Hi Philip,

We have a token response from Ms Redman. However, it was not responsive (I'm being polite) and referred our concerns re the autism petition to Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, to whom Ms Redman has apparently written. If/when such a response from the Minister materializes, this will be posted along with Ms Redman's non-response.

Ms Redman did not address the question of autism being prevented. Therefore, her original position stands, and I have forwarded her statement to the Hon Ken Dryden with the question about whether this is now government policy.

In other words, both large questions raised by Ms Redman's behaviour are in the hands of federal ministers.

I do not expect these questions to be answered, and believe that Ms Redman's original reply, apparently a form letter, speaks eloquently to this government's position re autism.

I have also received a written letter from my MP, Lucienne Robillard (who has not been supportive). This letter said nothing and simply referred to an enclosed letter from Minister Dryden to herself. Minister Dryden re-iterates points already made in his letters to the Hon Carol Skelton and to me. These two new short letters will eventually (probably) be posted somewhere.