Volume 1
Letter to the Editor of The Hill Times
Following the release of the federal budget on March 29, CASLPA Executive Director, Joanne Charlebois, submitted a letter to the editor of the Hill Times, one of the most highly read political publications in the country; essential reading material for all MPs, Senators and political staff.
In the letter published in Monday's edition, Ms. Charlebois highlights the striking contrast between the finance minister’s promises to “unlock the potential of Canada’s First Nations children” and the federal budget’s commitment to cutting Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development’s budget by $27 million.
Read the full letter here.
Meeting with the Chair of the Health Committee
CASLPA staff pose with Ms. Joy Smith, Conservative MP for Kildonan—
St. Paul, MB.
Ms. Smith, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Health, met with CASLPA senior staff to discuss the need for improved health services to Canada’s Aboriginal communities. Ms. Smith strongly encouraged CASLPA to establish a partnership with the First Nations and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and also suggested to staff that the association approach provincial governments in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to obtain their support. She agreed that it was essential that CASLPA work to train local community members in a supportive role to deliver speech, language, and hearing programming, and she indicated her overall support for CASLPA’s initiatives.
Post Budget Breakfast with the
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Joanne Charlebois, CASLPA's Executive Director, poses alongside the Hon. John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Conservative MP for Ottawa West—
Nepean
CASLPA’s Executive Director attended the
Ottawa Business Journal’s post budget breakfast, which took place at Ottawa’s Westin Hotel. The Hon. John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the guest presenter, and spoke at length about the new 2012 federal budget, which had only been released a few hours beforehand. Minister Baird spoke specifically on how the budget will affect the areas of concern that matter most to Canadians
– particularly healthcare. He spoke with Joanne following his presentation and asked a number of questions about Canada’s speech-language pathology and audiology professions.
Meeting with the Official Opposition
Associate Critic for Aboriginal Affairs
and Northern Development
CASLPA staff pose with Mr. Dennis Bevington, NDP MP for Western Arctic, NWT.![]()
CASLPA staff met with Mr. Dennis Bevington to discuss the demand and unaddressed need for S-LP and audiology services in Canada’s Aboriginal communities. This meeting was particularly relevant given his position as Official Opposition Associate Critic for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Mr. Bevington was very warm and extremely sympathetic to remote community issues. He was pleased with CASLPA’s initiative on the project and the follow-up CASLPA is doing in submitting an application for further funding.
Meeting with MP Rob Clarke![]()
CASLPA staff with Mr. Rob Clarke, Conservative MP for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK.
CASLPA staff had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Clarke, a member of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Mr. Clarke was pleased to hear that CASLPA wants to take steps to encourage members of Canada’s Aboriginal communities to collaborate and participate in the delivery of services and build the local capacity for training community members in a supportive role to deliver speech, language and hearing programming. He said that there will soon be a concentrated focus on education in the K-12 in Aboriginal communities. Given that CASLPA is focusing on 0-6 with its First Nations, Métis, and Inuit project, Mr. Clarke advised that this could be a second phase opportunity to tap into later. Mr. Clarke asked that he be kept updated on CASLPA’s initiatives in Aboriginal communities, and promised his support wherever possible.
