[Super Dad]

North Shore ASBC Support Group Lecture Series

** Tues Oct 21 **

Our October presentation will be: Aspergers and Anxiety – what every family wants their teacher to know.

We are pleased to have Dr. Todd Mason from the ABLE Development Clinic as our guest speaker. Dr. Mason is an clinical psychologist with amazing insight.

This lecture is useful to all parents of children on the spectrum. Many of the concepts are applicable to all.

This is a great opportunity for anyone with a school-aged child, or with a child coming up to school age. A clinical psychologist of this calibre is rare, so don't miss this lecture!

DATE: Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008
TIME: 7 – 9 pm
LOCATION: West Vancouver Memorial Library (Musto Room), 1950 Marine Drive in West Van. (between 19th and 20th Streets). The library is easily accessible via Highway #1 Upper Levels, taking either the 15th Street or 20th St. exits.

Coffee/Tea and snacks provided.
Donations are greatly appreciated.

Please RSVP to Carol at colemanmoser@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Carol and Tony
(Co-facilitators for ASBC North Shore Group)

[Super Dad]

North Shore ASBC Support Group Lecture Series – October 2008

** ANNOUNCING **

Our October presentation will be: Aspergers and Anxiety – what every family wants their teacher to know.

We are pleased to have Dr. Todd Mason from the ABLE Development Clinic as our guest speaker. Dr. Mason is an clinical psychologist with amazing insight.

This lecture is useful to all parents of children on the spectrum. Many of the concepts are applicable to all.

This is a great opportunity for anyone with a school-aged child, or with a child coming up to school age. A clinical psychologist of this calibre is rare, so don't miss this lecture!

DATE: Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008
TIME: 7 – 9 pm
LOCATION: West Vancouver Memorial Library (Musto Room), 1950 Marine Drive in West Van. (between 19th and 20th Streets). The library is easily accessible via Highway #1 Upper Levels, taking either the 15th Street or 20th St. exits.

Coffee/Tea and snacks provided.
Donations are greatly appreciated.

Please RSVP to Carol at colemanmoser@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Carol and Tony
(Co-facilitators for ASBC North Shore Group)

[Super Dad]

AUTISM INACTION MONTH

October is "Autism Inaction Month" in Canada!

http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2008/10/october-is-autism-inaction-month-in.html

Autism Society Canada likes to call it "Autism Awareness Month", but the term "Autism Awareness" has been made completely meaningless by politicians like Tony Clement, who says "the aim of this month is to promote dialogue on autism":

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/minist/messages/2007_10_09-eng.php

Imagine this: Tony Clement's house is on fire, and he calls the fire department:

Clement: "I need water on the fire now!"

Fire chief: "Better wait. We don't really understand the cause of the fire."

Clement: "Why should that matter? We know water can put out the fire!"

Fire chief: "Do we really know that? Our staff scientists say that's emergent technology."

Clement: "Listen to me! My skin is peeling off from the intense heat!"

Fire chief: "Oh I really feel your pain, and I admire your courage. I shall call the stakeholders and start a dialogue immediately!"

We are painfully aware of the consequences of government inaction. Now let's tell the rest of society!

Tony

[Super Dad]

We have volunteers who need a ride to the Medicare for Autism Now rally this Saturday. Please let me know if you have any spare capacity in your car. Thanks.

Tony <tony.tamer@yahoo.com>

[Super Dad]

AUTISM AWARENESS

I have seen lots of people try to raise "Autism Awareness" with absolutely no idea of what we need the public to be aware of. Some wear trinkets with the words "Autism Awareness" which I guess means "autism exists" (but I think the public already knows that). One person is doing a "Run the Dream" tour across Canada, and so far none of his supporters can tell us what the dream is.

The next time you run into one of these well-intentioned folks, please ask them to try spreading these key points:

1. Autism is highly TREATABLE.
2. Effective treatment EXISTS.
3. Treatment is being MISMANAGED.
4. This mistake is EXPENSIVE.

Here are more details:

1. Autism is TREATABLE:

Autism is a neurological disorder that can be reversed to a such a degree that the patient actually loses the diagnosis. Based on the concept of neuroplasticity, intensive brain exercises can be used to rewire the patient's brain. Some patients do not lose their diagnosis (especially older children with less neuroplasticity), but when medical treatment is provided at the right intensity at the right time, all patients do become significantly less disabled.

2. Medical treatment EXISTS:

Even though we do not know entirely understand what causes autism, through scientific experimentation, researchers have known about an effective medical treatment for more than 20 years. (It's called Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention.) The medical treatment has been proven on human subjects in clinical trials, and these clinical trials have been replicated over the years by independent research groups.

3. Treatment is MISMANAGED:

Medical treatments should be managed and financed by the Ministry of Health. The medical treatment for autism, however, is currently managed by government agencies not qualified to make medical decisions. Even though autism is a medical condition, it is being treated by the government as a "social issue." Instead of medical professionals, it is social workers who decide who gets treatment, how long they can wait and how little they need. In most cases, families of autistic children struggle to raise the money that they need but do not get.

4. The mistake is EXPENSIVE:

It is much less expensive to treat the disease than to support the disability in the long run. A child who loses the diagnosis will grow up to be a tax payer instead of a burden on tax payers. A simple cost-benefit analysis shows a difference of hundreds of millions of cost to the tax payer, not to mention the cost of human suffering.

[Super Dad]

To all voters in Vancouver Quadra:

I made a mistake in my previous message. It's the families in "West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky Country" that should vote for Bill Forst.

In Vancouver Quadra, the latest status is as follows:

1. Deborah Meredith (Conservative): In an email to us, she says helping a neglected minority is a "WASTE OF TIME." Please let her know what you think:

<deborah.meredith@sauder.ubc.ca>
<info@deborahmeredith.ca>
<info@quadraconservatives.ca>
<jim@quadraconservatives.ca>

2. Dan Grice (Green Party): He says "I will vote for the provision of Medicare coverage for science-based treatment of autism."

3. Joyce Murray (Liberal) has yet to give us an official response. When we interviewed her, she seemed clueless and said something like: you're not the only minority we discriminate against. We hope she has done more homework since the interview. May be you want to help her out:

<info@joycemurray.ca>
<murrayj1@part.gc.ca?
<info@lpcbc.com>

Here is how we should vote:

1. If Joyce Murray says YES to us, let's do everything we can to wipe out Deborah Meredith.

2. If Joyce Murray says NO to us, let's all vote for Dan Grice to make a point.

Please remember: it doesn't matter if you are not a Green Party fan. We need to be focussed on our #1 priority – JUSTICE for our children.

Tony

[Super Dad]

Medicare for Autism Now!

Status Update

The simple 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 Responses

West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky Country, BC:

Ian Sutherland (Liberal – West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky Country, BC)
"YES, I am publicly commiting to support ammending the Canada Health Act to include Autism treatment in Medicare."

John Weston (Conservative – West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky Country, BC)
NO

Bill Forst (NDP – West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea-to-Sky Country, BC)
YES

Vancouver Quadra, BC:

Deborah Meredith (Conservative – Vancouver Quadra, BC)
NO. "waste of time"
Read more about Deborah's answers on Harold Doherty's blog:
http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2008/09/deborah-meredith-conservative-candidate.html
http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2008/09/deborah-meredith-clarifies-autism-issue.html

Dan Grice (Green – Vancouver Quadra, BC)
YES. "I will vote for the provision of Medicare coverage for science-based treatment of autism."

Newton North Delta, BC:

Sukh Dhaliwal (Liberal – Newton North Delta, BC)
YES

Teresa Townsley (NDP – Newton North Delta, BC)
YES. "As a former nurse and current school trustee, I wholeheartedly support amending the Canada Health Act by placing scientifically proven treatment for ASD under medicare."

Fleetwood – Port Kells, BC:

Nao Fernando (NDP – Fleetwood Port Kells, BC)
YES. "I am pleased to indicate my complete support for the inclusion of treatment for autism in Canada's national public health care system."

Brenda Locke (Liberal – Fleetwood Port Kells, BC)
"YES, if elected to the House of Commons on October 14 would support legislation that will amend the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment under Medicare."

Halton, Ont:

Amy Collard (Green – Halton, Ont)
YES. "As your MP, I would strongly advocate for changes to the Canada Health Act to include not only autism treatment, but also to include diagnosis and prevention."

Lisa Raitt (Conservative – Halton, Ont)
NO.

Garth Turner (Liberal – Halton, Ont)
"YES, I will. And I have made this clear in the past."

Oakville, Ont:

Bonnie Brown (Liberal – Oakville, Ont)
NO. "Accordingly, regarding the CHA amendment you favour, I would have to respectfully disagree."

Michelle Bilek (NDP – Oakville, Ont)
YES

Mississauga South, Ont:

Paul Szabo (Liberal – Mississauga South, Ont)
YES. "I voted for it in the last Parliament and I will do it again."

Burlington, Ont:

Marnie Mellish (Green – Burlington, Ont)
"YES, I will. I have my Masters degree in Special Education and have taught special education classes in my youth. I fought long and hard for my students and got into trouble for helping parents organize to bring their concerns to the principal and the school board."

David Laird (NDP – Burlington, Ont)
"YES, organic brain disorders and developmental disorders are of increasing concern to many Canadians at a time when provincial governments are reducing supports in this vital area. I support increasing the scope of the Canada health act to include supporting individuals requiring specialized supports to achieve their maximum potential."

Mike Wallace (Conservative – Burlington, Ont)
NO.

Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont:

Tony Clement (Conservative – Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont)
NO.

Jamie McGarvey (Liberal – Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont)
"YES I most certainly would. I am a huge supporter of early childhood education and I also recognize that education is an important part of the process with Autism Treatment. I believe putting the money up front in the early stages for treatment reduces costs later on."

Barrie, Ont:

Erich Jacoby-Hawkins (Green – Barrie, Ont)
"Short answer: YES."

Simcoe North, Ont:

Valerie Powell (Green – Simcoe North, Ont)
NO.

Tobique Mactaquac, NB:

Alice Finnamore (NDP – Tobique Mactaquac)
"My answer to your question is an unqualified YES. I believe in science-based treatment of autism, and if elected will do everything I can to bring in coverage for ABA and IBI."

West Nova, NS:

George Barron (NDP – West Nova, NS)
YES "In answer to your question; absolutely."

[Super Dad]

I wish to echo Jemma's sentiments regarding the Walk to Autism event.

If you have the spare time to support an event, it can be put to much better use at the Oct 4 "Medicare For Autism Now" Rally.

If you have spare cash to donate, please go to:

http://medicareforautismnow.org/

and click on "Donate."

==========

WALK/RUN NOW FOR AUTISM

Recently I have heard a lot of people talk about the upcoming "Walk/Run Now for Autism" event, organized by Autism Speaks. On the surface it seems to a good thing, but I am not so excited about it. For those who don't know, Autism Speaks Canada is very different from their America counterpart.

Before you participate in the event, may be you should find out what Autism Speaks Canada has done for us. I'll give you a couple of examples:

1. When they held a similar event in Edmonton, they invited Mike Lake as a guest of honour. Mike Lake is the MP who has done everything within his power to destroy our chances of getting Medicare coverage for autism. Despite having an autistic son himself, he works against us just to make his boss happy.

2. During the Senate Hearings into funding for the treatment of autism, the Executive Director of Autism Speaks Canada was asked if she supported an amendment to the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment in Medicare. She actually said NO.

If supporting this event means raising more money to pay the Executive Director to make friends with Mike Lake, I am not sure it's the best thing for our children.

Jemma

[Super Dad]

CBC's Riding Talk
=================

To all parents:

CBCNews.ca has created 308 blogs — one for each riding in Canada. Please go to the following ones, and click on "recommend" under our entries:

Vancouver Quadra:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/riding/302/ridingtalk.html

Fleetwood – Port Kells:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/riding/278/ridingtalk.html

If you want to say something about the candidates in your own riding, go to:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/ridingtalk/

It takes a couple of minutes to sign up as a contributor, but it's well worth the effort.

This is the time to speak your mind. Don't hold back!

Tony

[Super Dad]

To all Vancouver Quadra voters:

It looks like we now have a choice between two candidates:
1. Dan Grice (Green Party)
2. Bill Forst (NDP)

Deborah Meredith (Conservative) thinks helping a neglected minority is a "waste of time." Please let her know what you think:

<deborah.meredith@sauder.ubc.ca>
<info@deborahmeredith.ca>
<info@quadraconservatives.ca>
<jim@quadraconservatives.ca>

Joyce Murray (Liberal) has yet to give us an official response. When we interviewed her, she seemed clueless. We hope she has done more homework since the interview. May be you want to help her:

<info@joycemurray.ca>
<murrayj1@part.gc.ca?
<info@lpcbc.com>

Please remember: it doesn't matter if you are not Green Party or NDP fans. We need to be focussed on our #1 priority – JUSTICE for our children.

Tony

[Author]

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