[Andrew Kavchak]

And the next time a federal politician tells you that a National Autism Strategy is not possible because of jurisdiction and that healthcare is provincial, please consider showing them this…
____________________

National strategy to target spinal cord injuries

The Ottawa Citizen
Feb 2, 2007
Page: A1 / Front
By: Juliet O'Neill

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is set to announce a national strategy today aimed at improving spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation.

Against the backdrop of a gymnasium at the Ottawa Hospital rehabilitation centre, he will be accompanied by Rick Hansen, perhaps the country's best-known advocate for people with spinal cord injuries.

Mr. Hansen, based in Richmond, B.C., is deeply committed to creating a community of experts who can collaborate on breakthroughs in spinal cord research.

Mr. Harper's announcement is expected to echo the national cancer strategy he and Health Minister Tony Clement announced in November.

That plan dedicated federal funds over five years to establish a co-ordinating centre for the latest information on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The aim of such strategies is to improve information sharing, to establish national clinical practice guidelines, to improve research and patient care. It may be linked to initiatives already launched through Mr. Hansen's spinal cord injury network, which has received some federal funds in the past.

The network is a group of clinicians and scientists and includes a spinal cord injury registry aimed at collecting data from individuals that can be pooled to improve research and treatment. Mr. Hansen estimates 41,000 Canadians are affected by spinal cord injuries.

Paralysed from the waist down in a car crash when he was 15 years old, Mr. Hansen was an Olympic wheelchair athlete who is famed for undertaking a gruelling 40,000-kilometre "Man in Motion" fundraising tour of four continents in his wheelchair in 1985.

He raised $26 million on the tour and has raised another $178 million through the Rick Hansen Foundation, according to the foundation website.

[Andrew Kavchak]

Meanwhile, in central Canada…
______________________

TORONTO — Parents of autistic children are in a Toronto court today, suing the province for more than a billion dollars.

Publication: BNW Broadcast News
Feb 2, 2007

TORONTO — Parents of autistic children are in a Toronto court today, suing the province for more than a (b) billion dollars.

The five groups of parents have filed a 1.25 (b) billion dollar lawsuit to try to force the government to pay for treatments that otherwise comes out of their pockets.

They say the government isn't providing enough autism therapy services in its schools and it's forcing them to go outside the system for help.

Paying for private autism therapy in Ontario can cost parents up to 80-thousand dollars a year.
_____________________
Funding boost for autism 'Band-Aid solution,' family says

The Kingston Standard Whig
Feb 2, 2007
By: Maria Babbage

The Ontario government's recent funding boost for autistic children is just a stop-gap solution to a much larger problem, says a family involved in a lawsuit alleging discrimination against their autistic children.

"It's just another Band-Aid solution," Taline Sagharian said yesterday outside the courtroom where a motion by the government and school boards to strike down the lawsuit was being heard.

"For the eight years since this program has been in place – and the government has had eight years to get this right – all we've heard repeatedly are these Band-Aid solutions."

Sagharian and her husband are among five families who have launched the $1.25-billion lawsuit, alleging seven school boards and the government are denying their autistic children a public education by failing to provide access to specialized treatment in school.

The families are being forced to choose between sending their autistic children to school or paying for the costly Intensive Behavioural Intervention therapy that is essential to their children's development – a therapy that isn't provided in public schools.

____________________________

[Andrew Kavchak]

Meanwhile, over at the other end of the country…
___________________________________

Parents of autistic children allege discrimination under support program; Human rights hearing told province's disability support program needlessly punitive and falls short of delivering services it promised to families

The Guardian(Charlottetown)
Jan 31, 2007
By: Ron Ryder

Families of children with autism ripped into the
province's disability support program at a provincial human rights
hearing Tuesday, saying the plan discriminates against the disabled
families it was set up to assist.

Parents Vic and Colleen Douse and Brad and Dale Wonnacott told a panel chaired by Lorraine Thompson that the DSP is needlessly punitive and falls short of delivering the services it promised to families.

Vic Douse said the screening tools and the income test system set up for claims seem to make it impossible to reach even the DSP theoretical ceiling of $3,000 per month in financial support.

"It's the halving and the halving and the halving," he said under questioning from the claimants' lawyer, Karen Campbell.

Vic Douse said his 13-year-old daughter Jewel is autistic and has been prescribed 40 hours per week of applied behavioural analysis as a therapy. But he said he has been unable to get government to either approve or pay for the therapy prescribed by his daughter's physician.

"It's like telling someone that they need 40 chemotherapy treatments, but they'll only get 20," he said. "Then you say government will only pay for 10. If you don't get better it's not a surprise."

Colleen Douse said they were faced with a dilemma that saw government willing to pay $10 per hour for a therapist to work with their daughter at home, while the provincial education system was paying $22 per hour for people with the same skills.

The Douses said they initially thought there was no sense in earning extra money since their income was used to reduce Jewel's DSP benefits. But when even their top payment fell far short of needs, they changed their minds and decided to have Vic work as many overtime hours as possible while the family stopped participating in the DSP.

In all, four families are challenging the DSP and in particular the FIM questionnaire used to determine the type and amount of help provided to a disabled person. FIM, which originally stood for functional independence measure, is a trademarked assessment tool adopted by the provincial Department of Social Services when it began the DSP in 2001.

The test was developed as a tool for rehabilitation nursing.

Parents questioned whether the questionnaire was too focused on issues like physical mobility to be of use in determining support for people whose disabilities are cognitive.

"I'm not saying the DSP may not have helped somebody," Brad Wonnacott said. "It just doesn't seem to be helping us or people with autism."

Dale Wonnacott said she thinks the FIM tool gave an exaggerated reading of the independence of her 10-year-old son, Benjamin.

"The score doesn't reflect Benjamin as a person with autism at all," she said. "Yes, he can walk. But he'd walk right out into traffic." Lawyer Robert MacNevin, representing the government, told the rights panel the issue to be decided is a legal one. He didn't question the parents about the personal and financial difficulties of raising and caring for their kids.

Instead, he questioned what involvement they may have had in the development or assessment of the disability support program and what the basis was for questions about the FIM questionnaire.

"Do you have any formal training or education that would allow you to make an assessment of an evaluation tool?" he asked Colleen Douse. "Are you aware of how many assessment tools were assessed by the province before the FIM tool was selected?"

The hearing continues today with parents Carolyn Bateman and Margaret Murphy scheduled to testify.

rryder@theguardian.pe.ca

Lawyers Karen Campbell, right, and Jacqueline O'Keefe talk prior to the start of a human rights hearing in Charlottetown Tuesday. Campbell represents four families alleging discrimination under the province's disability support program. O'Keefe represents the P.E.I. Human Rights Commission. Guardian photo by Heather Taweel

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,
I have not seen the Sunday Citizen yet, but I just got a call from a colleague who told me that at page B7 there is an article where a number of journalists are asked to predict what are the big issues that can be expected in the coming session of Parliament that begins tomorrow. Apparently, in the article CTV's Mike Duffy predicts that Finance Minister Flaherty's March budget will have something for autism. I hope his crystal ball works.
Cheers!
Andrew
(Ottawa)

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,
Well, Tuesday, December 19, 2006, will go down as a big day in autism history. While the U.S. has the largest budget deficit in recent years, the President signs a Bill that would pour $1 billion over five years into autism research, screening and intervention. Meanwhile, in Canada, with the 10th year of consecutive federal budget surpluses, the House of Commons passed a non-binding National Autism Strategy "motion" and the government launched some autism "initiatives" that include a symposium and a website (the costs of which are expected to be $800,000).

Ever had the feeling that some of the things on this planet are absurd? In the context of the developments in the U.S., my recent discussion with one Canadian MP on the government side (who has an autistic son) in which he declared himself to be against Bill C-304 and criticized it because of jurisdicational conflicts (apparently such criticism was not relevant in the context of the government's own "National Cancer Strategy"), and being an attempt to "embarrass the government" continues to leave me in shock and speechless (a rare event that is probably appreciated by my family and co-workers).
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Andrew
_________________
From:

http://www.combatautism.org/site/c.adJCKONvFoG/b.1159505/k.BDF6/Home.htm
Bush Signs Combating Autism Act!
President Bush has signed the landmark Combating Autism Act of 2006 (S. 843). The bill–which has the support of all major autism advocacy groups–authorizes nearly $1 billion over the next five years to combat autism through research, screening, early detection and early intervention. The new legislation will increase federal spending on autism by at least 50 percent. It includes provisions relating to the diagnosis and treatment of persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and expands and intensifies biomedical research on autism, including an essential focus on possible environmental causes.
The bill was sponsored by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT). The House version was brought to the House floor by Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX), Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. A companion bill was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswomen Mary Bono (R-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO).

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,
The Senate Committee on Social Affairs which is currently studying the matter of "Funding for the Treatment of Autism" and is expected to issue a report by May, 2007, has a website where there are posting official transcripts of the witness testimony.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/Committee_SenProceed.asp?Language=E&Parl=39&Ses=1&comm_id=47

If that does not work then go to http://www.parl.gc.ca, and then Committee Business, and then look for the URL for the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. The click on "Committee Proceedings".

The most recent official transcripts to be posted include the testimony of Jean Lewis from her appearance before the committee on November 23, 2006.

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hello My Dear Friends in B.C.!

Tomorrow is a special day for me. It will be the third anniversary of my son's diagnosis.

I started lobbying in January 2004 and it has now been three long years in which this activity was my priority. We have come a long way. Three years ago autism was not on the radar screen in Ottawa. Now, after telling us since the last election that autism is entirely a provincial problem, the feds have realized that there are some gaps, and to use Health Minister Clement's words: "doing nothing is no longer an option". Regrettably the autism initiatives he announced on November 21 were nowhere near enough to fill in the gaps, but it was a start. Similarly, Andy Scott's motion for a National Autism Strategy was just approved in the House of Commons two days ago. The timing was remarkable with yesterday's passed in the US House of Representatives of the Combating Autism Act (which will pour $1 billion into research, screening and treatment over 5 years). Furthermore, we have two Bills on the Order Paper in the House of Commons. And on top of it all a Senate Committee inquiring into "Funding for the Treatment of Autism" that is expected to issue a report with recommendations in May, 2007. Our community can be proud.

In the past three years I have observed and communicated and networked and joined many individuals and organizations in different forms of lobbying and action and information sharing, etc… I want to express my profound admiration, respect and gratitude to all of you at FEAT of BC who have been so strong and led the way on behalf of kids and families across the country for years. I remember when I was demonstrating before the Supreme Court of Canada in June 2004 and met some of the families involved in the Auton case. It was a pleasure to meet Dr. Sabrina Freeman, Isaac Tamir, Jean Lewis, Bev Sharpe, and others. I consider these leaders to be the premier autism advocacy leaders in the country from whom I have learned a lot and been inspired. You are heroes and we thank you for all your efforts over the past.

Going forward, there is still soooo much to do. Neither the motion nor Clement's initiatives can be expected to make any changes to the lack of treatment in Medicare. We must therefore continue to lobby. However, more people across the country have to speak up and get involved. More people have to contact their MPs and tell them that the Motion must be followed up with action and the inclusion of treatment in Medicare.

I appeared yesterday as a witness before the Senate Committee. I was just one person on a panel of four. I tried my best with the few shifts of ice time that I had at the microphone. I did not get everything out because there is so much to say. However, it is clear that if more people were to write and send messages to the committe with the same message and singing the same song, it would help. The lack of consensus is regrettably a problem. One Senator came up to me afterwards and told me that we have to develop a consensus to get action. I told him that we never get consensus in Canada on anything and we are asking for them to support scientific evidence-based treatment. I also told him that the weight given to the evidence of some witnesses must be adjusted sometimes when it is clear that some witnesses base their evidence on scientific studies and others lack any quality supporting evidence. Would you help in the effort and send a message to the committee with your input? Now is the time! All contact information for the committee and its members (and MPs) is available from http://www.parl.gc.ca

Bill C-304 is up for debate soon. If passed, autism treatment would be part of Medicare from coast to coast. The Bill also create a two-phased approach for the Minister of Health to develop a National Autism Strategy with the provinces and table a plan in the House of Commons. If passed, it would become law.

Regrettably, this Bill has more opposition than the Motion that was just passed (which is not binding). Just two days ago, Mike Lake, the MP from Edmonton who has a child with autism, told me that he does not support Bill C-304 and if it proceeds to a vote he will vote against it. Clearly, our community has a long way to go.

Personally, I did my best over the past three years and honestly don't know what more I could have done to get autism on the radar screen on Parliament Hill. As part of an overall personal strategy of "pacing" oneself, I plan to take a break from lobbying over the Christmas holidays and possibly longer. Accordingly, I would like to wish you all a very happy holiday season!

Andrew Kavchak
Ottawa
_____________
Provinicial Journal
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
Dec 6, 2006

Autism

Commons favours national program

OTTAWA – Fredericton MP Andy Scott hopes that federal, provincial and territorial health minister discuss autism at their next meeting. He issued a statement Tuesday after the House of commons voted 231-45 in favour of a Liberal motion calling on the government to develop a national autism strategy. Scott, who advanced this motion in May, says that provincial health care programs should cover the costs of treatment and therapy for autism spectrum disorders. Scott also commended the grade 12 political science class of Leo Hayes High School in Fredericton, led by teacher Greg Peters, for help in developing the motion.
___________________________
News Release
December 5, 2006

OTTAWA – The M.P. for the Fredericton riding is celebrating a historic vote in the House of Commons as Parliament has passed a Liberal motion calling on the Federal Government to develop a National Autism Strategy.

Private Member’s Motion M-172 was advanced in May by the Honourable Andy Scott. The four point plan was debated for two hours and amended in cooperation with the Conservatives and the New Democrats.

The House of Commons passed the motion by a vote of 231-45 with the Bloc Quebecois voting against. The motion calls upon government to advance a National Autism Strategy that includes:

(a) the development, in cooperation with provincial-territorial governments, of evidence based standards for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder;

(b) the development, in cooperation with provincial governments, of innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder;

(c) consulting with provincial-territorial governments and other stakeholders on the requirements of implementing a national surveillance program for autism spectrum disorder;

(d) the provision of additional federal funding for health research into autism spectrum disorder.

Scott appreciates the support from the Motion’s seconder, Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer along with British Columbia Conservative MP’s Mike Lake, Russ Hiebert and Steven Fletcher from Manitoba. Scott recognizes each of them for “working in cooperation and good faith to help improve the lives of many thousands of Canadians”.

“It is my hope government will follow through with the provision of funding. The Minister of Health should place this on the agenda during the next federal-provincial-territorial ministers meeting. Persons with autism spectrum disorders require treatment and therapy for their condition and the associated costs should be covered by the health care insurance plan of every province” the Fredericton MP added.

Scott commends the grade 12 political science class of Leo Hayes High School in Fredericton led by teacher Greg Peters. The class met with Scott four times along with a number of people in helping develop this motion. They also wrote all 308 MP’s asking them to support the Private Member’s Motion.

“These students have learned a tremendous amount in a very short period of time about parliamentary procedures, legislation and autism. They should be very proud about making a difference and having an influence on the process”.

Media contact: Andrew Holland Executive Assistant – MP Andy Scott, (506) 452-4110
_________________________

Autism motion approved in Ottawa; Process is learning exercise for political science students
Times & Transcript (Moncton)

Dec 6, 2006
By CAMPBELL MORRISON

Political science students at Leo Hayes High School scored a success yesterday as the autism motion they championed was approved in the House of Commons.

"My students are excited," said political science teacher Greg Peters.

"They really have made a difference, if only a small one." Last year's grade 12 political science class got the ball rolling by helping draft a private member's motion that was proposed by Fredericton Liberal Andy Scott, and this year's class closed the deal by lobbying MPs via email.

"I thought
this thing honestly would die on the order paper, and a lot of my students did
too," Peters said. "But they really wanted to craft something that would pass
and make a difference. It has been a tremendous learning experience for them
and for me too because I have never done anything else like this."

The
experience has been an empowering one, he added.

"The kids have all said this
is something they never really thought they could do. They thought they would
pretend to do it. Now they think, 'Wow, we really can do this and people will
listen to us' which is great," he said.

"They learned an incredible amount
about Parliamentary protocol and procedure generally and about private members
bills and motions specifically."

Motion number 172 passed 231 to 45 with
only the Bloc Québéois MPs voting against it because they consider it an
intrusion into provincial jurisdiction.

"It is an historic moment for the
House of Commons and the federal government," said Scott. "Up until two weeks
ago the department of health was sending out letters saying this was a
provincial responsibility. We have moved that a very long way."

Families
with autistic children can face enormous bills for intense one-on-one therapy,
sometimes reaching $60,000 a year.

In New Brunswick, such treatment is
covered by public health insurance until children turn six, while Alberta
offers the most generous program that covers the treatment until 18 years of
age.

Autism can be a debilitating condition, condemning people to a life of institutional solitude as they lack the skills to communicate with others.

The
original motion called on the government to establish a four-element national
strategy that included funding, national standards, surveillance and research.

"Now the community, myself and others will hold their feet to the first and see that we get a national strategy," Scott said.
______________________________
Ottawa backs Leo Hayes students' autism motion
The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)
Dec 6, 2006
By CAMPBELL MORRISON

Political-science students at Leo Hayes High School scored a victory Tuesday as the autism motion they championed was approved in the House of Commons.

"My students are excited," said political-science teacher Greg Peters.

"They really have made a difference, if only a small one."

Last year's Grade 12 political-science class got the ball rolling by helping draft a private-member's motion that was proposed by Fredericton Liberal MLA Andy Scott.

This year's class closed the deal by lobbying MPs via e-mail.

"I thought this thing honestly would die on the order paper and a lot of my students did too," Peters said. "But they really wanted to craft something that would pass and make a difference. It has been a tremendous learning experience for them and for me too because I have never done anything else like this."

The experience has been an empowering one, he said.

"The kids have all said this is something they never really thought they could do. They thought they would pretend to do it. Now they think, 'Wow, we really can do this and people will listen to us,' which is great," he said.

"They learned an incredible amount about Parliamentary protocol and procedure generally and about private-members bills and motions specifically."

Motion No. 172 passed 231 to 45, with only the Bloc Quebeois MPs voting against it because they consider it an intrusion into provincial jurisdiction.

"It is an historic moment for the House of Commons and the federal government," said Scott. "Up until two weeks ago, the Department of Health was sending out letters saying this was a provincial responsibility. We have moved that a very long way."

Families with autistic children can face enormous bills for intense, one-on- one therapy, sometimes reaching $60,000 a year.

In New Brunswick, such treatment is covered by public-health insurance until children turn six, while Alberta offers the most generous program that covers the treatment until 18 years of age.

Autism can be a debilitating condition, condemning people to a life of institutional solitude as they lack the skills to communicate with others.

The original motion called on the government to establish a four-element national strategy that included funding, national standards, surveillance and research. The government amended it to ensure it is developed in consultation with the provinces.

"Now the community, myself and others will hold their feet to the fire and see that we get a national strategy," Scott said. "If we have an election in the spring, my guess is they will be under a great deal of pressure to announce a national strategy by that time."

Peters said he doesn't know whether the new class will take up a new project.

"It has taken up a huge amount of our time, but it certainly was worth it," he said.

"We would probably be a lot more efficient if we do it again."
_______________________________

[Andrew Kavchak]

HOUSE OF COMMONS
EDITED HANSARD
Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Private Members' Business

Autism Spectrum Disorder

The House resumed from November 27 consideration of the motion, and of the amendment.

The Speaker:
Pursuant to order made on Friday, November 24, 2006 the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the amendment to Motion No. 172 under private members' business.

* *

(The House divided on the amendment, which was agreed to on the following division)

(Division No. 92)

YEAS

Members

Abbott
Ablonczy
Albrecht
Alghabra
Allen
Allison
Ambrose
Anders
Anderson
Angus
Arthur
Atamanenko
Bagnell
Bains
Baird
Batters
Beaumier
Bélanger
Bell (Vancouver Island North)
Bell (North Vancouver)
Bennett
Benoit
Bernier
Bevilacqua
Bevington
Bezan
Black
Blackburn
Bonin
Boshcoff
Breitkreuz
Brown (Oakville)
Brown (Leeds—Grenville)
Brown (Barrie)
Bruinooge
Byrne
Calkins
Cannan (Kelowna—Lake Country)
Cannis
Cannon (Pontiac)
Carrie
Casey
Casson
Chan
Charlton
Chong
Chow
Christopherson
Clement
Coderre
Comartin
Comuzzi
Cotler
Crowder
Cullen (Skeena—Bulkley Valley)
Cullen (Etobicoke North)
Cummins
Cuzner
D'Amours
Davidson
Davies
Day
Del Mastro
Devolin
Dewar
Dhaliwal
Dhalla
Dosanjh
Doyle
Dryden
Dykstra
Easter
Emerson
Epp
Eyking
Fast
Finley
Fitzpatrick
Flaherty
Fletcher
Fry
Galipeau
Gallant
Godfrey
Goldring
Goodale
Goodyear
Gourde
Graham
Grewal
Guarnieri
Guergis
Hanger
Harris
Harvey
Hawn
Hearn
Hiebert
Hill
Hinton
Holland
Hubbard
Jaffer
Jean
Julian
Kadis
Kamp (Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission)
Karetak-Lindell
Keddy (South Shore—St. Margaret's)
Keeper
Khan
Komarnicki
Kramp (Prince Edward—Hastings)
Lake
Lapierre
Lauzon
Layton
LeBlanc
Lee
Lukiwski
Lunn
Lunney
MacAulay
MacKay (Central Nova)
MacKenzie
Maloney
Manning
Mark
Marleau
Marston
Martin (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca)
Martin (Winnipeg Centre)
Martin (Sault Ste. Marie)
Masse
Mathyssen
Matthews
Mayes
McCallum
McDonough
McGuinty
McGuire
McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood)
McTeague
Menzies
Merasty
Merrifield
Miller
Mills
Minna
Moore (Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam)
Moore (Fundy Royal)
Murphy (Charlottetown)
Nash
Neville
Nicholson
Norlock
O'Connor
Obhrai
Oda
Owen
Pallister
Paradis
Patry
Peterson
Petit
Poilievre
Prentice
Preston
Priddy
Proulx
Rajotte
Ratansi
Redman
Regan
Reid
Richardson
Ritz
Robillard
Rota
Russell
Savage
Savoie
Scarpaleggia
Scheer
Schellenberger
Scott
Sgro
Shipley
Siksay
Silva
Simms
Skelton
Smith
Solberg
Sorenson
St. Amand
St. Denis
Stanton
Stoffer
Storseth
Strahl
Stronach
Sweet
Szabo
Telegdi
Temelkovski
Thibault (West Nova)
Thompson (New Brunswick Southwest)
Thompson (Wild Rose)
Tilson
Toews
Tonks
Trost
Turner
Tweed
Valley
Van Kesteren
Van Loan
Vellacott
Verner
Wallace
Wappel
Warawa
Warkentin
Wasylycia-Leis
Watson
Wilfert
Wilson
Wrzesnewskyj
Yelich
Zed

Total: — 231

NAYS

Members

André
Asselin
Bachand
Barbot
Bellavance
Bigras
Blais
Bonsant
Bouchard
Bourgeois
Cardin
Carrier
Crête
DeBellefeuille
Demers
Deschamps
Faille
Gagnon
Gaudet
Gauthier
Guay
Guimond
Kotto
Laforest
Laframboise
Lavallée
Lemay
Lessard
Lévesque
Lussier
Malo
Ménard (Hochelaga)
Ménard (Marc-Aurèle-Fortin)
Mourani
Nadeau
Ouellet
Paquette
Perron
Picard
Plamondon
Roy
St-Cyr
St-Hilaire
Thibault (Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques)
Vincent

Total: — 45

PAIRED
Nil

The Speaker:
I declare the amendment carried.

The next question is on the main motion, as amended.

Hon. Jay Hill:
Mr. Speaker, I recognize it is unusual, but I wonder, with the consent of the House, whether we could apply the results of the vote just taken to the vote that is currently before the House.

The Speaker:
Is there agreement to proceed in this way?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Some hon. members: No.

The Speaker:
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion as amended?

Some hon. members: Agreed.

Some hon. members: No.

The Speaker:
All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Some hon. members: Yea.

The Speaker:
All those opposed will please say nay.

Some hon. members: Nay.

The Speaker: In my opinion the yeas have it.

An hon. member: On division.

The Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

(Motion agreed to)

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,

Andy Scott's Motion for a National Autism Strategy was voted on and passed in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Up next: Shawn Murphy's Bill C-304 to create a National Autism Strategy will be debated later this week.

The Senate Committee inquiring into funding for the treatment of autism will hold more hearings this week with witnesses including Health Minister Clement, and others (including me). We should expect to see a report, hopefully with meaningful recommendations, by May 2007.

Cheers!
Andrew Kavchak

____________________________________

Motion M-172, as passed by the House of Commons on Tuesday, December 5, 2006.

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should create a national strategy for autism spectrum disorder that would include:

(a) the development, in cooperation with provincial/territorial governments, of evidence based standards for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder;

(b) development, in cooperation with provincial governments, of innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder;

(c) consulting with provincial/territorial governments and other stakeholders on the requirements of implementing a national surveillance program for autism spectrum disorders; and

(d) the provision of additional federal funding for health research into autism spectrum disorder.

[Andrew Kavchak]

Hi Folks,
From today's "Projected Order of Business" on the Parliamentary website…

After Question Period at 3pm…

M-172 —Mr. Scott (Fredericton) — Autism spectrum disorder (deferred recorded division on the amendment of Mr. Murphy (Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe))

Recorded division on the amendment — deferred until the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions, pursuant to Order made Friday, November 24, 2006.

Voting on the main motion — immediately after the amendment is disposed of, pursuant to Standing Order 93(1).

_____________________
and from the "PROJECTION FOR SUBSEQUENT DAYS"

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2006

Private Members' Business

C-304 — Mr. Murphy (Charlottetown) — National Strategy for the Treatment of Autism Act — Second reading (first time debated)

__________________________________

[Author]

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