Tag: ASAN

Autism Speaks Canada shuts down in January. Good.

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A4A members protesting at the Autism Speaks Walk, 2018

By Autistics for Autistics

As Canada’s autistic-led advocacy group and an international affiliate of the Autistic Self Advocacy Organization, we are relieved that Autism Speaks Canada will be shutting down in January of 2025.

Autism Speaks Canada has long sponsored a pseudoscientific “autism gene” project that collected 10,000 Canadian autistic children’s DNA, without their consent, for use in a shared database by scam artists around the world to develop genetics-related products–including prenatal tests that do not truly detect autism and that lead to the termination of healthy, planned pregnancies. Their DNA boondoggle has never found an autism gene (surprised-NOT), but it has certainly promoted the idea that we don’t deserve to be born.

As well, Autism Speaks Canada held back progress on Canadian inclusion and disability access by lobbying for a National Autism Strategy that would allocate the lion’s share of federal autism funding to a consortium of less than 5 autism orgs through sole-source contracting, without any opportunity for groups to apply. This left autistic-led groups and other local agencies without a seat at the policy table, unlike the US, who include autistic groups in their policy meetings.

Shockingly, in its farewell message Autism Speaks Canada actually highlighted those two projects as their major achievements. It perhaos reveals the real reason they failed: They were never able to focus donor dollars–or energy–on the needs and ideas of the community because they were caught up in “curing” autism & keeping control of funding dollars.

Harmon Pope, chair of ANLFO, an Ottawa-based rights group, has been monitoring & leading protest actions against Autism Speaks for the past 5 years. “I’d been noticing their local team in Ottawa slowly losing influence,” said Harmon, who emphasized the need to challenge other autism organizations in Canada that have similar policy positions to Autism Speaks.

This is an opportunity for autistics and our families to collaborate locally to build new, neuro-affirming spaces and projects. If you are interested in this, or in helping advocate to the federal and provincial governments, please contact us here. We also welcome donations of any size, here.

As A4A Board Member Gaby put it: “It’s a Christmas miracle, Charlie Brown!” Let’s take this opportunity to undo the damage Autism Speaks has done in our community, and create something better.

–The Autistics for Autistics Board of Directors

Support Bill C-273 to ban physical punishment of children in Canadian schools—& everywhere

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More than sixty countries around the world have banned physical punishment of children—but in Canada, physical punishment of kids is endorsed by the Criminal Code!

We have a chance to help keep kids in Canada safe. (See below for how to email your MP.)

Peter Julian, a Member of Parliament from Burnaby BC, has introduced a Private Member’s motion, Bill C-273,  An Act to amend the Criminal Code. It would remove Section 43 of the Criminal Code that permits physical punishment of children in Canada.

Right now, the Criminal Code of Canada Sec. 43, states: “Every schoolteacher, parent or person standing in for a parent is justified in using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his care…” The legislation was written 1892.

MP Julian’s Bill would repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code and “end the legalized physical punishment of children in Canada,” in the words of MP Julian.

Amazingly, this is not a sure win. In fact, there have been 18 attempts over the years for a repeal. In 2003, the issue was brought before the Supreme Court of Canada who  ruled that the Criminal Code could continue to allow physical punishment of kids. As many of us have experienced and witnessed, violence and abuse towards children (especially in special education and especially students of colour) is not only tolerated, it is normalized.

Repealing Section 43 of the Criminal Code would create a legal grounds for individuals and families to fight back against Canadian schools’ use of seclusion rooms, restraint and all forms of physical abuse.

Please take a moment to find your MP’s email address/phone and contact to their office with this message, or one of your choosing:

“As your constituent, I am urging you to support Bill C-273, a Member’s Bill by MP Julian. It is long past time to end the physical punishment of children in school or any other setting. It is banned in more that 60 countries already. Please vote in favour of this Bill.”

There is no date set for the vote, but it could come up fast. The third reading is in progress, last step before MPs vote. Let your MP know how you feel today!

Many thanks to A4A member Cheryl for research! And many thanks to all for contacting your MPs.

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Autistics for Autistics is Canada’s self-advocacy organization. We are an autistic-led group and an international affiliate of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).
Media requests: a4aontario@gmail.com