Government votes down autism strategy bill proposed by Liberal MLA

Mark Jackson paused as he questioned when his daughter got her autism diagnosis — maybe one year, maybe two, from the first doctor referral.

“The wait times are not great,” he said.

He joined about two dozen people at the legislature Tuesday to show support for an autism strategy, as proposed by Liberal Cindy Lamoureux in a private member’s bill that was introduced Monday.

The strategy would make wait times for diagnosis and supports for autistic people and their families as top priorities.

On Tuesday, the NDP government voted against the bill; there will be another vote Thursday to determine whether it progresses to the committee stage.

“Between now and Thursday, my hope is that we can put enough pressure on the government to see the importance,” Lamoureux said Tuesday. “There are thousands of individuals who are literally in a crisis right now.”

The Autism Alliance of Canada advocated for the development of Lamoureux’s bill. Researcher Deepa Singal said roughly one or two children in every Manitoba classroom has been diagnosed with autism. The recommended wait time for diagnosis, from first day of referral, is three to six months, she noted.

An average wait time for autism diagnosis in Manitoba can range from six months to a year, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine said.

Kids are missing “key developmental windows” while waiting for diagnoses, Singal said. She believes an autism strategy is needed to increase diagnostic and screening capacity.

“Right now, it’s a patchwork of programs and services and community organizations working desperately to pick up the gaps that our public system can’t fill,” Singal said about autism-focused services.

Fontaine said the government doesn’t support the bill because it’s actively carrying out the strategy. She said $21.5 million has been earmarked to increase autism supports.

“We support listening to families and to Manitobans with autism, but we don’t need legislation for what we’re already doing,” she said.

The government is in talks with a community organization to expand autism services. Fontaine declined to share details but said the group might cover early intervention.

The Progressive Conservatives started a petition to back Lamoureux’s bill.

“There’s such a need for supports for children with autism, for caregivers,” said Carrie Hiebert.

It’s something Ann Evangelista, a Winnipeg School Division trustee, echoed in the legislative building.

“I have seen so many children sent to school, and then just 15 … (to) 30 minutes being in school, they will be sent home. Who’s going to take care of them? The mom,” said Evangelista, who has worked for St.Amant, which supports people with autism.

Lamoureux said Manitoba is falling behind provinces such as Nova Scotia, which has created an autism action plan.

St.Amant chief executive Ben Adaman said the non-profit receives dozens of new referrals monthly.

As the number of diagnoses increases, St.Amant is working with the University of Manitoba to add content about autism into health and human services-focused curriculum, Adaman said.

About 1.7 per cent of Manitoba youth aged 1 to 17 are diagnosed with autism, a 2019 Statistics Canada report shows.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com