Correction: ASNB AGM Starts at 1:00 NOT 1:30

The ASNB AGM starts at 1:00 tomorrow at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton NOT 1:30 as I had previously indicated.

Sorry for the error.

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Autism Society NB AGM Oct 18 Crown Plaza Fredericton

Autism Society New Brunswick Annual General Meeting

Saturday October 18, 2008, 1:30-4:30

Crown Plaza Fredericton

The ASNB AGM will take place this Saturday October 18 2008 from 1:30 to 4:30 at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton. Harold Doherty will be speaking. Food and drinks will be served.


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Vote Autism Tomorrow

Tomorrow is decision day in Canada. Vote Autism Tomorrow.

If you have not already voted and you want to cast your vote to support the development of a real National Autism Strategy in Canada please consider voting for the Liberal or NDP parties; whichever is strongest in your riding. The MPs of these two parties voted almost unanimously in support of Shawn Murphy's motion to amend the Canada Health Act to require coverage of ABA treatment for autism. The Conservative and Bloc defeated the motion.

Of the three major federal parties the Stephen Harper Conservatives have made it clear that they will take no serious steps to address Canada's autism crisis. To the contrary the so called National Autism Symposium was a cynical sham, with participants from the autism community selected by the Conservatives and the NIH to exclude serious autism advocates. The slanted symposium summary did note even tell Canadians that the weight of scientific study to date supports the use of ABA as an effective intervention for helping autistic children make substantial persisting gains in communication, social, behavioral and intellectual domains.

Not one single Conservative candidate has indicated support for autism coverage in Medicare. Some such as Deborah Meredith of Vancouver Quadra and Keith Ashfield of Fredericton have told concerned autism parents that they will not discuss autism until AFTER the election. Their dismissal of the existence and interests of the 1 in 150 Canadians, and their familes, affected by an autism spectrum disorder, originates in the first place with Stephen Harper, who wanted to say yes to joining George Bush in invading Iraq but will not join Canadian parents in their struggle to help their autistic children.

The only way to develop a real National Autism Strategy in Canada, to secure federal financing of effective, evidence based, ABA treatment for autistic Canadians is to reduce the number of Harper Conservatives elected by electing more Liberal and NDP MPs.

If the Liberals are stronger in your riding vote autism by voting Liberal.

If the NDP are stronger in your riding vote autism by voting NDP.

Vote autism tomorrow AND encourage your relatives and friends to do the same.

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Conor Walks Bridge to Bridge and Home

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Conor's Perfect Day

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Wisconsin Early Autism Project Using ABA To Help Autistic Children

GazetteXtrA from Janesville Wisconsin features the Wisconsin Early Autism Project in Autism therapy providing results for local children. While anti-ABA advocates like Dr. Laurent Mottron and Michelle Dawson fight to prevent Canadian federal and provincial governments from funding ABA treatment for autism knowledgeable people, like those at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP), who have actual experience with Applied Behavioral Analysis, and who really care about autistic children, are busy helping them using ABA.

As reported by GazetteXtra:

The Wisconsin Early Autism Project is based on applied behavior analysis therapy and is the only program in the state to replicate work and results developed by world-renowned autism expert Dr. Ivar Lovaas of the University of California-Los Angeles, Sherman said.

Wisconsin therapists trained in California and work with children not only in Wisconsin but also at clinics around the world.

The GazetteXtra story reports on several autistic children who have benefited from the Wisconsin Early Autism Project and ABA. While many credible reviews of the scientific literature endorse ABA as an effective, evidence based, autism intervention it is very helpful to read about the actual benefits these children have received from their WEAP administered ABA programs. When you read the parents talk about how their children are doing so much better, and how much happier the children are, you begin to understand why so many parents across North America are fighting for ABA treatment for their autistic children.

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Medicare for Autism Now Autism Information For October 14 Vote

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Autism Vote Recommendations for New Brunswick

The smart voting campaign of the Vote for Environment is also helpful for autism voting. If you want a strong federal government role in funding autism treatment in New Brunswick you will not get that from the Conservative or Green Parties. The Conservatives oppose any serious federal role in funding autism treatment and the Green Party is not seriously involved with autism issues.

Almost all Liberal and NDP MP's all supported Shawn Murphy's motion to amend the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment in Medicare.

To support a federal autism role vote for the Liberal or NDP parties whichever is stronger in your riding.

Based on data from Vote for Environment the autism vote recommendations in New Brunswick are:

Vote Liberal in all NB ridings .... except Acadie-Bathurst, Fundy Royal and New Brunswick Southwest where the NDP are stronger. In those 3 ridings vote NDP

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Vote Autism October 14 Vote Smart Vote Liberal or NDP

If you want to vote for federal assistance in providing autism treatment in Canada vote against the Conservative in your riding. Vote for the NDP or Liberal, whichever is stronger, in your riding.

A person's vote is an important matter. In casting that vote people generally consider a variety of facts, issues, platforms etc. My vote is heavily influenced by autism issues. I have already stated that I would not be voting Conservative or Green. The Conservative hostility to a federal role in dealing with Canada's autism crisis makes the Tories a non starter. The Green party has many admirable principles but has shown no knowledge of autism issues or any real concern, at the leadership and party platform level, about addressing Canada's autism crisis. The first goal of Canadians who, like me, want to see a federal commitment to addressing Canada's autism crisis, should be to defeat the Conservatives and elect as many Liberals and NDP as possible.

Both the Liberal and NDP parties have many members committed to a real National Autism Strategy, led by Shawn Murphy for the Liberals and Peter Stoffer for the NDP. NDP leader Jack Layton makes no commitment to doing anything for autism and Liberal leader Dion essentially offers only to be receptive to overtures from stakeholders. Slim pickings overall but only a government led by the Liberals or NDP, either as a majority government or as a coalition with one party supporting the other, offers ANY hope for a federal government commitment for a REAL national autism strategey, one that provides federal funding for ABA treatment for autistic children in Canada regardless of where their parents happen to live. The way to ensure the defeat of the anti-autism Conservatives and put the Liberals and/or NDP in government is to vote strategically. If the NDP are stronger in your riding vote NDP. If the Liberals are stronger vote Liberal. In this way more NDP and Liberals, and fewer Conservatives, are likely to be elected and those results will better serve the cause of autism in Canada.

Some advocates for environmental causes have already recognized the need to vote strategically. At Vote For Environment they recognize that it is necessary to vote to change the government in order to help the environment. Governments, not individual MP's, govern and legislate. The front page currently contains information setting out what would occur if voting were held today and votes were split based on party loyalty and what would occur if smart voting, voting to change the government were to happen:

The difference between vote splitting between the two "autism" parties and smart voting for whichever party Liberal/NDP is stronger in your riding is startling. Vote splitting will result in another Conservative/Bloc alliance, the same alliance which refuses to provide federal funding for autism treatment. Voting smart, voting for whichever "autism" party, Liberal or NDP, is stronger in your riding results in a Liberal/NDP alliance and the possibilty of a real national autism policy. Both of these parties, and their leaders voted in support of Shawn Murphy's motion to amend the Canada Health Act to include coverage of ABA treatment for autism.

Elections are decided riding by riding and Vote for Environment also sets out riding by riding information to help you decide how to vote. I strongly encourage "autism" voters to check out the information for their riding and vote for the stronger of the NDP or Liberal parties in their riding.

An interesting example is the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka, home riding of alleged Health Minister Tony Clement.

As the data indicates Conservative Tony Clement would win again if voting took place today and the Liberal and NDP votes were split. If NDP voters voted instead for the second place Liberal candidate the Liberal would win.

Autism vote recommendation for Parry Sound- Muskoka - Vote Liberal

Oshawa is an example of a riding where the Conservative Candidate is leading and the NDP is second. If Oshawa Liberals voted NDP though the NDP candidate would likely win. One less Conservative elected and one more vote for a party that is much more likely to support a real National Autism Strategy.

Autism vote recommendation for Oshawa - Vote NDP

If enough strategic voting takes place across Canada the Conservative Party, which staunchly opposes federal involvement in addressing Canada's Autism Crisis, will be defeated. One or both of the Liberal Party and NDP will form the government. Both of these are "autism parties" and more likely to enact a real National Autism Strategy.

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Wesley Romey Video On Medicare For Autism Now

Below is the video of the speech given by Wesley Romey at a recent Medicare for Autism NOW! rally. This, and other Medicare for Autism NOW! videos can be found at the Medicare for Autism Youtube channel.



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Wesley Romey Says It Is Time for Medicare for Autism

If you listened to anti-ABA advocates like Michelle Dawson and Dr. Laurent Mottron you might erroneously think that ABA oppresses autistic children. These staunch opponents of ABA for autistic children, with little or no direct experience themselves with ABA as an autism treatment, have made representations to the Supreme Court of Canada and the Canadian Senate in a continuing campaign to prevent government funding of ABA treatment for autism in Canada.

Ms. Dawson and Dr. Mottron conduct this anti-ABA campaign despite reviews by responsible, credible agencies like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the US Surgeon General, the MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force, and the New York State Department of Health, all of which have confirmed that ABA, based on hundreds of studies over several decades of research, is effective at realizing persistent gains in intellect, communication and socialization skills and improved positive behavior.

Michelle Dawson is an adult diagnosed autistic who often offers her perspectives on behalf of all autistic people, including her anti-ABA biases. Unlike Ms Dawson, Wesley Romey is a 13 year old autistic boy, diagnosed as a child, who has actually received ABA treatment and advocates for Medicare coverage of autism treatment, specifically ABA, as he did compellingly at a rally Saturday in Surrey, British Columbia. As reported by Surrey Now Wesley enthralled the audience with his comments:

"We want medicare for autism and we want it now!" he cried to the crowd, and was met with a standing ovation.

...

Wesley, though, was the speaker who particularly touched the crowd. Wesley shared with the audience his success with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. He urged listeners to demand the government fund autism treatment, because he is proof that it works.

"I want to say this to every Canadian out there. It's not fair that every child with autism doesn't get the same chance that I did. If you don't stand up for your children, who will?"

It is time to break the self perpetuated myth that Michelle Dawson speaks for all autistic persons in her opposition to ABA treatment for autistic children. She does not have the experience, the expertise, or any legitimate moral basis, to oppose effective, evidence based, ABA treatment for autism.

It is time the federal government stopped holding sham "national autism symposiums", with keynote speakers like anti-ABA advocate Dr. Laurent Mottron, and started acknolwedging the credible agencies like the AAP, the MADSEC Autism Task Force, the New York State Department of Health and the US Surgeon General that, based on objective reviews of hundreds of studies, confirm ABA as an effective autism treatment.

It is time the federal government read the Senate report "Pay Now or Pay Later" and started taking Canada's autism crisis seriously with1 in 150 children being diagnosed with autism.

It is time that the federal government started listening to the thousands of parents of autistic children across Canada who are fighting tooth and nail to obtain ABA treatment for their autistic children while such treatment will be most effective.

It is time, it is long past time, that the federal government stop ingoring the plight of so many autistic children and their families.

It is time, it is long past time, that all autistic children in Canada in need of ABA treatment receive such treatment in timely fashion regardless of which province their parents live in.

Take it from Wesley Romey, it is time for Medicare for Autism NOW!

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Autistic Man Claims He Was Tasered Twice In His Bedroom By Toronto Police

George Lochner, a 43 year old autistic man, is suing Toronto police alleging that police Tasered him twice in his own bedroom during a search for the man's brother. Mr. Lochner is seeking $9 million in damages and is represented by prominent Canadian lawyer Jack Ruby. Mr. Ruby, as reported in the Toronto Star:

called the use of the Taser a blatant misuse of force, especially since he said police did not have a valid warrant to enter Lochner's home.Ruby called for a ban on Tasers, and described Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair as being “addicted” to them.

Toronto police deny the allegations.

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