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Due North: Autism in Prince George

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Image courtesy of Autism Canada (autismcanada.org)

Image courtesy of Autism Canada (autismcanada.org)

By Courtney Hayhurst

When it comes to mental health, there are lots of misconceptions and pieces of misinformation out there. Of those that experience mental health challenges, those with autism are often amongst the most misunderstood. That autistic people are emotionless robots or that vaccines cause autism are just two examples of some of the deep misunderstandings that surround the autistic community. These misunderstandings can lead to discrimination and stigmatization, and contributes to the acceptance (or lack thereof) of the autistic community.

Acceptance of the autistic community in Canada, as well as around the world, is lacking. Accepting people with autism into social circles, incorporating their needs into events, or even accepting autistic people into the workplace is something society still struggles with. From a 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability, the general population held an employment rate of 92.7%. Comparatively, autistic adults held a 14.3% employment rate. This data exemplifies the amount of work Canadians still need to do regarding the acceptance of people with autism.

Along with a lack of acceptance also comes mental health impacts. Cage and Di in the 2018 article “Experiences of Autism Acceptance and Mental Health in Autistic Adults”, found that acceptance, either from external sources (i.e. family, friends and society) or internal sources (i.e personal perceptions of autism) greatly impacted the mental health of autistic adults. This study discovered that depression is greatly impacted and predicted by the level of acceptance from external sources. Families were found to “...have a large role in helping autistic individuals develop the skills needed to become successful adults in society” as said by Cage and Di. In addition to this, the study also found that social support received from family and friends were not  correlated with feelings of loneliness in autistic adults. The acceptance from external sources has been found to be a “...protective factor against depression”. Internal perceptions of acceptance also impacts symptoms of depression, and Cage and Di found that the greater acceptance a person has, the lower the symptoms of depression.

The above research offers some excellent insight into the well being of the autistic community, though it is focused mainly in London, England. Canadian data from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability offers a much more local dataset which actually still aligns closely to the findings of the European study mentioned above.

According to the 2017 survey, of the autistic population in Canada only 16% describe their health as good, or very good. This is directly contrasted to the 70% who describe their health as either good or very good, but are of the general population. This vast difference between the two communities shows that Canada is still lacking the necessary support systems and acceptance levels to maintain the good mental health of those in the autistic community.


Corey Walker, a Prince George and Northern BC autism advocate, is familiar with the struggles that the autistic community faces day to day. In addition to being an advocate, Corey has also been personally diagnosed with aspergers, and through both his personal and professional journeys he has incredible personal experiences fighting for acceptance in Canada. In the interview below, Corey discusses stigma, autism, and how communities can come together to become more accepting.

In Prince George, one organization in particular has dedicated a part of their mission to building an inclusive space for the community. In the past few years Theatre North West has successfully incorporated “Relaxed Performances”, which are dedicated to those with disabilities, sensory processing disorders, and even to parents with small children. Marnie Hamagami, Executive Director of Theatre North West, helped to build this program, and in the interview below discusses why creating inclusive spaces matters, and what they mean to the community as a whole.


Works Cited:

Cage, Edith and Jessica Di. “Experiences of Autism Acceptance and Mental Health in Autistic Adults”. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 48, no. 2, 2018.




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Due North: Creating a Safer Downtown Community

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Image courtesy of the City of Prince George

Image courtesy of the City of Prince George

By Courtney Hayhurst

If you live in town, have visited an urban center lately, or frequent the downtown core in your area, you are probably familiar with some of the social issues that many towns and cities face around the world.  People without homes, those who struggle with addiction, and those with mental health struggles often frequent the downtown core of communities, though their voices often go unheard. Some of the most commonly heard voices in regard to downtown areas and vulnerable populations, alternatively, are those of business owners.

A 2019 article by CBC details the perspectives of downtown business owners and their views of homeless populations. The article details comments of local business owners in Prince George and Kelowna, who fear for their safety due to discarded needles, human feces, as well as shoplifting. Many of the local business owners in the article demanded a call for immediate action to create a safer downtown core, but responses from Town Hall admitted that it is a much more complex issue. Prince George mayor Lyn Hall commented that these issues are outside of the City’s control, and that the Province of BC is experiencing an opioid crisis. While many of the local business owners are frustrated with the perceived lack of action the municipal and provincial governments are taking, the issue, as Lyn Hall said, is quite complicated.

When it comes to vulnerable communities (those who struggle with addictions, mental health, and those who struggle to maintain stable housing) the stigmas associated with them can lead to harmful outcomes and also can influence the perpetuation of behaviours associated with stigma as well. Studies have revealed that rejection, as well as the fear of rejection, can lead to coping mechanisms, such as isolation and withdrawal, that further harm the mental wellbeing of those vulnerable populations, as said by B.G. Link et al. in the Journal of Health and Science and Social behaviour 1997 publication of  “On stigma and its Consequences: Evidence From a Longitudinal study of Men With Dual Diagnoses of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse”. In addition, Link et al. found in the same study that the level of stigma that is perceived by those who struggle with addictions themselves can continue even when drug use is reduced or ended, and remains strongly associated with mental health symptoms. In the article published in 1989 “Social Stigma and Self-Esteem: The Self-Protective Properties of Stigma”, authors Crocker and Major concluded that there are some emotional, psychological, and behavioural responses and strategies of stigmatized individuals that can either lessen or exacerbate the effects of stigma and discrimination. 

In addition to the stigmas as perceived by vulnerable communities themselves, there is stigma placed on them from other parts of the community as well. Stigma, and discrimination because of stigma, is prevalent even in Health Care, for example. As found by Muncan et al. in the 2020 publication of “‘They look at us like junkies’: Influences of Drug Use Stigma on the Healthcare Engagement of People who Inject Drugs in New York City”, those who struggle with addiction are often dismissed and discriminated against in hospitals and clinics, even when they are hoping for treatment for non-drug-related injuries and illnesses.

Muncan’s et al. study found that “Of the 32 participants, 23 (71.9%) reported some form of enacted drug use stigma including, but not limited to, discrimination (i.e., being treated negatively as a reaction to injection drug use status), and dismissive attitudes of providers at hospitals and clinics”. Muncan et al. makes note that such discrimination and stigmatization of these vulnerable communities may “...discourage illicit drug users from getting health care due to fear of poor treatment by healthcare providers, or fear of trouble with the authorities”.

To provide some local context to the above studies, Jordan Harris and Sebastian Nicholson have offered their personal and professional experiences working in downtown Prince George. Jordan Harris, executive director of the POUNDs project, has extensive experience working in health care and servicing vulnerable populations. From providing safe injection sites to building programs to productively involve vulnerable citizens in the community, Jordan knows first had the types of stigmatizations and misperceptions that surround these communities. Sebastian Nicholson, Interim Education Manager of Positive Living North, has a lot of first hand experiences with these vulnerable communities as well, but Sebastian also works very closely with other businesses and organizations to help educate them about HIV/AIDS and HCV.

 Both Jordan and Sebastian come from perspectives of service providers, offering support services to vulnerable populations (which includes those who struggle with addiction and mental health, as well as those who lack stable housing). Jordan, familiar with the ins and outs of offering life saving medical care, and Sebastian, as a leader in the education of sexual health and addiction, offer their informed, experienced, and empathetic perspectives on downtown Prince George, and what needs to happen to create safer spaces for everyone in the community.

Jordan Harris, Interview Date October 7, 2020

Sebastian Nicholson, Interview Date October 28, 2020

Works Cited:

Crocker, Jennifer and Brenda Major. “Social Stigma and Self-Esteem: The Self-Protective Properties of Stigma”. Psychological Review, vol. 96, no. 4, 1989, pp. 608-630.

Link B.G., E.L. Struening, M. Rahav, J.C. Phelan, and L. Nuttbrock. “On stigma and its Consequences: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Men With Dual Diagnoses of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse”. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, vol. 38, no. 2, 1997, pp. 177–190.

Muncan, Brandon, Susan Walters, Jerel Ezell and Danielle Ompad. “ ‘They Look at us Like Junkies’: Influences of Drug Use Stigma on the Healthcare Engagement of People Who Inject Drugs in New York City”. Harm Reduction Journal, vol. 17, no. 53, 2020.

20130909 - Jordan the Rat Queen Interviews Ville Valo of H.I.M

On September 9th, the Rat Queen interviewed Ville Valo, frontman of the wildly successful Finnish rock band H.I.M.

With fans almost cultish in devotion, H.I.M. is the first Finnish band to have a certified platinum record in the United States. Below is the full, unedited interview. It's kind of a dodgy listen in some places, but this version is posted because the guy is so charming, even during the rougher moments. Enjoy!

On September 9th, I interviewed Ville Valo, frontman of the wildly successful Finnish rock band H.I.M. With fans almost cultish in devotion, H.I.M. is the first Finnish band to have a certified platinum record in the United States. I've included the full, unedited interview.

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Due North Story - People's Party of Canada - 20181214

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Maxime Bernier was a Member of Parliament of the Conservative Party of Canada, but following some controversies and other disagreements, has decided to leave the Conservative Party and start his own party, the People’s Party of Canada.

In June, Maxime was removed from the Conservative Party’s Shadow Cabinet. This was following some disagreements with the ranks of the CPC in regards to supply management. An anonymous Convervative MP said the reason for the removal was because of Maxime republishing a chapter from his book regarding supply management, which also accused Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer of having won the leadership because of “fake Conservatives” that joined for the purpose of protecting supply management. This controversy also raises the important issue of party discipline and its resulting implications.

Shortly after Maxime announced his departure from the Conservative Party, there was some controversy at the Conservative national conference in Halifax. A Dairy Farmers of Canada briefing book was leaked, detailing their plans for how to proceed in some given scenarios regarding motions on supply management. Notable was their “Safety Net”, which said that Andrew Scheer’s power as leader can prevent a policy against supply management, and that Andrew would be willing to use it to protect supply management. Both Andrew’s office and DFC say the info put into the book was false, but it nevertheless generated speculation. There is also some interest in being able to see the booklet, otherwise.

Supply management is a common theme. What is the PPC’s stance on it? How important is it?

When Maxime announced his departure from the Conservative Party, causing some more controversy. Maxime accused the party of being “too intellectually and morally bankrupt to be reformed”, and many Conservatives accused him of seeking to divide conservatives, or even help Justin Trudeau win next election. Is vote splitting a concern?

The potential appeal to Prince George citizens and university students, as well as possible broader value of the existence of this new party are also discussed.

Links:

http://cfur.ca/home/2018/11/19/due-north-scott-smith-president-of-cariboo-pg-eda-peoples-party-of-canada-20181118?rq=Scott%20Smith

http://cfur.ca/home/2018/12/13/due-north-jason-morris-interview-about-the-ppc-20181213

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maxime-bernier-removed-front-bench-1.4703609

https://globalnews.ca/news/4270595/andrew-scheer-removes-maxime-bernier-cabinet/

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/full-text-the-dairy-lobby-briefing-binder-found-on-the-floor-of-the-conservative-convention

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-dairy-lobbys-claim-about-a-deal-with-andrew-scheer-is-false/

https://globalnews.ca/news/4405803/maxime-bernier-andrew-scheer-conservative-party-reaction/

https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/

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Due North: Scott Smith - President of Cariboo-PG EDA - People's Party of Canada - 20181118

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Scott Smith, the President of the Cariboo-PG EDA and Regional Organizer for Northern BC for the People's Party of Canada, joins Due North for an interview! Topics discussed include what the party stands for, issues with the Conservative Party of Canada, what the PPC can do for Prince George, and more!

Pic credit: https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/