The Environment Is Of Vital Importance - Next Time Include Elizabeth May

This blog is focused on autism disorders, very closely related conditions including intellectual disability and epilepsy.  It is about my son and the joy he brings me each day despite his serious disorders and challenges.  Occasionally it is just a celebration via pictures of the pleasure I experience each day that I live in Canada's Green City .... Fredericton.  Fredericton has been called the Green City, not because of any political party dominance under the green banner although Mr David Coon shook 'the traditional voting patterns one year ago when he was elected as an MLA in Fredericton , but because of its abundant natural growth and wildlife.  It is a beautiful green city and I love Fredericton.  Beyond these topics I don't usually touch directly on politics unless it involves advocating for autism services in  New Brunswick and federally.

I am making an exception today though.  I am asking whoever organizes future debates in this election period to include Elizabeth May in those debates. I am seriously disappointed with the "masterminds", the old boys, who decided to exclude Green Party leader Elizabeth May from the debate last night.  Obviously elections are about electing representatives including a party to form our government.  But elections are also about discussing important public issues and few public issues are as important as our environment.  The wizards that organized yesterday's leaders debate, hiding it so it could barely be found and excluding Elizabeth May did a disservice to all Canadians.  Regardless of the party affiliation for the person we vote for as MP this country can use Elizabeth May.

Elizabeth May can discuss all issues with her very sharp  and well informed mind.  But she brings an exceptionally important perspective  and presence to the discussion of our environment ... the most important issue, in my humble opinion, facing all Canadians. 

This Autism Dad Will Not Be Voting Conservative or Green

I will not be voting Conservative in this election. Nor will I be voting Green.

As the father of a son with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delays, I am heavily influenced by party autism platforms and histories. The Conservative Party of Stephen Harper has made clear on many occasions that, while it governs, there will be no meaningful attempt by the federal government to assist autistic children and adults or their families. That position has also been made crystal clear by the responses of Conservative candidates to questions from the Medicare for Autism Now Society.

Some Green Party candidates have been positive, and some negative, in response to the MFANS question: "If you are elected to the House of Commons on Oct. 14th, will you publicly commit to supporting legislation which will amend the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment?"

The Green Party has responded to an email from Autism Canada about creating a new federal autism bureaucracy by stating that it does not have a specific position on autism at this time. The Green Party answer, perhaps because of Autism Canada's focus on bureaucracy building, reflects the possibility of future Green Party support for an autism bureaucracy but shows no awareness of the need to provide targeted federal funding to ensure that all autistic children in Canada receive evidence based, effective ABA treatment:

On behalf of Elizabeth May, I would like to thank you for your email and for sharing with us your concerns.

While the Green Party of Canada does not have a specific policy on autism at this time, we are strongly in favour of the Department of Health furthering its mandate to include mental health, as well as developmental health, such as autism. Similarly, we would be committed to expanding the mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada to include studies on developmental and mental health.

I asked Elizabeth May and the Green Party the following question on September 22, 2008:

Shawn Murphy, the Liberal MP for Charlottetown introduced a private members motion Bill C-304 which called for a National Autism Strategy that included an amendment to the Canada Health Act to require provincial funding of ABA treatment for autism. The motion was defeated on a second reading vote by the combined opposition of the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois parties. The Liberal and NDP party members almost all voted in favour of the motion.

Ms May will the Green Party of Canada follow up on the Shawn Muphy autism motion by also seeking amendment of the Canada Health Act to require ABA treatment for autism?

I received no reply to my question. Autistic children in Canada do not need another federal bureaucracy to study autism and"better inform Canadians as promoted by Autism Canada. The Green Party of Canada, with no specific autism platform at present, has shown interest in Autism Canada style bureaucracy building but no interest in actually taking real action to help autistic children in Canada receive effective treatment wherever they live.

The Green Party, like the Conservative Party, will not be receiving this autism dad's vote in this election.

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On Autism Issues Illinois Governor Shames Canada's Party Leaders

There is a federal election underway in Canada but autistic children and adults and their families are not included. NONE of the leaders of Canada's federal parties will commit to taking any real action to help. Not one.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper and his party continue their longstanding and total neglect and lack of concern for autistic children and adults in Canada. NDP leader Jack Layton recounts the excellent work done by NDP MP Peter Stoffer, a true champion of autistic individuals and their families, but makes no commitment himself, or on behalf of his party, to help. Likewise Liberal leader Stephane Dion who actually voted for Liberal MP Shawn Murphy's unsuccessful motion to amend the Canada Health Act to provide ABA coverage for autism under Medicare has offered to talk to provinces and stakeholders to listen to their "concerns". Green Party leader Elizabeth May has, so far, been silent on autism issues.

In the US, by contrast, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich called lawmakers into special session to deal with a state Senate committee measure that seeks to require insurance companies to cover expanded treatment for autism, as reported in the Chicago Tribune:

It's the Senate's third attempt this year to approve the measure, which would require insurers to cover up to $36,000 a year and unlimited doctor visits until age 21 for people with autism spectrum disorders.

In Illinois Governor Blagojevich takes action to ensure funding for autism treatment. In Canada our federal leaders either ignore autism altogether or offer self congratulatory sermons with no commitment or action to back them up. I am sure Governor Blagojevich does not have Canada in mind with his determination to help autistic children and their families in Illinois but he does, by example, put our federal leaders to shame.

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An Autism Question For Green Party Leader Elizabeth May

Ms. Elizabeth May
Leader of the Green Party of Canada

Dear Ms May

Re: Autism and the Green Party

I am the father of a 12 year old boy diagnosed with autistic disorder. The Center for Disease Control in the United States estimates that 1 in 150 children have, or will be diagnosed with, an autism spectrum disorder. This neurological disorder seriously restricts the lives of those who bear its burden. While there is no cure for autism at present there is an evidence based effective treatment, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) which has been recognized by many credible reviewing agencies as significantly improving learning, social and communication skills of autistic children receiving treatment. The gains have also been found to persist.

The most well known, and credible, of many studies, those of the American Academy of Pediatrics (2007), the New York State Department of Health (2005 rev ed), the MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force Report (2000 rev. ed) and the Office of the US Surgeon General (1997), all document the hundreds of studies over several decades that confirm the effectiveness of ABA as a treatment for autism. Families across Canada have sued, rallied and advocated, to obtain government funded ABA treatment for their autistic children. And yet across Canada we have a patchwork of provision of government funded ABA treatment. In many cases where treatment is funded the intensity of treatment required to provide effective treatment is not fully funded.

Shawn Murphy, the Liberal MP for Charlottetown introduced a private members motion Bill C-304 which called for a National Autism Strategy that included an amendement to the Canada Health Act to require provincial funding of ABA treatment for autism. The motion was defeated on a second reading vote by the combined opposition of the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois parties. The Liberal and NDP party members almost all voted in favour of the motion.

Ms May will the Green Party of Canada follow up on the Shawn Muphy autism motion by also seeking amendement of the Canada Health Act to require ABA treatment for autism?

Respectfully,


Harold L Doherty
Fredericton, New Brunswick

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