Debates of Oct. 27th, 2006

Autism Spectrum Disorder

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, I have had these discussions with people from a variety of organizations and have a great deal of support. It is not unanimous and it is important that we recognize that because I do not think we can allow ourselves to fall into the trap, to wait for everybody to agree on everything before we do anything. We cannot. There are too many people.

It has to happen right now and we will deal with those issues that are out there, and there are because I am getting calls from people who are questioning elements of this as well, and that happens. However, the feedback is overwhelming, particularly from parents, people who are affected and who know that time is running out soon.

We are talking about somebody who had a child nine months ago. We cannot imagine the feeling if we knew that there was something available, we knew it would give our child a better life, and we could not afford it. It just does not seem Canadian to me.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the member for bringing this forward. My wife is a teacher. She actually teaches junior kindergarten. She has seen the explosion of autism in the school at which she teaches. Identifying children early seems to be cutting edge, but we need more support. Will the hon. member comment on that, the funding for it and where it would come from?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, the earlier this intervention can take place, the better the outcomes and the better the likelihood of those outcomes. In some provinces, there is funding for that. It is a mishmash across the country. Credit goes to those who do it. I think we need to do more in many jurisdictions.

That is why it is appropriate for the national government to be engaged in this. It can help. I do not mean help in a negative sort of way, but just in a leadership way to help bring all the provinces together, to ensure that next time the ministers of health in Canada meet together, that this is on the agenda.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my honoured colleague, the member for Fredericton, for his work on the issue of autism. He noted that for members from every party represented here in Parliament this is a very important issue that we are discussing today.

I am also here today to speak on behalf of the children with autism and their families that I have met in my riding of Langley, British Columbia. It is my privilege to represent them in the House of Commons. I want to thank them for sharing their stories with me and opening their homes.

Autism is a complex, lifelong condition and there are many unknowns. We recognize that more and more children are being diagnosed with autistic disorders. All members of the House are sympathetic to the motion, as are all the parties.

In the last six years the number of children reported with autism spectrum disorders, ASD, has grown by more than 150%. It is estimated that one out of every 165 children are now affected, but the numbers are growing.

I want to tell the House about Maisie Kilgour, Xander Jones, Reid Black, Zoe Schmidt, Casey Walton and Miki. Their parents invited me into their homes, so I could witness their lives and listen to their stories. These parents and parents like them work tirelessly to make their daily choices and challenges understood, to make the fear of their children's future understood, and to ask for some help with their heavy burden.

Walking down that difficult road are the endless burning lights of hope, courage and strength. They have hope that their children's stories can be heard by those of us that can make the change happen and courage to face each day with the same struggle.

Children such as Maisie, Xander, Miki, Reid, Casey and Zoe are funny, warm and intelligent. They are worth our recognition, time and commitment. I wish to share with members the individual stories of two of these children.

Maisie is a sunny, energetic, five-year old girl with pigtails who works with her therapist in a room full of toys. She performs the task asked of her in between giggles and rewards, and praise from her therapist. At three years of age, Maisie had echolalia. It is a problem of repeating words with no meaning, unable to ask for help. She spent much of her time in tantrums or trying to escape out of her house unaware of danger.

Today, with a marked decrease in tantrums and escapes, Maisie's family faces these challenges with a child who can now speak to them and her words have meaning. She is a child who has now become aware of the world around her. She is building on her successes every day on her way toward a tomorrow filled with a great potential.

Reid was diagnosed with autism just before he turned two. He did not make eye contact. He would not respond to his name. He would sit flipping books all day. Two years have gone by and Reid, now four, makes eye contact, responds to his name, and is able to communicate his needs, his likes and dislikes, his love for preschool, playing at the park, and enjoying the people in his life. Through intensive therapy, Reid has made tremendous gains and is a happy, loving little boy.

From these two stories of children in my riding, we know that ASD affects people in different ways. It can cause serious developmental disabilities in affected individuals and can affect all aspects of development. Severe symptoms, such as compulsive behaviours and speech disorders, can lead to isolation from friends, family and the community.

Canadian families of individuals diagnosed with ASD may face serious challenges, such as their child's development, behavioural issues, getting a clear diagnosis, access to professional assistance, and the high costs of therapy and other services.

The new Conservative government is committed to helping individuals with ASD and their families. In budget 2006 this new government included an increase in the maximum annual child disability benefit to $2,300 from $2,044, effective July 2006. It is available to families of children with autism.

This government wants to help families dealing with ASD and support to the tax system is one avenue of federal action.

There are government agencies working on its behalf on this issue. For example, the Public Health Agency of Canada is funding two autism-related projects through its Centres of Excellence for Children's Well-Being. Both projects are working to generate better information for frontline providers and their families.

The Canadian Health Network, a key information service of the agency, works in collaboration with expert organizations to provide consumer focused, on-line resources on such issues as autism.

Some communities have used the funding through the community action program for children to focus on the needs of children with autism and again, their families. The government also funds community-based initiatives for children including children who have ASD and funds organizations working in the area of autism.

Another way this government is showing support for families is by committing resources to research support. We recognize that part of the challenge for families, caregivers, health and social service professionals and government is how much is unknown regarding ASD. We recognize that research is critical to unraveling the mysteries around autism.

This government recognizes that there is no consensus on adequate and appropriate treatment, the cause of ASD or why the reported incidence is on the rise. We support research on autism in Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. In 2005-06 the Canadian Institutes of Health Research is funding approximately $3.5 million in autism-related projects with total funding since 2000 of close to $15 million.

I would like to share a few of the projects being funded by CIHR. Dr. Jeanette Holden of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario is examining the causes, origins and effects of ASD, and the effects of the treatment.

Dr. Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz, also at Queen's University, is leading a team which has created a national database for the study of autism in Canada. This database is being used to monitor the occurrence of autism in children under the age of 15 in regions across Canada.

Finally, Dr. Edward Ruthazer of the Montreal Neurological Institute is conducting research studying brain circuitry during the development years to help increase our understanding on how the brain works with the emphasis on autism.

The government is pleased that the issue of autism spectrum disorder has been referred to the standing Senate committee and looks forward to its advice on the federal role in this area, and how individuals with autism and their families can best be supported.

In conclusion, provinces and territories have the jurisdiction over the kinds of health and social services required to address autism.

I think and consider Maisie, Xander, Miki, Reid, Zoe, and Casey, and their families and their friends, this generation's pioneers to help us and the reason that the future for people with autism must be brighter. We need to work together and find solutions.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today to take part in the debate on Motion M-172. People are always somewhat reluctant to talk about pervasive developmental disorder. The same is true when it comes to talking about cancer: no one can remain indifferent.

The term “pervasive developmental disorder” can at first seem very vague. It is used to describe specific problems that affect the overall development of the child, particularly, cognitive, social, emotional, intellectual, sensory and language problems. Autism is the most well known.

In Quebec, 46,500 people have autism or a pervasive developmental disorder. This affects four or five boys for every girl. Boys are more often affected by these disorders. It is also defined as a neurological disorder characterized by a disturbance in the global development of the individual in all areas of functioning.

The Fédération québécoise de l'autisme et des autres troubles envahissants du développement is the only provincial organization and the only organization to support those with autism in Quebec. However, 80 agencies in Quebec belong to the federation, which is, in turn, a member of the Autism Society Canada. The federation is a frequent partner with the Quebec department of health and social services.

However, the federation has not had much contact with the federal government to date. There was just one intervention within the framework of support for training. The federation believes that the federal government should not get involved in this debate because it finds it hard to believe that supplementary structures coming from Ottawa would have a real impact in the field. It also believes that the intervention strategies are much more likely to involve local players, community groups, CLSCs and schools and that the need is quite simple: money. We are still talking about the fiscal imbalance, unfortunately.

In Quebec, since 2002, we have had our own program. As usual, in Quebec, we are ahead of the game. We tend to come up with our own programs before many of the other provinces do because, yes, we pay more taxes, and, yes, we spend a lot more on our social programs—as some have pointed out—but, yes, we are taking care of the health of our citizens.

There are therefore services that were created for people with pervasive developmental disorder, for their family and loved ones. The organization of the services in Quebec's plan of action is based on social integration, social participation, responsibility of the parents in the development of their child and the interaction between people and their environment. The objectives are to implement an integrated services approach, to offer target recipients a wide range of the services they need in their community, to provide them with the tools to properly support the optimal development of their potential and their social integration process, to obtain adequate support for the families and loved ones and to foster cooperation between the various sectors of intervention, child card services, continuing education and various players in the community.

The priorities set out in this plan of action are: to provide services based on the needs of the person and their family, including: information, awareness, pervasive developmental disorder detection, diagnosis, patient navigators, access to services, comprehensive needs assessment, specialized adjustment and rehabilitation services, services for school-aged children, services for adults, residential support, accommodation and suitable support for families. As hon. members can see, every effort has been put into providing as much help as possible to people with autism.

We also seek to focus on partnerships with other public, semi-public and community service sectors. In Laval, we are ahead of the times. Mr. Germain Lafrenière has established Les Entreprises Qualité de Vie, which operates an organic farm, BioFerme Laval, and also Table champêtre BioFerme Laval. This is a social economy enterprise that promotes access to various trades for individuals with a pervasive development disorder, autism or an intellectual disability.

The social and occupational integration of the participants is supported by professionals who understand the needs of these individuals, who gain confidence and pride along with their practical training.

Each participant learns about various trades and activities including farming, arts and crafts, ceramics, cooking, small animal husbandry, sales, and of course the farm's restaurant. I would like to quote from an article written by a journalist who visited this organic farm. She went away feeling very satisfied with and even enchanted by the experience. She wrote:

One of about 500 Quebec organic farms that grow vegetables and raise animals, BioFerme Laval is worth the drive. The Sainte-Dorothée enterprise has a dual mission, one more vital than the other: not only does it offer an impressive array of fresh food at its restaurant, shop and farm gate, but it also provides autistic individuals with the opportunity to achieve their potential through their work. Travel to a farm that is unique in Canada.

She adds:

With each course, we marvel at the thought that almost everything on our plates (which were made, like all the dinnerware, in the ceramics workshop next to the house) comes from the garden and the animal pens, just over there, in back, and contains no preservatives and no traces of GMOs—

This is very important because working is very difficult for individuals with a pervasive development disorder.

These people take great pride in becoming independent. About 12 people work on the farm at all times. They are divided among the various workshops: ceramics, woodworking, greenhouses, animals, fields, and organic products. These workshops are run by professionals.

The article goes on, and the author quotes the chef:

The therapeutic effect is undeniable...You should see them getting off the bus in the morning. They are happy to be working here, and we enjoy being with them. They have their routine, feel useful and are entitled to make mistakes.

Of course, the Fédération québécoise de l’autisme et des autres troubles envahissants du développement is well acquainted with this farm. The federation is convinced that such projects can further the cause.

Clearly, Quebec has a plan. It knows what people with autism and their families need, and it has put in place services to meet those needs. What is missing is money.

We in the Bloc Québécois recognize the importance of fighting to find a treatment for autism and to provide patients and their families with the support they need to have appropriate quality of life. I agree with my colleague that this is important, but only Quebec and the provinces can determine what services are needed for people with autism and their families.

Government intervention should happen in collaboration with local partners, community education organizations, and other sectors under provincial jurisdiction. We are, however, opposed to the federal government developing a national autism strategy. It would be interfering yet again in an area under provincial jurisdiction.

Quebec already has its own policies. This would be a costly duplication of what is already in place. Instead, the federal government should transfer funds directly to Quebec and the provinces so they can use the money in their own programs.

Correcting the fiscal imbalance will give Quebec and the provinces the freedom to make their own choices and to implement effective programs for people with autism.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, sometimes we sit in the House of Commons and wonder if a day like this will ever arrive and today it has.

Before I begin I would like my hon. colleague from the Bloc to know that this is exactly what we are trying to do, to work with the provinces. It will be the provinces that deliver the treatment, and we know that, but what is required is some fiscal assistance from the federal government as well. That is part of the national autism debate.

We hope the Bloc Québécois will support the motion of the hon. colleague from Fredericton so we can actually have this debate. The health minister or the Premier of Quebec could sit down with the Prime Minister and other premiers and territorial leaders and discuss how we deal with this very important subject. That is really what we are debating today.

While I am here, Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you what happened on my road to Damascus conversion on the concerns of autism which happened a few years ago. While I was walking outside on Parliament Hill, I saw a gentleman named Andrew Kavchak who had a sandwich board sign. The curious person that I am, I spoke to him, which led to a very serious friendship. He introduced me to a woman named Laurel Gibbons who is the mother of a child with autism. Through her initiative, she has worked very diligently with all groups of people with autism. It does not matter whether it is the national autism group, provincial groups or the FEAT group, Families for Early Autism Treatment, and individual members of Parliament and senators, she will talk to anyone about it. Her dedication to not only her child but to other families with children with autism is unbelievable.

I know it is hard to believe but after that I met a certain gentleman from Ottawa who happens to be with us right now. I want to read his card. There are not many 12 year olds in the country who, because of a notice in a magazine in Ottawa, could be one of the top 50 people to watch out for in the future.

This young man is named Joshua Bortolotti. On his business card it says, “Autism Awareness Advocate and aspiring future Prime Minister of Canada”. By the way, he does not have autism but his little sister does. For Sophia Bortolotti, his sister, we should be able to tell young Joshua and his family and all the Joshuas of this world, the aspiring prime ministers, that this is the opportunity we get to tell this young 12 year old who is fighting for his sister and who I wish could have the opportunity to speak here in the House, what we will do today after this rather rational and very serious debate. Do we tell him that yes, maybe there will be the day that his sister and many other children like her across the country will have the opportunity to get the treatment that they require so they can live productive and normal lives in this country to the best of their ability? Or, do we tell them, because of crass politics and jurisdictional squabbles we are not able to do it?

I know many colleagues and friends of mine in the Conservative Party know this issue is very serious. I know many members of the Bloc and the Liberal Party also know it. I also know that Senator Jim Munson of the other place is a strong advocate for early intervention and cooperation between the federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions to get this done.

When we speak of young Joshua Bortolotti, in the riding of the hon. member for Fredericton there is a school called the Leo Hayes High School, I believe, which has either a principal or a teacher named Greg Peters. I have received all kinds of tremendous letters from that school. This class of young activists, of all the causes that are out there, decided to take up the cause of autism. They have written to all of us, in both official languages, and they are probably watching the debate now, encouraging and watching all members of Parliament to see how we move this debate forward.

It is a tremendous day. It does not matter who moves the bill or what government does or whose name is attached to anything. This is the opportunity for members of Parliament to work together in a constructive manner to once and for all develop a strategy with the provinces, with various agencies and research firms and the providers of the care to actually say to those families with children with autism that here we go.

In my own riding, we have a military person who has a child who is a flight risk. Every single access to their house is locked. If that door opens just a crack, that little son of theirs will take off and run and run until physically he either drops or gets hit by something.

That is just one of the concerns about a child with autism. There are many of them who are voice challenged; they do not speak. Many of them react in ways that they do not fully comprehend or understand. The concerns for the families are not only the financial costs, but the emotional strain on families knowing that they give up their jobs, they sell their house, and they lose all possible equity. It takes money away from other children in the family. They themselves will pour all their resources into their child with autism.

Here, I believe, is where as Canadians we could something for those families. We all know, those of us who have been interacting with them and seeing them, that children with autism are some of the most beautiful children in the world. They are warm, they are generous and they are kind, but these people are just looking to us for indications of leadership, indications that we can work together, indications that they will not lose everything in order to provide the treatment their children need. We have that opportunity.

Recently I was in British Columbia with my colleague, the hon. member for New Westminster—Coquitlam, and we did a press conference with folks with autism. I met a young mother, and by the way, her sister happens to be my next door neighbour, which is quite a coincidence. She has two children with autism, not one but two, and the financial concerns are completely unbelievable. It is also the emotional strain on the families as well.

The hon. member for Fredericton is absolutely correct. We have the opportunity now to say to those thousands of families in this country, crossing all political lines, that we are going to step up to the plate. We are no longer going to wait for every single person in the country to agree to every single dot of the i's and crossing of the t's.

We have cross-political support on both sides of this chamber. We have tremendous numbers of people across the country who are saying that now it is time for government to move on this. In the era of tremendous fiscal surpluses, we are not asking the federal government to do this on its own. We would not do that because we understand the provincial jurisdictions.

The provinces themselves have challenges on this. I really compliment the province of Alberta because its treatment goes to age 18, while in my own province of Nova Scotia it is a sort of trial program. It is spotty. The province does not have anything constructive. In Ontario, treatment is until age 6, so what we are saying to families is that if they want treatment, maybe they should move to Alberta, but that puts tremendous strain on the Alberta economy.

What we are saying to the national government, working with provinces and territories, is to let us have the meetings that we need to take place to set the ball rolling. If we do that, then we are telling Laurel Gibbons, a mother with a child with autism, and we are telling young Joshua, who is arguing and fighting in such a great way for his little sister, Sophie, that yes, their advocacy has worked, and yes, their tireless efforts on behalf of her daughter and his sister have been noticed and mentioned. We would also be saying it to the school in Fredericton that has done tremendous work in taking on this issue.

It is a proud day as a member of Parliament, not just as a member of the NDP, but as a member of Parliament, with all my colleagues in the House, to stand here and give my thanks to the hon. member, to thank the Chair and to thank each and every one in this House for making this a reality and a possible ending to the concerns of families and children with autism.

[Ruby Dhalla, Liberal, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague just mentioned, there is tremendous support for the creation of a national autism strategy, not only from members of the House but from many Canadians and families who have been affected by autism. We must all join together in commending the students from Fredericton who actually did a tremendous amount of work in showing that they are activists for a very important cause.

We also must commend the dedication of many other colleagues in the House, including the member for Fredericton, the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore and the member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, as well as Senator Trenholme Counsell. We must commend them for their hard work and their commitment to ensuring that we in this country develop a national strategy to address the issue of autism.

We must look at it and make sure that the national strategy is going to ensure that children in this country who are affected by autism receive the type of treatment and therapy they need to ensure they have the highest quality of life possible, because many of us know that autism spectrum disorder is a very complex developmental disability, one that affects brain function.

People with autism typically have an inability to talk and understand or communicate with others. They have an inability to form social relationships, to make eye contact, perhaps to recognize dangerous situations, as my colleague who spoke before me mentioned, an inability to adapt to changes in the environment or their routine, and perhaps an inability to learn skills and language naturally, as typically developing children do.

Autism spectrum disorder is currently reaching epidemic levels. If we look 10 years back, statistics show that almost one in every 10,000 children was diagnosed with autism. However, in 2006 the statistics are quite shocking. One in 166 children is diagnosed with autism.

As the member of Parliament for Brampton—Springdale, I have had the opportunity to meet with a number of parents and families with autistic children who live in my constituency. Hearing their stories is absolutely heart-wrenching. As was described earlier, many families who have autistic children, not only in my riding but across the country in many of the other provinces and territories, are actually having to mortgage their homes, sell their homes or give up their jobs to ensure that their children get the very best in treatment. Treatment costs have been estimated at almost $70,000 per year.

We know there is effective treatment. I think that those of us in this House have a responsibility to ensure that the children who need that treatment actually get it. We must make these investments in their early childhood learning. We must ensure that they have the foundation to enable them to go out there and succeed.

Innovative research has shown us some effective treatment, such as intensive behavioural intervention, and there is also applied behaviour analysis, which actually breaks down into much more manageable steps many of the tasks these children face. Each newly achieved or mastered task then serves as a building block for these children to build on for future skills. These children are actually assisted or prompted, as some suggest, through this extremely positive therapeutic process.

Right now in most provinces, intensive behavioural intervention and applied behaviour analysis are actually funded for preschool children. However, treatment depends on where one lives in the country. In some provinces, the treatment is funded until the age of six. As was mentioned earlier, in Alberta it is funded until the age of 18.

We must make sure that regardless of where one lives in Canada, whether it is on the west coast, the east coast or in the Northwest Territories, all children who are affected by autism actually have the opportunity to receive the treatment they need throughout their lives until the age of 18.

I am sure this national strategy is going to ensure that we have the proper investment to do further research into whether there are other treatment options available and into how this type of condition can be prevented. We must invest in a comprehensive strategy to address this very complex disorder.

As I have mentioned, we know the cost is upwards of $70,000 per year, but we have to ensure we give the opportunity to these families so their children can obtain treatment and provide them with the quality of life they need. These families should be able to do this without having to mortgage their homes, or sell their cars, or go through those financial hardships. Many families that have been affected by autism simply cannot afford this treatment.

In April 2005 Justice Frances Kiteley of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that the absence of treatment for ABA meant that children with autism were excluded from the opportunity to access learning with the consequential deprivation of skills. The likelihood of this type of isolation from our society would result in the loss of the ability for these young children to exercise their rights and freedoms to which Canadians are entitled.

Over the past 30 years, thousands of research documents have been published and have been peer-reviewed. These studies show that if these children receive the treatment they so much deserve, they will have a chance for purposeful and productive lives.

Many other constituents have come forward and have even sent out emails. I received another email just a few weeks back from a women in Manitoba. She talked about the fact that both of her sons were autistic. She described the hardship of having to sell her home to ensure that her children would get the type of care and treatment they needed. Today, her children are at the mercy of the school system because there is no legislation in Manitoba to ensure that these children receive the applied behaviour analysis treatment or the intensive behaviour intervention.

We all know that these children deserve better. They deserve the opportunity to go out there and learn. They deserve the opportunity to go out, become productive citizens and contribute to our social, economic and political fabric within our country.

As a health care provider, I know the types of treatments these children receive have a very positive effect, not only for the families but also for those vulnerable children.

All members and all parties of the House have the opportunity to really make a difference for these families and these children. We have an opportunity to support a national autism strategy, which would make a tremendous difference in the lives of thousands of Canadians.

On behalf of our party, as the critic for health, we wholeheartedly support a national autism strategy. We commend the member of Parliament for Fredericton who has brought it forward. As was said earlier, this is a non-partisan issue that impacts thousands of families across the country. We need to have a strategy that will ensure we can further study this disorder, that we can have other effective treatment options come forward and that ensure those who require the care receive it.

On behalf of many members in my caucus of the Liberal Party, we fully and wholeheartedly support a creation of a national autism strategy for those thousands of young Canadians who are affected with autism. I hope we will have unanimous support in the House of Commons to adopt a national strategy on autism.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Fredericton for bringing forward this motion which addresses this important issue.

For those members who might not be familiar with autism spectrum disorders, I would like to take a moment to describe the challenges, difficulties and the problems that individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families face.

No one knows what causes spectrum disorders. Autism has been called by some experts arguably the most severe developmental disorder of childhood.

Autism spectrum disorders occur in all cultures and all social classes. They occur more often in boys than in girls. Furthermore, autism spectrum disorders occur often alongside other disorders, most frequently developmental disabilities.

It has been noted publicly that about three-quarters of autistic children have some degree of cognitive impairment. Between 60% and 80% of children with an autistic spectrum disorder function in the mild to severe range of mental retardation. What this means is that one person can have severe developmental disabilities and be mildly autistic, while another can be highly functioning intellectually but severely autistic. Of course, some will have severe difficulties both with respect to developmental difficulties and with respect to their autism.

How do autism spectrum disorders manifest themselves? Autism affects people in different ways, isolating its sufferers with compulsive behaviours and speech disorders that close people off from their family, friends, teachers, neighbours and society as a whole.

Autism affects all aspects of the disabled person's life and if untreated results in physical, emotional, social and intellectual isolation.

Families of children with autism spectrum disorders have reported improved self-functioning, self-sufficiency and quality of life for the children when they are provided applied behavioural analysis or intensive behavioural intervention services, particularly at an early age, starting at age two. It is a painstaking, expensive treatment that requires full time individual therapy for children. Success stories exist with this treatment.

In one study, with an average of 40 hours per week of one on one treatment for two or more years, almost one-half of children recovered to the point of being indistinguishable from their normally developing peers.

What is the cost of this behaviour therapy? The cost for a year of therapy ranges between $50,000 and $120,000, depending on the severity of a child's condition. Since these therapy services are provided in the home and do not constitute traditional health services, many parents face significant financial burdens.

There is no doubt that a situation for which the treatments most likely to be beneficial cost tens of thousands of dollars can be a profound challenge on top of the challenges that autism spectrum disorders may bring in the first place.

There is also no doubt that autism spectrum disorders have an enormous effect on the family. As the parents of individuals with autistic spectrum disorders have attested, the impact on families is often devastating, both financially and emotionally. Families raising children with autism spectrum disorders face particular hardships, including financial hardships, time poverty and social isolation.

Parents of children with disabilities report that caring for a child with a disability affects their availability to work, requiring them often to work fewer hours, forgo promotions and adjust their work schedules entirely. In particular, the majority of mothers experience a negative impact on their employment. In addition, most parents of pre-school children with disabilities need, but do not have, additional support to carry out basic family responsibilities.

When we hear of the challenges facing families with a child who has been diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder, we can only be sympathetic. No one on either side of this House denies that families affected by autism face gaps in the services, especially the social services that can be used to address the needs of their children.

It is not surprising to me that people in the autism community, parents and supporters of many kinds, have been so active in seeking action on autism spectrum disorders.

We recognize that national action on autism spectrum disorders would require cooperation between levels of government. Health and social services are clearly under provincial jurisdiction. The finance minister announced in budget 2006 numerous measures that we are using to assist families with disabilities.

I believe that we are all sympathetic to the situation facing families with children who have been diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder. I would like to take this--

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

The time provided for the consideration of private members' business has now expired and the order is dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the order paper.

When Motion No. 172 returns for debate, there will be six minutes left for the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence.

It being 2:30 p.m., the House stands adjourned until Monday next at 11 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 2:30 p.m.)