Aspies For Freedom

A former mail carrier with no academic credentials is shaking up the way the people view autism. But her blunt views have put her at odds with many, Roger Collier reports

Roger Collier, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, December 01, 2007

As a warm October rain lacquers the street outside, Michelle Dawson walks to a table in a quiet Montreal café and removes her coat, exposing arms criss-crossed with scars from self-inflicted wounds. There are scars on her left cheek, too, and just above the collar of her V-neck T-shirt.

It's a Tuesday, mid- morning, and the café is empty except for one other customer. A television flickers silently in a corner. Soft rock seeps from tucked-away speakers.

A waitress arrives and Dawson orders coffee. She doesn't often drink coffee but this morning she could use the caffeine. Yesterday, she rose at 3 a.m. to finish a written argument for a court case, the latest in a series of legal battles between Dawson and her employer, Canada Post.

Dawson, who is 46, delivered mail for 11 years. She enjoyed the job and was good at it. She rarely missed a day, even in weather so awful most of her co-workers stayed home.

In 1999, Dawson told Canada Post she was autistic. Big mistake. Until her case is decided, she can't say much about what happened. But within a year she found herself on unpaid leave, which she is still on today...

The complete article is here: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news...ee9879&p=1

A scanned version of the article as it appeared in the printed version of the magazine is here: http://www.rogercollier.com/clipping.fea...dered.html

Yikes! What a dreadful case of discrimination! I hope she wins her case.

I do aswell

how can a company fire her because she is autistic? If she was black and thats why they fired her the company would be arrested by the police for discrimination why haven't they arrested this company?

The government won't arrest their own, that's why. Canada Post is part of the government, as is Australia Post. I was a pretty good postal worker too, until I got my two long-standing heart conditions diagnosed and started getting treatment - then they decided I no longer met their health criteria.

I doubt she will get really any money that is worth all the lawyers fees unless she gets them to do the work for free.  She is still fighting it since 1999.  ???

I hope these scientists are paying her for research or she has some type of job.  She is really trying to do so much good and not getting anything for it.  Maybe the director of CAN can give her some of his $300,000 plus pay cheque.  She is doing more for people with autism.

That was a great article. She is doing so much important and amazing work.

Great article. Thanks.

Exactly the reason I don't tell employers, future or present about my aspergers. Hope she wins though.