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House Hansard - 175

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 29, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 175 - Mar/29/23
Hon. Mike Lake (Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, CPC)
  • Mar/29/23 2:21:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and a quarter century since my son, Jaden, was diagnosed. Over the years, I have focused a lot of my public words on Jaden’s strengths. This is not because he does not need help but rather because, all too often, all people see is the help he needs. To be clear, as incredible as Jaden is, he needs a lot of help. He has considerable strengths in the concrete world, but they are inhibited by his struggles in the abstract world. He does not understand danger, so he literally needs help to survive every day. In other ways, Jaden's differences are healthier than our societal “normal”. He is obsessed with pictures, not because of how many “likes” they get on Instagram, but because of how much he loves the people, pets and places in them. He is honest with his expressions: giggling, yawning, crying or “tongue-out” intense. He rarely feels pressure to be something he is not. He is unwaveringly loyal, trusting, forgiving and trusting again, seemingly without hesitation. Yes, Jaden needs help, but for those who give him that help, invariably they receive much more in return.
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