[FEAT BC Admin]

A summary of Canada's print media on the recent Supreme Court of Canada court case on medically necessary autism treatment is below. Especially noteworthy are two Globe and Mail articles filed by the paper's justice reporter.

Globe and Mail, Saturday, June 5th- And Coverage For All
http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040605/COURT05//?query=autism

Globe and Mail, Thursday, June 10th – Page A10 Fighting autism too costly, top court told
http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040610/SUPREME10//?query=autism

Canadian Press Sunday, June 06, 2004- Case before Supreme Court could result in end of single tier
health care
http://www.canada.com/health/story.html?id=6EF140D9-6740-42F7-A84E-ABCFFE3B1152

cnews Sunday, June 06, 2004- Medicare case before Supreme Court
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Law/2004/06/06/488676-cp.html

Calgary Herald Monday, June 07, 2004- Medicare on trial as Supreme Court hears health case
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=31e51d22-7d7d-4636-b453-8452656bcb3e

Calgary Sun Mon, June 7, 2004- Medicare courts changes
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/CalgarySun/News/2004/06/07/489057.html

London Free Press Mon, June 7, 2004- Cases might change face of medicare
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/06/07/488859.html

Montreal Gazette Wed, June 9, 2004- Health care on trial in Supreme Court
http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=540bdb0c-6725-4fdc-a4c6-589eb728fe3b

Globe and Mail, POSTED AT 2:43 AM EDT Thursday, Jun 10, 2004- The courts are no place to treat what
ails medicare
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040610.whealth10/BNStory/Front/

Globe and Mail, Thursday, June 10th (front page and A8 – with a 5" x 8 1/2" close up of Miki playing the
violin!)

National Post Thursday, June 10th- Parents fight to make health care Charter right-Government lawyers
say it would absorb 'unlimited budgets'
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=0404c7ee-cfd3-4af1-8a24-98a15804a764

CanWest News Service Thursday, June 10, 2004- Parents fight to make health care Charter
right-Government lawyers say it would absorb 'unlimited budgets'
http://www.canada.com/search/story.html?id=0404c7ee-cfd3-4af1-8a24-98a15804a764

National Post Saturday, June 12, 2004- Timely access to health care critical
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=ff71f3be-3de7-4c6f-af08-caa751b5f81b

Canadian Press Saturday, June 12, 2004- Timely access to health care critical

The Vancouver Sun- A-G's comments on autism case 'unseemly'
http://www.canada.com/search/results.html?searchfor=autism

The Province Newspaper- B.C. autism case to determine whether courts shape gov't spending
http://www.canada.com/search/results.html?searchfor=autism

Ottawa Citizen Newspaper- Costs crippling for autism care, top court told
http://www.canada.com/search/results.html?searchfor=autism

[FEAT BC Admin]

From FEAT of Ontario:
Subject: Supreme Court of Canada press release

Children with Autism Head to Supreme Court of Canada to Defend Right to Health Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, Ontario June 7, 2004- Canada’s highly touted Health Care is a defining feature of Canadian nationhood, proudly hailed as one of the best systems in the world. One might wonder, then, why on June 9th and 10th children from all across Canada are venturing to the Supreme Court of Canada to defend their right to medical treatment to treat and ameliorate the symptoms of the disease they suffer from known as Autism.

Intensive, "Applied Behavioural Analysis" (ABA Therapy), pioneered by Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas has been deemed “Medically Necessary Treatment” Autism, by the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the B.C. Court of Appeals.

That decision is now being challenged by the province of British Columbia, in the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Auton (www.featbc.org) case accuses the province of B.C. of outright discrimination. Five lower-court judges have found the Lovaas – ABA Therapy to be “Medically Necessary Treatment for Autism”, where “Court Orders” have been issued instructing the province to pay and that there had been a breech of the Charter section 15.1 which deals with Equality Rights.

When posed with the question whether this is judicial activism on the part of the Supreme Court, Dr. Freeman a petitioner replied: "I have full confidence in the Supreme Court's ability to adjudicate on the matter – The Supreme Court of Canada has a responsibility as stewards of the Constitution to protect the rights of vulnerable minorities in Canadian society – So far, they have successfully sought out and determined the truth for themselves – next week should be no different."

In an ironic twist of fate, little Luke Burrows one of the children represented by an Ontario Intervener in Auton, is the great grandson of Sir John Leo Whitney, one of the founding fathers of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. Sir Whitney was appointed Commissioner by Premier Robarts to develop the current blueprint for healthcare in Ontario. Whitney served on the Medicade Inquiry Board furthering its vision to provide a system of healthcare based on need and not ability to pay. “The Judiciary has been given the solemn duty to steward and uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” said Norrah Whitney, continuing, “this isn’t a case of Judicial Activism as some would like to claim, but rather a case of Judicial Stewardship and in no case can Judicial Stewardship be more important when the welfare and protection of a child is at stake.”

-30-

[FEAT BC Admin]

Autism in the news.

To download the Globe and Mail feature regarding the upcoming Supreme Court of Canada hearing on the Auton case, please click here.

http://www.featbc.org/files/media/newspapers/Globe-and_Mail_06_05_04.pdf

[FEAT BC Admin]

In response to several requests, we’re posting the link for Dr. Sabrina Freeman’s radio interview on 'Science For Sale in the Autism Wars.' The interview can be heard at this address:

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/wsradio/elder/041704 segment4.asx <–end link

Below is a repost of the interview topic.
________________________________________________
On Saturday, April 17th at 4:00 PM, FEAT of BC Executive Director, Dr. Sabrina Freeman, will give an interview regarding 'Science For Sale in the Autism Wars' on wsRadio, San Diego.

This whistleblower book chronicles the B.C. Government's use of intellectual fraud and deception in the Auton case: the junk science manufactured and delivered to court by U.B.C. health policy academics in governments's effort to defeat families in the landmark legal battle for children's medically necessary autism treatment.

The case is slated for a June 2004 hearing at the Supreme Court of Canada. All provincial governments in the country and Canada's Federal government have received Intervener status to submit arguments before the high court as to why the Auton case, in their view, must be struck down. The arguments made by the BC Government in the Auton case rely in large measure on the 'playbook' that has now been exposed in detail by 'Science For Sale in the Autism Wars.'

For those interested in hearing about what the BC government did in its attempt to quash the Charter's equality rights for children with autism in BC Supreme Court, the interview will be on wsRadio's 'Coping With Caring' program …
________________________________________________

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/wsradio/elder/041704 segment4.asx <– end link

[FEAT BC Admin]

To FEAT-BC Discussion Board Members
************************************************

On Saturday, April 17th at 4:00 PM, FEAT of BC Executive Director, Dr. Sabrina Freeman, will give an interview regarding 'Science For Sale in the Autism Wars' on wsRadio, San Diego.

This whistleblower book chronicles the B.C. Government's use of intellectual fraud and deception in the Auton case: the junk science manufactured and delivered to court by U.B.C. health policy academics in governments's effort to defeat families in the landmark legal battle for children's medically necessary autism treatment.

The case is slated for a June 2004 hearing at the Supreme Court of Canada. All provincial governments in the country and Canada's Federal government have received Intervener status to submit arguments before the high court as to why the Auton case, in their view, must be struck down. The arguments made by the BC Government in the Auton case rely in large measure on the 'playbook' that has now been exposed in detail by 'Science For Sale in the Autism Wars.'

For those interested in hearing about what the BC government did in its attempt to quash the Charter's equality rights for children with autism in BC Supreme Court, the interview will be on wsRadio's 'Coping With Caring' program. The interview can be heard live this Saturday afternoon, April 17th at 4:00 PM, streamed over the Internet at the following web address: http://www.wsradio.com/livestream.asx

Note:
– Windows Media Player is required to hear the program. The software can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp <–end link
– Mac users: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/mac71.aspx <–end link
– OS-X: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/software/macintosh/osx/default.aspx <–end link

FEAT of BC Board Admin.

[FEAT BC Admin]

Feat Alberta is at this address:
http://members.shaw.ca/feat.ab/FEAT.html

>…wondering if anyone has any numbers
>or web sites for the FEAT of Alberta.
>The link has not worked for me.

[FEAT BC Admin]

The Early Autism Project, ULC would like to inform you that we are holding Junior/Line Therapist Training Class at the EAP clinic on Henning Drive on March 20th, April 24th, May 22nd and June 26th, 2004 from 9:00-1:00 for therapists performing early intervention treatment for children with autism.

This class will address several topics that outline the basic foundation for junior therapists to increase their skills in Lovaas-style ABA therapy. Therapists will learn the basics of Discrete Trial, information on very basic behaviour modifications, tips on reinforcement, etc. It is a basic, informational training course designed to sharpen therapy skills.

The Line Training Class will take approximately four hours to complete; two hours of discussion and two hours of participation. We will cover not only the areas listed above but also provide a chance for therapists to get individual work time with an EAP Supervisor in order to hone their skills and ask questions regarding therapy or working with children with autism.

Interested therapists or families should contact Michele Shilvock at 604-473-5011 with the necessary information as soon as possible including specified class date and a contact number. The cost of the class will be 50 dollars.

Michele Shilvock
Supervisor, EAP, ULC

[FEAT BC Admin]

A few people have enquired about the room number for the upcoming lecture on Saturday, February 28 ('HOW TO EVALUATE AUTISM TREATMENTS: Make sure your child gets what works!').

The room is in S.F.U.'s Academic Quadrangle, Room #K9500 (which is the Math Dpartment). The lecture begins at 2:00 PM. Navigation suggestions are below:

From the East:
Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) —
take the Cariboo Road exit (north). At its
intersection with Highway 7 (Lougheed
Highway) continue north onto Gaglardi
Way. Lougheed Highway (Highway 7) — turn
right at its intersection with Gaglardi Way.

From the West:
Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) —
take the Cariboo Road exit (north). At its
intersection with Highway 7 (Lougheed
Highway) continue north onto Gaglardi
Way. Lougheed Highway (Highway 7) — turn
left at the Gaglardi Way intersection.
Hastings Street (Highway 7A) — take the
right lane exit at the traffic light at Barnet
Highway (just past the pedestrian
overpass). Continue on Burnaby Mountain
Parkway to the intersection of University
Drive and Gaglardi Way.

From the South:
Highway 99 — take the King George
Highway (Highway 99A) exit. Cross
Patullo Bridge and turn right onto
Columbia St (becomes North Road). Turn
left onto Lougheed Highway; then right
onto Gaglardi Way.

[FEAT BC Admin]

This is a reminder note regarding the upcoming lecture entitled ‘HOW TO EVALUATE AUTISM TREATMENTS: Make sure your child gets what works!’

The lecture is at S.F.U. on Saturday, February 28, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. A registration form can be downloaded at this address:
http://www.featbc.org/downloads/freemanlecture.pdf

[FEAT BC Admin]

Hello everyone,

The correct web address to download a registration form for the FEAT BC Intermediate Therapist Workshop is below:

–> http://www.featbc.org/downloads/ibtw.pdf

The form can also be accessed via the FEAT BC web site's 'Events' page.

IMPORTANT: the form labeled 'abtw.pdf' is NOT the correct form to use for this workshop. If you have already downloaded the form, please discard and replace it with the correct form labeled 'ibtw.pdf.' To recap, please click below to download the form for the Intermediate Therapist Workshop:

–> http://www.featbc.org/downloads/ibtw.pdf

Questions? Please call FEAT BC at 604-534-6956 or E-mail info@featbc.org.

Thank you.

Isaac
Volunteer Board Admin.

[Author]

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