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Autism Speaks Canada Honours the Canadian Autism Community on World Autism Day

Letters of support received from Prime Minister, Leader of Official Opposition Party and Leaders of NDP and Bloc Québécois Parties

Apr 02 2009

(Ottawa, ON) – Autism Speaks Canada is marking the 2^nd World Autism Awareness Day on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, calling on all MP’s to wear puzzle piece pins to show their respect and support for autism stakeholder community across Canada.

In his letter recognizing World Autism Awareness Day, Prime Minister Harper states:

“On this day, I salute the thousands of families in Canada who confront the unique challenges of autism on a daily basis. This is also an opportunity to recognize the tireless work of all those who are championing the cause. I commend Autism Speaks Canada for providing a strong voice to those affected by autism through your ongoing efforts to increase autism awareness, service delivery and research.” Read full letter here. Read the French version here.

In his letter, Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition Party pays tribute to the efforts of former M.P. Andy Scott and notes that the Liberal Party “strongly supports the initiative to develop a National Strategy for Autism to help provide better coordination of federal assistance and for continued research.”

Click here to see letters from:

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper - English

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper - French

Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition Party

Jack Layton, Leader of the NDP Party

Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the Bloc Québécois

On April 1, Autism Speaks Canada along with other stakeholder groups was on hand at a reception on Parliament Hill hosted by Senator Jim Munson to provide information on autism and request all-party support for the development of a comprehensive National Autism Strategy. Members of Parliament and Senators were invited to attend this event along with several members of the local autism community.

On Tuesday, April 2, Mike Lake, MP (Edmonton – Mill Woods – Beaumont) and his son Jaden along with Robbie Gibbons, son of Autism Speaks Canada Board member Laurel Gibbons, joined by Sophia and Josh Bortolotti will be handing puzzle piece pins and information on autism to MP’s as they enter the House. Jaden, Robbie and Sophia are each diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“Compassion, inclusion and hope. These three powerful words form the basis of World Autism Awareness Day. We salute the efforts of parents, schools community organizations and advocacy groups across Canada who are leading or taking part in World Autism Awareness Day activities,” notes Suzanne Lanthier, Executive Director of Autism Speaks Canada.

Autism Speaks has a successful history of working in partnership with governments to develop and implement strategic plans for addressing the needs of the autism stakeholders. The recommendations contained within the Senate Committee’s report ‘Pay Now of Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis’ address some of the key steps that need to be taken to achieve our goals of ensuring funding is available for much-needed research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

Autism Speaks - our founding organization in the United States - has shown us what can happen quickly when the autism voice is unified.

Governments will listen.

Policy can be changed.

Services and supports can be stronger and easier to access.

Awareness can be raised.

Answers can be found.

Autism Speaks Canada aims to bring the Canadian autism community together as one strong voice to urge the government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

About World Autism Awareness Day

On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139, tabled by the State of Qatar, which declares April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, supported the campaign for a World Autism Awareness Day through the current 62nd UN General Assembly Session, garnering consensus support from all United Nations Member States.

This UN resolution is one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days and will bring the world's attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.

Autism Speaks played an integral role in having April 2 declared as World Autism Awareness Day.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.

By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to inspire compassion, inclusion and hope.

For more information on World Autism Awareness Day, please visit www.worldautismawarenessday.org

About Autism

Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by behavioural challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in North America, affecting four times as many boys as girls. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. Services and supports for our young adult and adult populations in Canada remain The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.

About Autism Speaks Canada

Autism Speaks together with Autism Speaks Canada form North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

Autism Speaks Canada aims to bring the autism community together as one strong voice to urge the government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

For more information on Autism Speaks Canada, please visit www.autismspeaks.ca