Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Time to re-locate the NB Legislature from Fredericton to Campbellton ?

True Fredericton is a more central location and is much closer to the bulk of NB's population and probably pays less in MLA and Leg staff expenses as a result but to quote former Restigouche MLA Donald Arseneault and current Fredericton North MLA Stephen Horsman "the people in the north have to travel south" .... I learned this shocking reality when I met with our Fredericton North MLA Stephen Horsman on behalf of my son with severe autism disorder, ID and epilepsy, he being one of Mr. Horsman's constituents, requesting that his Liberal government close the Restigouche Psychiatic Hospital autism unit and move towards building an Autism Centre in Fredericton for adults (in close proximity to UNB' and UNB-CEL's world recognized autism expertise and as a centre for autism care facilities in communities around the province (see Paul McDonnell, 2015 Autism Villlage). He refused to consider my request and read from a peace of paper "the people in the North have to travel south). I learned later that the statement was actually the mantra of Restigouche MLA Arseneault informed by a Fredericton area MP that it was stated often in the NB Leg by Mr Arseneault. 





The Progressive Conservative/Peoples Aliance party under Mr. Higgs and Mr. Austin also appear to be OK with exiling NBers with severe autism disorders to Campbellton... If banishing NB adults with severe autism challenges to Campbellton far from from Fredericton autism expertise and as far as possible from the vast bulk of the population in their families in the south why not punish er uh ... help the MLAs by relocating the legislature in Campbellton? Out of sight out of mind just like NB adults with severe Autism disorders?

Monday, May 13, 2019

Close the Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital NOW!

Close the Restigouche and Ignore the  "Weber" Report.

The Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital has been developed as a tool for economic development over the protests of the Autism Society New Brunswick, parent autism advocates and UNB Professor Emeritus (Paul McDonnell) for over 15 years. It lacks the Psychiatric Expertise of Moncton and the Autism Expertise of Fredericton. In Campbellton with a declining population (11,000 to 6000) It is as far as possible from the large population in South NB -  Fredericton, Moncton, Woodstock and Saint John and its abuse and failure to protect has been recently documented by the Ombud Report "Failure to Protect".

The Resitigouche PH  is a clear contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which Canada is a signatory. yet the Weber Report not released to the general public was tasked with finding ways to keep it.

Close the Restigouche PH and Close it NOW!