Category Archives: Canadian Autism Partnership

Support Request: CAP – Followup

So, last week I put up the post about supporting CAP on Twitter. My mother proceeded to bring up a good point – what if you’re not on Twitter (and don’t want to be)? So here are some things that you can do off Twitter to help show your support.

  • They could write to their local MPs, asking for them to clarify their position on CAP.
  • If they have Facebook, they could share information about CAP there (the website, videos etc.)
  • Write an editorial about the need for a Canadian Autism Partnership to submit to their local newspaper. In fact, if any of you are interested in doing this, we (the CAP team) would be more than happy to help
  • Email their friends and family to share information about CAP.

Thank you again, for anything and everything you do to help us get CAP underway.

🙂 tagÂûght

Support Request: Canadian Autism Partnership

For fellow Canadians among my readers, including those who have been following my CAPP journey:

I am reaching out to ask for your help in support of the Canadian Autism Partnership (CAP) which recently was denied funding in the 2017 federal budget.  Please take a few minutes to read this email, and 2 minutes to show your support.

CAP brought together top experts in the autism field who were advised by self-advocates, stakeholders and government representatives from 13 provinces and territories, to develop a business plan with a goal to address the complex issues related to autism in Canada.

CAP strives for timely, evidence based efficiencies in the following areas, which reflect the most pressing issues facing Canadians with ASD:

  • Early identification and early intervention
  • Employment
  • Interventions and services to optimize quality of life at all ages
  • Specialized medical care, including access to dental and mental health services
  • Education, including transitions to work, post-secondary education and independent life.

How you can show your support:

  1. Learn more about the CAP project please visit: http://www.capproject.ca/index.php/en/about-capproject/project-objectives
  2. Make your voice heard by signing up to Global Citizen https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/mp-standing-ovation-moving-speech-autism/
  3. Use this tweet to show your support of CAP through a clear and non-partisan message which will go directly to the Prime Minister and Health Minister: “.@JustinTrudeau @janephilpott Support CDNs living w/ #Autism Spectrum Disorder, pledge $19M toward the Canadian Autism Partnership. #cdnpoli

There is now a followup post for what you can do if you don’t use/have Twitter: Support Request: CAP – Followup.

Thank you,
🙂 tagÂûght

#CAPP Films: #AutisticAdvocates Speak

So, I didn’t actually post anything about the CAPP meeting in Montreal at the end of October, mostly because it was a quick two days and I got unpleasantly flustered over issues with getting to the airport for my flight home. (I made it, but it wasn’t fun.)

One thing we did in Montreal during out meeting, however, is now public – each of us who were present were filmed doing a quick interview by Spectrum Productions, in order to create a short film about CAPP that could go public.

As of today, those films – the short film put together of all of us, and the individual interviews – are live, and available to the public.

The short film Hear From the Experts contains a selection of the interviews that each of us gave; the individual interviews contain more details and answers. Below is the short film and my interview.

Click here to see the video links and read more about the subject.

Toronto #CAPP Meeting

It’s been a while, I know. Between dealing with the effects of my heat allergy in July and August (yeah, summers in St. John’s are a lot cooler than, say, summers in Toronto, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t get warm), and then catching a nasty cold in the first week of September (I’m still coughing), I haven’t had a lot of energy to spare to be updating.

But the CAPP Advisory Group met in Toronto on Monday, and we had a great time. We were informed of the basic stats of the responses to the Community Round Tables, the surveys, and the written submissions – and I just want to say a large “Thank You!” to all those who responded. The numbers exceeded what our mandate called for, which is wonderful, and provides even more support for the need for a Canadian Autism Partnership.

Read on for more of what’s going on!

#ActuallyAutistic #Canadian #CAPP Written Submission

So, I’ve already put up the link to the CAPP survey (reminder: closes July 15th); we also have a written submission form for adult autistics (referred to as “self-advocates” in the documentation). The details are as follows:


We are interested in learning about your views on the importance of a national partnership model in addressing the critical issues facing individuals with autism, their families and those working in the field. We envision CAP bringing together researchers, service providers, and decision-makers in collaboration with people with autism and their families to address the complex issues the autism community faces today.

Specifically, we are looking for your input to the following questions:

  • As a person on the spectrum, what are the big issues that you believe need to be solved?
  • As we design the CAP model, what suggestions do you have for creating a strong national partnership?
  • How do you think CAP could make a difference to you, your family and your community?
  • If you are aware of other collaborative models you think we should explore, please tell us about them.

Once you have composed your responses to these questions, please visit http://www.capproject.ca/index.php/en/written-submission-self-advocates to submit your answers in a fillable PDF.

All information is confidential. The information we collect will provide us with an understanding of the current autism landscape in Canada and what is required to have a successful national partnership model in this country.

If you have additional comments, questions, or information that you would like to share with us, please send them to casdacapproject@gmail.com.

The deadline for fillable PDF submissions is Saturday, July 30th.


Please, please, if you’re an autistic Canadian, please fill this out. We’ve got a large number of responses to the survey so far, but only approximately 4% of them are from actual autistics. The more information we get from autistics, the better our idea of what the situations around Canada are.

Thank you!

🙂 tagÂûght

Canadian Autism Partnership Project Survey

So, today was the St. John’s Round Table meeting for the Canadian Autism Partnership Project (see: Leaving, on a Jet Plane, Nova Scotia, How I Love Thee for starting details). It went quite well, and there was a broad spectrum of people there – social workers, SLPs, clinicians, I think there was at least one OT, ASNL board members, self advocates, parents (and a number who were more than one of those). The discussions went quite well, and just like the first ASD Avisory Group meeting, we actually managed to finish early! 🙂 (Which was a good thing, because the ASNL board had a meeting right after.)

But the important takeaway (aside from the info shared for the Working Group) is the matter of the online survey. For any Canadian involved in the autism community (whether autistic, family member, friend, researcher, specialist, doctor, clinician, member of a society, etc.), we need as many of you as possible to take the survey. The more data we have, the clearer the partnership’s objectives will be – and the more people we can tell the federal government that this will affect. The more people it will affect, the more likely the federal government is to provide the funds to actually create the partnership.

Visit the Canadian Autism Partnership Project to take the survey. It will close July 15th, so the sooner you can visit, the better.

Thank you,

🙂 tagÂûght

I’ll Be Back Again

I’m currently sitting at my gate in Halifax Robert Stanfield International Airport. It’s been a really, really good trip; great and Âû-some all at once.

Remember I mentioned that friend of my sister’s who has an autistic son? We went over to their place for dinner, before I was dropped off at the airport. And I got so many wonderful hugs – everyone was staring! He was hugely affectionate to me. It was great! (I’m told that usually he’s either willing to engage or goes and shuts himself in his room – something that I always used to do, or want to do – and that he was even more engaged with me than my sister has ever seen him. It was au-some!)

It’s really been a wonderful trip. I got to see my niece and nephews, got to spend time with them, with them and my sister, and with my sister alone. But I’m happy to be heading back home as well. I miss my puddy tat, and my parents. (Yes, Mom and Dad, you’re up there in what I miss. It’s not all the cats. 😉 )

Meeting everyone, spending time with people, and the work we’re doing with CAPP – this trip is definitely going in my favourite memories.

About an hour before the flight’s due to leave. Next post will be from St. John’s, as usual.

‘Later, all!

🙂 tagÂûght

Nova Scotia, How I Love Thee

So, I’ve been in Nova Scotia for over a week now. I leave in just over 49 hours (from the time I posted this). And I had a wonderful day yesterday. I figured it was time to discuss.

This will be a somewhat long post, talking a bit about my family and a lot about the main/original reason I’m here, which is to do with the Canadian Autism Partnership Project. No details of our discussions – those are confidential – but just how it went, and how the group related to each other, and various bits and pieces.

Read on….

Leaving, on a Jet Plane

(Except I know exactly when I’ll be coming back. 😉 )

So, back in November/December, I applied to be a member of Autism Canada’s ASD Advisory Board. On my application, I filled in that I was interested both in being part of the planning for a conference specifically for autistic adults (AKA a Canadian version of Autreat), and as a stakeholder in discussions, polls, surveys, etc. The latter has gotten me involved in CASDA (Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance) as a stakeholder for the Canadian Autism Partnership Project (CAPP), a Federal initiative whose goal is to: “address key issues such as information sharing and research, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and supporting families” (quote from Canadian Autism Partnership: Canada’s Economic Action Plan).

The first face-to-face meeting of stakeholders is going to be in Halifax next week. (I’m rather looking forward to it.)

And even more, because my sister and my oldest niece and my nephews all live in a suburb of Halifax, so I’m going to be spending some time with them as well.

For more about my plans, continue reading