptcy to pay for health care was common. Now citizens would receive portable, comprehensive and universal access to necessary physician and hospital services, regardless of ability to pay.
Canadian Health Coalition - The History of Medicare
http://medicare.ca/main/the-facts/the-history-of-medicare
2. I recently asked BOTH the NDP and Liberal Parties for their positions because BOTH parties have supported a motion adding early behavioral intervention for autism to medicare. Both parties have expressed support in the past. Former PEI Liberal MP Shawn Murphy introduced a private member motion Bill C-304 to do exactly that. It was defeated by a combined vote of your federal Conservative Party under Stephen Harper and the Bloc Quebecois. Liberals and NDP voted in support though:
HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA
39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES DU CANADA
39e LÉGISLATURE, 1re SESSION
Journals
No. 115 (Unrevised)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
1:00 p.m.
Journaux
No 115 (Non révisé)
Le mercredi 21 février 2007
13 heures
Private Members’ Business
Affaires émanant des députés
Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Mr. Murphy (Charlottetown), seconded by Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South), — That 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, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Health.
Conformément à l’article 93(1) du Règlement, la Chambre procède au vote par appel nominal différé sur la motion de M. Murphy (Charlottetown), appuyé par M. Szabo (Mississauga-Sud), — Que le projet de loi C-304, Loi prévoyant l’élaboration d’une stratégie nationale pour le traitement de l’autisme et modifiant la Loi canadienne sur la santé, soit maintenant lu une deuxième fois et renvoyé au Comité permanent de la santé.
The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following division:
La motion, mise aux voix, est rejetée par le vote suivant :
(Division No. 122 — Vote no 122)
YEAS: 113, NAYS: 155
POUR : 113, CONTRE : 155