Every province in the country has problems in terms of services. One thing is crystal clear: the level of care being provided to children and adults with autism is not as advanced as it should be.
Nevertheless, we are here on behalf of the federal government, and its role is quite clear. We can support research efforts across the country, as Dr. Aubin mentioned. We can support initiatives that target epidemiology, as well as surveillance. Bear in mind that federal government efforts fall within our mandate and are aimed at supporting what the provinces are doing. Health care services are the province's domain, at the ministerial, hospital and community level.
The role of the research or surveillance work being done by the Public Health Agency of Canada is to support the provinces. That support is in the form of information provinces need to identify the most effective services and the best diagnostic tools to ensure children are looked after quickly following an autism diagnosis. As far as surveillance goes, the incidence and prevalence of the disorder do vary from one part of the country to another, as you pointed out. Given the complex nature of the disorder, a Canada-wide study focusing on prevalence and incidence is necessary to fully understand the range of children affected and their needs. That will result in an effective surveillance system.
All federal efforts are meant to support the provinces in their decision making, be it in terms of finances or health priorities. In addition, as Dr. Aubin mentioned, we are doing a lot of research at the community level. It is clear that most people who have an autistic family member or who are autistic themselves need community-based support. So that's the type of research we are working on.
I want to stress, however, that we cannot lose sight of our role or the need for close cooperation with the provinces, so they can come up with the best possible strategies based on the information we give them.