Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Autism Trek Update - Federal Health Minister Clement Passes the Autism Buck (but not the bucks) to the Provinces

The Belleville Intelligencer continued its excellent coverage of dedicated Autism Dad Stephan Marinoiu's winter Autism Trek to Ottawa reporting on his greeting in Ottawa by long time autism advocate Senator Jim Munson and his meeting with federal "Health" Minister Tony Clement. Mr. Marinoiu described the challenges faced in Ontario where ABA service did not become available for his son. Unfortunately, as reported by Mr Marinoiu and the Intelligencer, alleged Health Minister Clement merely passed the buck for autism services, but not the bucks, to the provinces.

High School political science students in this country are aware that the primary constitutional responsibility for health care rests with the provinces. But our history also shows that the provinces and the federal government have cooperated to provide a national health care system. There is nothing to stop the federal government from spending some of those surplus dollars taken from all Canadians to help provincial governments fund needed autism services across Canada. So that all Canadians with autism receive the services they need.

It is long past time that alleged "Health" Minister Clement put the Health back in his title and started acting like a Health Minister.

To put it politely Minister Clement - do your job or step aside please.

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