Message From Tony
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the needs of all persons with disabilities in Canada, including people with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and those who care for them.
Last week, The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, tabled the Framework for Autism in Canada (Framework) in Parliament. The Framework outlines principles and best practices to guide national autism policy, programs and activities in Canada. It leverages the Government of Canada’s leadership role to advance best practices that support Autistic people of all ages, their families and caregivers.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) also launched Canada’s Autism Strategy (Strategy). The Strategy is a multi-year action plan that supports federal implementation of the Framework. It outlines federal-specific short- and medium-term initiatives and builds on existing programs and measures to address key priority areas. The Strategy is intended to be updated on a regular basis, as the needs and priorities of Autistic people of all ages living in Canada evolve over time.
Through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial working group, these were developed collaboratively with Autistic people, their families, caregivers, provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations and other stakeholders. Implementation will require coordinated efforts across governments in Canada, as well as many partners, organizations, and individuals whose work touches on autism-related initiatives. The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to advance the needs of Autistic people in Canada.
Lastly, we officially launched the process for the creation of a National Autism Network. The Network is intended to bring together the skills and resources of autism organizations and stakeholders, including people with living experience, to support the implementation of activities guided by the Framework and Strategy. We invite eligible organizations to respond to the call for applications for the Network by November 25, 2024.
This sets out a vision to improve screening, diagnosis and services across Canada; strengthen economic inclusion; enhance data collection, public health surveillance and research; increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance; and facilitate access to evidence-informed autism resources and tools.
Commemorating Orange Shirt Day in Newmarket-Aurora
Yesterday, we commemorated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day from coast to coast to coast. I was honoured to join Newmarket-Aurora in honouring the Indigenous children who never returned home and the Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. We continue to listen to their truths and confront the lasting impacts of the residential school system for Indigenous communities across the nation.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
As communities continue searching for the children who never came home, the Government of Canada will be there every step of the way to provide them with the resources they need to fully uncover the truth of what happened at residential schools, honour the children who did not return, and support communities as they continue on their healing journeys.
I encourage everyone to continue learning about Indigenous history, cultures, and traditions. It’s our responsibility to listen to, learn from, and give space to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis voices and stories, and face the truth of our past to build a fairer, more equitable, and more inclusive Canada for generations to come.
Happy National Seniors Day!
Seniors have made invaluable contributions to our society. On National Seniors Day, we come together to celebrate their accomplishments and ongoing contributions to their families, communities, and country.
The federal government will continue to support the physical and mental well-being of Canadian seniors. We have taken action to prevent elder abuse, support survivors, and break the cycle of violence in families and communities across Canada.
Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we’ve invested millions of dollars in community organizations to create projects that will empower seniors and support their well-being. We’re also providing $3 billion over 5 years to provinces and territories to support safer, quality LTC and $2.4 billion for home and community care.
Our government has developed healthy aging initiatives and promoted the Age-Friendly Communities model, which allows older adults to maintain independence, improve their quality of life, and stay healthy, active, and involved in their communities.
I encourage everyone to celebrate by connecting with older adults in your life, showing your appreciation for their contributions, and supporting them in staying healthy, active and engaged. Happy National Seniors Day!
Keeping our communities safe
Hate has no place in Canada — whether in-person or online, in our schools, or in our places of worship. That’s why we’ve unveiled Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate, which outlines our next steps to combat hate while supporting victims of hate and at-risk communities.
The Action Plan invests $273M over 6 years, and $29.3 million ongoing, to tackle hatred from multiple angles. It includes increasing support to victims and survivors, helping in funding towards the priorities of the plan:
- Empower communities to prevent and address hate in order to build strong, inclusive and communities;
- Better support victims and survivors of hate-motivated crimes and protect at-risk communities
- Build community trust, and supporting law enforcement, security, and intelligence services to better monitor, prevent, and investigate hate incidents and crimes.
This includes increasing support to victims and survivors, helping communities prevent, address and protect people from hate; enhancing research and data collection; providing greater resources for law enforcement; and raising public awareness.
Our government has also launched the Canada Community Security Program (CCSP) to protect communities from hate-motivated crimes. As of today, organizations in Newmarket-Aurora can apply for funding through the CCSP for security equipment, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited security personnel.
Everyone has a right to be safe and treated with dignity. We will collaborate with provincial, territorial and international governments, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, and cities and communities across Canada to make this happen.
Promoting child development and preventing child maltreatment
Colonization, racism, and the impacts of the Residential School system have devastating effects on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada. As a result, Indigenous communities face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and high rates of violence. There is a need to build the evidence-base of effective, culturally appropriate resources and support systems to address these challenges, to help heal and prevent ongoing cycles of violence and trauma.
Last week, we announced an investment of over $5 million over five years for five Indigenous focused projects aimed at promoting child development and preventing, recognizing, and responding safely to child maltreatment and youth dating violence.
This funding will support the development, delivery, and testing of health promotion interventions that promote resilience, healthy relationships, and cultural connection. The funded projects will provide Indigenous children, youth, and their families, as well as service providers, with the tools and knowledge to build safe, supportive relationships and reduce the prevalence of violence in their lives.
This investment aligns with Canada’s broader efforts to advance reconciliation and promote the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples.
